Rune Tactics

Inspiration

I wanted to build a small tactical RPG experience that feels quick to play on mobile, but still has real strategy. I was inspired by isometric turn-based games, especially the feeling of moving across a grid, reading enemy positions, and choosing the right moment to attack.

What it does

Rune Tactics is a mobile browser game where I control a Moonforged Acolyte fighting a Night Djinn on an isometric rune arena.

The player can move across glowing tiles, use positioning to get closer to the enemy, attack when adjacent, and trigger Rune Burst as a special ability. The enemy also takes turns, moves around the grid, and attacks when it gets close.

How I built it

I built the game as a lightweight static web project using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The interface, battlefield, characters, health bars, animations, movement system, turn system, and combat logic are all implemented directly in the browser.

I used AI tools to help with coding, UI design, gameplay ideas, balancing the tactical loop, and polishing the mobile experience. Inside the game, the Rune Guide analyzes the current board state and suggests useful tactical actions, while the enemy uses decision logic to choose movement and attacks.

Challenges I ran into

The hardest part was making the isometric board readable on both desktop and mobile. I had to adjust the tile sizing, camera position, colors, spacing, and contrast several times so the board felt centered and easy to understand.

Another challenge was keeping the game simple enough to play quickly while still making each turn feel meaningful.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I’m proud that the game is fully playable in a browser with no downloads. It has a complete loop: movement, enemy turns, attacks, health bars, special ability, hints, victory, defeat, and restart.

I’m also proud of the visual style. The game started very dark and hard to read, but I improved the colors, board visibility, and HUD until it felt much more polished.

What I learned

I learned a lot about building a tactical grid system, positioning elements in an isometric layout, designing for mobile screens, and balancing visual polish with gameplay clarity.

I also learned how useful AI can be as a development partner, especially for quickly testing ideas, improving UI, and refining gameplay systems.

What's next for Rune Tactics

Next, I would like to add more levels, different enemy types, new abilities, sound effects, and a progression system. I’d also like to improve the Rune Guide so it can explain its suggestions more clearly and make the battles feel more dynamic.

Built With

• ai-assisted
• css
• development
• github
• html
• javascript
• vercel