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Asermu

Changelog

What we’ve shipped, fixed, and improved.

Wiki entry deletion and homepage demo video placement

  • FixedWiki entries can now be deleted — a delete button (with confirmation) was added to the expanded card in both grid view and list view
  • ImprovedDemo video on the homepage moved below the How It Works section — viewers now read what asermu does step-by-step before watching it in action

Readable blog and legal pages on the marketing site

  • FixedBlog posts, privacy, terms, cookies, accessibility, and about pages now render with proper light-on-dark contrast — section headings and body text were previously near-invisible because the dark-mode prose styles weren't being applied on the dark marketing palette

Editor upgrade, framework upgrade, and health-check reliability

  • ImprovedManuscript editor (TipTap) upgraded to 3.22 — better collaboration cursor rendering and improved paste handling from Word, Google Docs, and Scrivener exports
  • ImprovedNext.js upgraded to 16.2 — smaller JavaScript bundles and faster initial page loads across the app
  • ImprovedNeon serverless database driver upgraded to 1.1 — more reliable connection pooling under sustained load
  • ImprovedEmail sending (Resend) upgraded to 6.12 — better retry behaviour on transient delivery failures
  • FixedProduction health checks now detect real issues cleanly without false-positive noise — so if something ever does go wrong, alerts mean something

Scroll fixes on core pages and social link previews

  • FixedScroll broken on dashboard, account page, project overview, project settings, and global settings — every page now scrolls normally so nothing is cut off
  • FixedLink previews now render properly on X, Bluesky, Reddit, Discord, and other platforms — landing page and pricing page links show the full hero image and summary-large-image card
  • FixedMap drawing default stroke colour is now visible in light mode — previously annotations were white-on-white and invisible
  • ImprovedPacing curve view uses the full available width instead of a fixed narrow size

First-time tutorial and onboarding

  • NewWelcome modal greets new users — shows all available writing modules with tier-aware lock badges and a quick 'Create your first project' shortcut
  • NewContextual hints guide first-time visitors — every module gets a one-time popover explaining what it does, dismissed with 'Got it' or Escape
  • NewExploration checklist on the dashboard tracks which modules you've visited
  • NewReplay tour button in Settings resets all hints so you can see them again
  • ImprovedSidebar expand button now shows a helpful popover instead of just a pulse animation for first-time users

Export fixes, DOCX support, and map improvements

  • FixedPDF and EPUB export no longer fails — both formats now download correctly from the manuscript toolbar and compile page
  • NewExport to DOCX — download your manuscript as a Word document with full formatting, headings, lists, and page breaks per chapter (Pro/Lifetime)
  • ImprovedMap drawing toolbar is now compact — colour and stroke width pickers collapsed into popover buttons, fitting comfortably on laptops and phones
  • ImprovedLocations top bar adapts to narrow screens — search input shrinks and 'New' label hides at phone widths
  • FixedMap drawing default colour changed from white to brand amber — annotations are now visible in both light and dark mode
  • FixedMinimap no longer covers the drawing toolbar on phones and tablets
  • ImprovedNew notes open directly in edit mode — no extra click needed after creating a note
  • ImprovedDone button added to the reference panel note editor for a clear way to finish editing
  • FixedTimeline visual view cards now wrap to the next row instead of scrolling horizontally
  • FixedReference panel header aligns perfectly with the chapters sidebar
  • FixedCharacter 'Read in manuscript' button no longer gets cut off on mobile — shows icon only on small screens

Toolbar responsive, notes editing, and SEO fix

  • ImprovedManuscript toolbar collapses progressively on smaller screens — save status, word counts, and actions hide in priority order using container queries, with an overflow 'More' menu on narrow viewports
  • ImprovedNotes now edit inline — click a note in the reference panel to edit its title and content without leaving the manuscript
  • ImprovedQuick Note creates a note and immediately opens it in edit mode in the reference panel
  • NewAdd notes directly from the reference panel Notes tab header or empty state
  • ImprovedDelete notes from anywhere — reference panel, list view, and corkboard — with a themed confirmation dialog for notes with content
  • ImprovedNotes sorted newest-first across all views
  • FixedNotes no longer crash when rendered — rich content displays correctly instead of throwing a React child error
  • FixedSix marketing pages (blog posts, cookies) are now properly indexable by search engines

Scroll fixes, export repairs, and compile page access

  • FixedApp-wide scroll issue resolved — all module pages (manuscript, characters, timeline, plot, notes, encyclopedia) now scroll content independently with sticky headers
  • FixedCompile page added to the sidebar under a new 'Publish' section — no longer hidden behind a tiny toolbar icon
  • FixedCompile page no longer crashes on projects with empty text nodes in scene content
  • FixedFull manuscript PDF and EPUB export now includes scene content instead of rendering empty chapters
  • FixedGrammar check option hidden from the manuscript toolbar — feature was non-functional and will return in a future update

Notes, encyclopedia, maps, launch prep, and typography

  • NewEncyclopedia redesigned — grid and list views with inline expansion, category-coloured borders, search across content and aliases, sort by name/date/category, group by category
  • NewNotes now expand inline in both corkboard and list views — click a note to read it without leaving the page, click Edit to open the full editor
  • NewEmail capture form on the landing page and footer — get notified on launch day
  • NewUTM tracking and signup source capture — every registration records where the user came from
  • NewUmami custom events on all key conversion points (CTAs, signup, pricing, email capture)
  • NewTwo new blog posts: 'Why Asermu has no AI writing features' and 'Building Asermu: from idea to launch'
  • NewFourth pillar on the landing page: 'Every word is yours' — no algorithm writes your sentences
  • ImprovedMap explorer: double-click any location to drill in, distinct pin colours, drag alignment fixed, background image management (move, resize, delete)
  • ImprovedFont size preference now scoped to the manuscript editor only — no longer affects the sidebar, cards, or marketing pages
  • ImprovedLanding page copy polished: clearer hero subtitle, dynamic pricing anchor, 'I' voice throughout, jargon removed from FAQ
  • ImprovedComplete OG/Twitter metadata and Organisation/WebSite schema markup on all pages
  • FixedMap drawing enabled at the root 'All Locations' level
  • FixedNotes list view uses accordion-style expansion matching the row design, not an oversized card
  • FixedEncyclopedia reference panel in the manuscript sidebar now renders rich content correctly instead of showing 'Rich content'

Characters UX & Relationship Graph overhaul

  • NewRelationship Graph — complete visual overhaul with zoom/pan, coloured relationship edges, curved edge paths, and interactive hover highlighting
  • NewRelationship Graph — collapsible legend showing groups, relationship types, and character depth levels
  • NewRelationship Graph — lock/unlock toggle for drag behaviour (keep characters where you place them or let them snap back)
  • NewCharacter cards — compact horizontal layout with inline expansion for reading character details without leaving the grid
  • NewScenes view — character picker with scene count per character
  • NewAvatar suggestions — smarter matching with synonym expansion for descriptions and backstory text
  • NewGroup emblems — choose from 10 symbolic icons for your character groups
  • ImprovedRelationship Graph — nodes coloured by group membership instead of arbitrary rainbow
  • ImprovedRelationship Graph — group areas properly contain their members
  • ImprovedCharacter cards take up less space — manage larger casts at a glance
  • FixedRelationship Graph tier gating — properly enforced on both entry points

Characters redesign & UI state persistence

  • NewCharacters page redesigned — full-width card grid replacing sidebar layout
  • NewCharacter templates — 8 built-in presets (Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Historical, Villain, Minor NPC, Child)
  • NewOffline name generator — 706 names across 10 cultural origins with alliteration mode
  • NewCharacter comparison — view 2-3 characters side by side
  • NewCharacter statistics dashboard — 6 cards showing depth, archetype, and relationship insights
  • NewProgressive development wizard — 6-step snowflake method for building characters
  • NewCharacter groups redesign — colour picker, inline editing, bulk assign
  • NewUI state persistence — your panel sizes, view modes, and filters are remembered per project
  • ImprovedCharacter form split into focused sections — easier to navigate and edit
  • ImprovedNotes Done button made more prominent — no longer easy to miss
  • ImprovedNotes group-by-chapter now correctly resolves scenes to their parent chapter
  • ImprovedNotes list view section headers visually distinct from note rows
  • FixedCloud backup restore no longer crashes on date fields

Notes overhaul & manuscript improvements

  • NewNotes corkboard view — see all your notes as visual cards in a responsive grid
  • NewNotes list view — compact scannable rows with type, tags, and dates
  • NewQuick Note capture — press Ctrl+Shift+N to create a note linked to your current scene
  • NewNote from selection — select text in the editor and create a note from it instantly
  • NewPinned notes section in the reference panel — stays visible across all scenes
  • NewScoped reference panel — notes grouped by Scene, Chapter, and Project
  • NewResizable reference panel — drag to adjust the width to your preference
  • ImprovedNotes now show rendered content by default — edit button switches to form mode
  • ImprovedNotes page top bar with search, type filters, group-by, and view toggle
  • ImprovedType filter pills in the reference panel notes tab
  • ImprovedNote cards show coloured left border by type for quick visual scanning
  • ImprovedReference panel tabs reordered: Notes, Encyclopedia, Characters, Scenes, Snapshots
  • ImprovedManuscript status bar adapts gracefully when the editor area narrows
  • ImprovedEditor toolbar scrolls horizontally instead of clipping — font size always accessible
  • FixedAuto-backup now detects changes to characters, locations, timeline, notes, encyclopedia, and plot threads
  • FixedReference panel tabs no longer overflow — responsive icon/label sizing

Cross-device backup & dashboard overhaul

  • NewRestore projects on any device — sign in on a new browser and your backed-up projects are waiting
  • NewConflict detection — if two devices edit the same project, choose which version to keep
  • NewConnect Google Drive or GitHub for backup from your Account page
  • NewPersistent storage gate — protects your writing from browser cleanup
  • ImprovedDashboard heatmap shows a rolling 6-month window instead of a fixed year
  • ImprovedWriting Activity and Weekly Trend sit side by side on wider screens
  • ImprovedProject overview and project settings split into separate pages
  • ImprovedTimer and backup status always visible in the manuscript toolbar
  • ImprovedWord counts now show 'w' suffix for clarity (Scene: 1,234w)
  • FixedSession word count no longer resets when switching tabs
  • FixedBackup copy updated — 'Auto-backup to your Google Drive or GitHub'

Subscriptions & tiers

  • NewStripe live payments with multi-currency support (GBP, USD, EUR)
  • NewTier gating — module access and project limits enforced by plan
  • NewPromotion codes at checkout
  • NewDaily Postgres backup to Cloudflare R2 with failure alerts
  • ImprovedSidebar lock icons show which features require an upgrade
  • ImprovedPricing card visual hierarchy — Pro plan highlighted as recommended

Public access

  • NewAsermu is now publicly accessible — no invite code needed
  • NewSign in with Google or GitHub via OAuth
  • NewPrivacy-first analytics (Umami, cookieless)
  • ImprovedLegal pages (Privacy, Terms, Cookies, Accessibility) updated for launch

Launch preparation

  • NewCustom domain — asermu.com is live with Cloudflare DNS and SSL
  • NewMulti-currency pricing (GBP, USD, EUR) across all plans
  • NewPrivacy Policy, Terms of Service, Cookie Policy, and Accessibility Statement
  • NewPassword reset flow via email
  • ImprovedBrand heritage rewrite — Amazigh cultural origin story and pintadera motifs

Writing goals

  • NewDaily, weekly, and monthly word count goals with progress tracking
  • NewWriting streaks with grace days — one missed day won't break your streak
  • NewPersistent writing timer with audio notification on completion
  • NewCelebrations — confetti and toasts when you hit milestones
  • NewPer-project heatmap and weekly trend chart on the dashboard

Plot system

  • NewPlot Grid — track story beats across chapters in a flexible grid
  • NewOutline view — hierarchical text outline of your story structure
  • NewCorkboard — drag-and-drop scene cards across chapters
  • NewTimeline swimlane — chronological scene layout by POV or thread
  • NewBeat sheet — 7 built-in structure templates (Save the Cat, Hero's Journey, etc.)
  • NewPacing curve — SVG visualisation of tension across your manuscript
  • NewRelationship graph — force-directed visualisation of character connections
  • ImprovedCharacters module — rich profiles, avatar support, POV usage tracking

Visual overhaul

  • NewFive visual themes — Asermu (default), Brutal, Glass, Soft, Terminal
  • NewNine accent colour presets
  • NewThree density levels — compact, comfortable, spacious
  • ImprovedFull mobile responsive layout across the entire app
  • ImprovedAccessibility pass — WCAG 2.1 AA compliance across all pages

Timeline & encyclopedia

  • NewTimeline module — chronological event management with date guidance
  • NewEncyclopedia — worldbuilding reference with categories and search
  • NewNotes module — freeform notes with pinning and keyboard navigation
  • ImprovedCross-entity linking — connect characters, locations, and notes to scenes

Characters & locations

  • NewCharacter profiles — physical, psychological, background, and story role sections
  • NewDepth levels — main, supporting, and minor character tiers
  • NewLocation builder — hierarchical parent/child locations with types
  • ImprovedCharacter relationship reciprocity — linking two characters auto-creates the reverse

Export & import

  • NewExport manuscripts to Markdown, PDF, EPUB, and DOCX
  • NewImport from Markdown and plain text files
  • NewCloud backup to Google Drive and GitHub Gist
  • NewProject vault — full JSON export/import of entire projects

Manuscript editor

  • NewRich-text manuscript editor with full formatting toolbar
  • NewChapter management with drag-and-drop reordering
  • NewLive word count and writing statistics
  • NewAuto-save to local storage — your work is always safe
  • NewFocus mode — distraction-free writing with all chrome hidden