Building the RTS of my dreams: A nostalgic trip to Empires Edge

Welcome to Empires Edge!

This project is a cozy RTS at heart, heavily inspired by the 1991 classic Mega Lo Mania. Imagine floating islands in space, evolving through different eras with unique architecture and massive armies. But as development progressed, I found myself adding more and more features that go far beyond the original formula.

Not just humans anymore

I wanted the world to feel alive and easy to read, so I’m introducing multiple races. This way, you can tell at a glance who’s captured which island. Right now, I have Humans and Orcs ready, with Elves and Dwarves planned for the future. My goal is to make them play as differently as they look—each faction will have its own "personality," ranging from peaceful builders to aggressive conquerors.

Your island, your rules

In the original game, you were limited to just 4 buildings per era. In Empires Edge, I’ve already pushed that to 12 buildings per era for each race! The more I work on it, the more ideas I get for new structures.

Since you choose exactly where to build, there’s a real tactical layer here. Space on the islands is limited, so you’ll have to make tough choices: what do you need right now? Where should your resources go? If you change your mind, you can always demolish a building to make room for something better.

Units and the Forge

You'll manage a mix of melee and ranged units. To give them an edge, I’ve added a Forge where you can upgrade their stats within the current era. But stay on your toes—when you advance to a new age, your units, buildings, and crafting requirements will evolve with you.

Where we are right now

I’ve finally reached that magical moment in development: the core gameplay loop is finished. Honestly? I’m having a blast playing it myself! It’s an incredible feeling to step back from the code and just enjoy the game as a player.

Currently, the Stone Age is fully playable for both Humans and Orcs. The Humans have their full art set, and I’m busy finishing up the Orc buildings as we speak.

What’s next?

The immediate plan is to polish the Forge mechanics and start working on the Bronze Age. After that, I’ll be introducing a Market for resource trading. This will be crucial because resources like wood and stone are finite—once your island is picked clean, you’ll need a backup plan!

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Feel free to jump into the comments—let’s build this empire together!