Antillery Devlog #1
Project Introduction
What is Antillery?
Antillery is a 2D turn-based artillery game that blends classical projectile combat with peace-oriented mechanics. Inspired by games like Worms and Scorched Earth, it introduces satirical and subversive tools such as sunflowers, butterflies, and terrain-repairing sod to alter the battlefield.
Players take turns repositioning their ants, choosing tools, and aiming shots across a destructible terrain. Wind, gravity, and other environmental factors affect trajectory and impact. Terrain deformation and restoration are central to the game's tactical identity.
Why Antillery?
The game seeks to reinvigorate a genre that has seen little evolution in recent years. Modern artillery games often rehash existing mechanics or move away from turn-based strategy entirely. Antillery returns to the roots of the genre while challenging its assumptions.
Instead of only offering weapons that destroy, Antillery introduces nonviolent tools that disrupt, obstruct, or restore. The goal is to create new kinds of tension and decision-making, without losing the chaos and unpredictability that defines the genre.
Design Goals
Gameplay Goals
- Support for 2–4 player local multiplayer
- Fully destructible and constructible terrain
- Balanced mix of traditional and peace-oriented tools
Technical Goals
- Modular, testable architecture using Unity's ScriptableObjects
- Offline-first design prioritizing accessibility
Technical Plan
Core Technologies
The game is being built in Unity (2022.3.62f1 LTS) using C#. Terrain will be implemented as an alpha-mask texture with per-pixel deformation logic. Game logic is modularized into decoupled systems for turn order, player input, weapon behavior, and terrain interaction.
Development Approach
Development follows an Agile sprint model with weekly goals and GitHub for version control. Core systems will be prioritized first, followed by gameplay polish and visual clarity. The MVP will include functional core gameplay, UI, and local multiplayer support.
Target Audience
Antillery is designed for a wide spectrum of players:
Veteran Fans
Seeking chaos, creativity, and precision in their artillery gameplay
Newcomers
Who want approachable controls and emergent gameplay
Casual Players
Who enjoy unpredictable outcomes and on-the-couch fun
Competitive Players
Who thrive on mind games and space control
Proposal Download
You can read the full capstone proposal document here:
Next Time
In the next post, I'll explain why I chose Unity 2022.3 LTS over Unity 6.0, despite having access to newer hardware and newer engine features.