Extal World Builder – Andrew D Nusz

Extal World Builder - Updates

All questions regarding the Extal World Builder should be asked in the forum section.

03-04-2026

Version 0.6 beta is out for Windows and Linux. Does it have bugs? Most likely so it should not be considered ready for actual usage. If you want to test it out, head on over to the forum. It's in the announcements.

02-15-2026

Tested program on Windows 11 and so far things are working with the exception of the AI Model installing. I'll have to figure something out for this. This is not a big issue though because the automatic function of searching is still present so scanning still works.

Feature wise, Markdown formatting is gone. In its place is a workable word processor with a toolbar for fonts, alignment, image input and format, plus within the topics editor, a functioning text box and image box similar to Microsoft Publisher.

Each topic created has its own visual editor where you put your text and images wherever you want.
The main topics editor is detachable so you can enlarge the window and get a better view of your topic selection.
Added an export option for one big export of all tabs or single tabs in the formats markdown, xml, docx, or pdf.

01-31-2026

The features for each tab (Topics, Characters, Timeline, Maps) work semi-correctly. There needs to be some tweaking here and there.

Feature wise, I think I'm done adding things for now. I really like where it's at. Everything is linkable and that was one of 2 goals: add an interactive map and a linking system.

I'm actually undecided on the "font system" though. Do I really want a markdown editor or go with a word processor? I'm leaning towards a markdown system right now.

Who This Program Is Built For

Extal is especially useful when your world has enough moving parts that plain notes stop working. It is built for creators who need relationships, context, and navigation between many entities.

Novelists and Series Writers

Track recurring characters, evolving locations, and timeline consistency over long projects.

Linked article text reduces continuity mistakes.
Backlinks reveal where an item is referenced.
Timeline events keep historical order visible.

Game Masters and Campaign Designers

Run living settings with factions, NPCs, map points, and event history that all connect together.

Interactive map markers for quest and travel planning.
Travel-time measuring in weeks, days, hours, minutes.
Fast navigation between linked entities during sessions.

Game and Narrative Teams

Keep design references structured in a local desktop vault instead of scattered files.

Entity linking helps writers and designers share context.
Topic hierarchy supports large lore libraries.
Local file-based storage is easy to back up and version.

Hobby Worldbuilders

Create a personal world encyclopedia with maps, characters, and historical records in one place.

Rich editor tools support long-form world documents.
Visual structure keeps hobby projects easy to revisit.
Optional scanning can speed up initial setup from notes.

How People Use It Day to Day

The app is organized around a practical cycle: build entries, connect them, and use the links while writing or planning.

Typical Workflow

1. Build your base: create topics, characters, events, and maps in the left tree.

2. Write and annotate: use the center editor for lore pages, biographies, and event descriptions.

3. Link meaningfully: connect entities in metadata panels and inside sentence text with internal hyperlinks.

4. Place locations: add map markers, attach labels and descriptions, and connect markers to entities.

5. Measure travel: click a route and display walking/mounted travel in world time format.

6. Iterate safely: edits auto-save to a local vault and can be copied with Save As.

The app is intended for deep, interconnected world documentation rather than isolated notes.

Comprehensive Feature Breakdown

The sections below describe what is implemented in the current build and how each part supports actual worldbuilding work.

Core Workspace and Data Model

Four primary tabs: Topics, Characters, Timeline, Maps.
Three-panel layout with resizable dividers and collapsible side panels.
Local vault workflow: New Vault, Load Vault, Save As, plus auto-save behavior.
Last opened vault path is remembered for restart continuity.
Legacy vault migration logic for older project structures.

Topics and Lore Organization

Hierarchical topic tree with parent-child structure and expand/collapse state.
Topic drag and drop supports reorder and reparenting.
Context-menu actions: add child, rename, delete.
Per-topic editor background override to visually differentiate major pages.
Linked-item lists to characters, topics, maps, markers, and timeline events.
Backlinks panel shows where each topic is referenced.

Character Management

Structured character metadata: names, race, age, gender, class, tags.
Additional personality/background/motivation fields for role context.
Portrait support with emoji and uploaded image data.
Character center tabs: Overview, Biography, Notes, Relationships.
Relationship editor records target character, relation type, and notes.
Character links and backlinks support cross-entity navigation.

Timeline and Event Tracking

Event entities include date, end date, category, and full description content.
Event description uses the same rich editor tooling as topic pages.
Timeline view renders event records for chronological review.
Event metadata can link to characters, topics, maps, and markers.
Backlinks and event relationship network assist with narrative impact tracking.

Rich Editor and Formatting Toolset

Formatting controls: headings, alignment, lists, quote, bold/italic/underline/strikethrough.
Font family and size controls with persisted preferences.
Text color and background highlight controls.
Image insertion from URL or file picker, with alignment and resize behavior.
Table insertion, row/column editing, merge/split, header toggle, and border/cell styling.
Shape insert tool (rectangle/circle/triangle), including optional table-cell background usage.

In-Article Hyperlinking and Graph-Like Navigation

Hyperlink modal supports URL, email, phone, anchor, and internal world-item links.
Internal links target topics, characters, events, and map markers.
Internal links are clickable directly inside article text.
Link display can be text-link style or button style.
Title, new-tab, and nofollow options for external links.
Right-panel linked items and backlinks keep relationships discoverable.

Maps, Markers, and Travel-Time Measurement

Map images are loaded into an interactive Leaflet viewport.
Markers can be created, dragged, renamed, recolored, labeled, and deleted.
Unplaced markers can be created first and placed later by click.
Marker records include name, description, color, category label, and entity link status.
Measure mode supports route-following distance or direct start-end line.
Travel output is time-based (weeks, days, hours, minutes), not miles/km.
Measurement options include on-foot pace, horse presets, custom multipliers, and route calibration from known duration text.

Scanner and Optional Local AI

Scan File and Scan Folder parse source text and propose entities.
Folder scan aggregates multi-file results and deduplicates suggestions.
Suggestions can be applied item-by-item or via Apply All Checked.
Rescan option reruns extraction after adjustments.
Optional local AI mode can be toggled for scanning.
AI model manager handles setup, downloads, active-model selection, and removal.

Appearance, Context Menus, and App Hooks

Theme settings include scheme selection, token-level custom colors, import/export/reset.
Context menus exist for tree items, editors, tables, and map markers.
Keyboard integration includes F1 help and Escape modal/fullscreen handling.
Desktop menu hooks support new/open/save/save-as and export routes.

Technical Aspects

This section explains how the app is structured in practical terms so creators and technical users know what to expect.

Desktop Architecture

Electron desktop app model for Windows, macOS, and Linux deployment.
Front-end interface implemented in HTML/CSS/JavaScript.
Front-end state tracks topics, characters, events, and maps as linked entities.

Editor and Mapping Stack

Quill-based rich text editing with custom toolbars and modal tools.
Leaflet-based interactive map canvas for markers and route measurement.
UI includes dedicated modals for links, tables, shapes, theme settings, and measurement configuration.

Storage and Data Safety

Vault data stored locally in JSON-oriented structures.
Auto-save scheduling reduces manual save burden.
Save As allows copy-based backups and branching project files.

Optional AI Subsystem

Text scanning works without AI via baseline extraction logic.
Local AI can be enabled through model manager setup.
Model files are large and directly affect disk and memory requirements.

Notes: feature depth can vary slightly depending on your installed backend tools and chosen AI model setup.

Estimated System Requirements and Platform Targets

The values below are practical estimates for this app type and current feature set. Actual performance depends on vault size, image sizes, and whether local AI is enabled.

Where It Can Run

Platform	Status	Notes
Windows	Supported target	Desktop workflow with file pickers and local vault files.
macOS	Supported target	Desktop workflow with the same feature model.
Linux	Supported target	Desktop workflow with the same feature model.

Estimated Requirements (No Local AI)

CPU: modern dual-core or better (Intel/AMD equivalent).
RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended for larger projects.
Storage: 1-2 GB free for app plus project files and images.
GPU: integrated graphics is usually sufficient.

Estimated Requirements (With Local AI Models)

CPU: modern quad-core recommended.
RAM: 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended for smoother model use.
Storage: +2 to 8+ GB depending on installed model sizes.
GPU: optional for acceleration, not required for all setups.

Practical Performance Notes

Very large map images and many markers increase memory usage.
Large vaults with heavy formatting or many images benefit from more RAM.
Model downloads and local AI setup are optional; core worldbuilding features do not require them.

Why This Matters for Writers and Worldbuilders

The app is built around continuity and retrieval: if your world has many names, places, historical events, and moving relationships, Extal helps you keep it navigable. You are not just writing pages - you are building a connected reference system you can actually use while drafting, planning sessions, or revising long projects.