Goop Troops

The hook Link to section: The hook#

In Goop Troops, one small cut can undo a much larger army. Territory grows across a grid, but every part of it depends on a connected route. A narrow strip behind the front line can matter more than the size of the front itself.

I built the game, its browser controls, and the multiplayer service around that rule. You can play a bot match to learn it, then join a public game with up to eight players or set up a private room. The gameplay image above shows several armies pressing into the same board.

The supply-line rule Link to section: The supply-line rule#

A connected empire has both reach and dependencies. A large front may look strong while relying on a small piece of territory behind it. Cutting that connection can collapse the position more effectively than attacking the largest group directly.

That rule makes the empty space between armies useful information. A player has to read routes, chokepoints (narrow passages that are easy to block), and access to gold as well as the territory immediately in front of them. Expansion creates options, but it also creates more connections to defend.

The tutorial introduces this relationship before the player has to manage the full pace of a multiplayer match.

Ways to play Link to section: Ways to play#

The browser release supports several entry points:

Desktop and touch controls make the same game accessible from different devices. The public version runs in a browser without a separate download.

Architecture Link to section: Architecture#

I built the browser client (the part running on the player’s device) with React and TypeScript. It shares game-simulation code, which calculates how the battlefield changes, with an authoritative Node.js realtime service, which processes the match as it happens.

“Authoritative” means the server has the final say on the match state, including the interaction between human commands and bot decisions.

Sharing simulation code keeps the rules close to the interface that explains them. Keeping the final match state on the server gives participants a common outcome when competing actions arrive.

Between matches Link to section: Between matches#

Persistence, or saving data beyond the current session, supports the parts of the game that extend beyond a single match. Onboarding, room selection, matchmaking, and account-backed play are separate concerns from drawing and advancing the battlefield.

Project structure and editions Link to section: Project structure and editions#

The main web project contains the client and shared simulation. A separate realtime service handles multiplayer and bots. The repository also holds database resources, production deployment tools, a Windows desktop prototype, and a native Roblox edition.

The browser game is the public release. The Windows and Roblox editions are separate development projects.

Play and development notes Link to section: Play and development notes#

Start at Goop Troops, use the tutorial, and try a bot match to get a feel for supply lines. Private rooms are available when you want to play with friends. The itch.io page provides another public home for the game.

I built the simulation, web client, realtime service, interface, and release tools. The source code remains private.