A Year of Silence: Here’s What I’ve Been Building

It’s been almost a full year since my last update — because I’ve been solo-developing non-stop and barely had any time to post anything. So here’s a proper breakdown of what I’ve been building behind the scenes.

A Highly Replayable, High-Challenge Randomized Defense Mode

I decided to focus heavily on Defense Mode because it’s the most familiar and instantly enjoyable for most players.

• Melee PvP wasn’t fun during testing, and the PvP scope was simply too massive for a solo developer like me.

• Custom modes are easy to prototype, but making them truly fun, replayable, and meaningful would drastically increase the scope.

• So Defense Mode became my core — tight, refined, and focused.

Building a StarCraft 2 + Warcraft 3 Inspired Campaign

As a lifelong fan of Warcraft and StarCraft 2, I wanted to create a campaign inspired by the best parts of both.

• Each mission is unique, SC2-style — focusing on specific units, buildings, terrain, or mechanics.

• Pixel-art maps are built with a Command & Conquer–like visual style.

• Combat, unit design, abilities, heroes, and buffs draw inspiration from Warcraft 2/3.

I want each mission to feel different, easy to understand, and memorable when you play it.

A Wide Cast of Units with Distinct Roles, Abilities, and Intense Interactions

I’ve been building a deeply layered unit system:

• Multiple roles: tanker, hunter, ranger, mage, specialist.

• Units come in ranks 1–5, increasing in power.

• Rare Rank 4–5 units (Gold & Red) have additional powerful abilities and are harder to obtain.

• Movement, attacks, skills, and interactions are inspired by MOBAs and Warcraft 3.

• You’ll have plenty of defensive options, ways to counter enemy threats, and opportunities to acquire stronger units.

Chestbox & Randomization Systems inspired by Diablo2

Randomness adds excitement and replay value, so I added several systems:

• Chestbox gives you 3 random choices every minute.

• Guildhouse sells powerful but limited and random units.

• Gambler allows you to buy random rewards — similar to the Diablo 2 gambler system.

• and more ...

These systems keep each run fresh and unpredictable.

Advanced Automated Farming & Resource System

Another big chunk of development went into creating an interconnected resource ecosystem:

• A unique farming and harvesting system.

• Water supply, energy production, and extraction chains that support later gameplay.

• Fully automated workers — no micro-management. You build, manage, and strategize while your base runs smoothly.

Strategic Upgrades Tailored to Each Mission’s Challenges

I built a 4-tier upgrade system that spans all major aspects of gameplay, letting players slowly refine, optimize, and customize their strategies during a run.

Powerful Towers and Traps for Creative, High-Impact Defense

Defense is the heart of the game, so towers needed depth:

• 2 core towers available from the start.

• 8–9 additional special towers that players can find and unlock.

• Multiple trap types to enhance your defensive layout.

In-Game Map Editor — As Simple and Intuitive as Warcraft 3’s

Inspired by Warcraft 3 World Editor, the game includes a full map editor:

• Create maps entirely from scratch.

• Build, test, and play them directly inside the game. Since I was a Warcraft 3 map creator 15+ years ago, this part felt natural and nostalgic.

Design Your Own Campaigns with Powerful, Player-Friendly Tools

Beyond map creation, players can customize:

• Features, events, and interactions.

• Enemy attack waves, boss encounters, scripted sequences.

This allows players to build their own full campaign, not just a single map.

Current Progress:

• I’ve completed several campaign missions, updated the demo, and you can now play through the first five campaigns.

• The release date has been pushed back a few times because I prioritize launching a polished product that meets the quality I’m aiming for. I care more about the player experience than rushing out something buggy, disjointed, or shallow.

• I’m currently finishing the remaining campaigns and further optimizing the random map system. If everything goes well, I should be able to release the full version in about three months.