Battle Drones: Vibe-Coded RTS With Audio Multiplayer

Battle Drones is a browser-based real-time strategy game modeled after Command & Conquer, built almost entirely through iterative AI prompting with Claude Code. Starting in July and reaching its current state through 12 major iterations and 321 commits, the project demonstrates how carefully calibrated prompts can guide AI agents toward genuinely playable results. The game runs on both mobile and desktop, includes a random map generator, and now supports local multiplayer between nearby devices using audio to synchronize game state.

The game features a substantial roster: nine buildings, seven ground vehicles, six aerial units, and three infantry types rendered as 3D models. Six maps span five distinct biomes (temperate, desert, arctic, volcanic, tropical), with gameplay modes including skirmish matches, survival waves, AI-versus-AI exhibition matches, and a daily challenge. Combat mechanics include area-effect abilities like orbital strikes, fog of war, and distinct weapon requirements for aerial versus ground targets. The in-game music dynamically responds to combat intensity, and multiple AI personalities (Balanced, Rush, Air Swarm, Boom, Skyforce, Ironclad) can be pitted against each other.

Development hit a breakthrough when the creator prompted the model to “Make it a LOT more fun”—a simple directive that triggered extensive rebalancing. Testing across 1,200 simulated AI-versus-AI matches showed concrete improvements: games still unresolved after 25 minutes dropped from 14 percent to 0.9 percent, and losing sides recovering from an 800+ resource deficit nearly doubled their win rate from 24 to 46 percent. The success validated an unconventional approach to game design where machine-assisted iteration focuses on playability metrics rather than creator intuition.