This project is a tactical turn-based fighting game that features different character classes and a community-driven map creation system. My goal was to design a game that blends strategic combat with player creativity, allowing the community to contribute to the world through a built-in map creation tool.
Inspiration
I’ve always enjoyed tactical games. What inspired me most was how these games reward planning and adaptation. I wanted to create a game that captures that same depth of strategy while giving players the freedom to shape their own battlefields. The idea of community-generated maps came from my interest in player-driven content and what it brings to replayability.
How I built it
The game was built using the Canvas API with TypeScript, focusing on performance and flexibility. I designed systems for
Tile-based grid movement and range detection
A map editor that lets players design, save, and share maps
For animations and effects, I implemented sprite sheet rendering and frame-based logic to keep the visuals lightweight and efficient.
What I Learned
Working on this project taught me a lot about
Game architecture - managing state, entities, and rendering efficiently
Balancing gameplay mechanics to ensure each class feels distinct and fair
Tool development, especially building the map editor to be intuitive and flexible
Optimization for the browser, since I wanted smooth performance even on mobile devices
Challenges
Some of the main challenges included
Managing complex interactions between units, especially when accounting for range, terrain, and turn order
Ensuring the map editor was both powerful and user-friendly
Maintaining consistent performance as more elements were added to the scene
To address these, I spent time refactoring systems for scalability and testing gameplay flow to keep the experience smooth.
Reflection
This project helped me grow as both a developer and a designer. It reinforced how much I enjoy creating systems that combine logic and creativity and how community input can potentially elevate a game far beyond what one developer can build alone.
What's next for Iso Realms
This is just the beginning for the project. I plan to add plenty of new features, characters, items, and more. The game was designed to be flexible, giving me room to expand and experiment as I continue developing it.
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