Turn-based strategy is the genre for players who want to think without a clock. Every unit move, every decision is made with full information about the current state. The complexity comes from the system, not the time pressure. Chess has survived 1500 years on that premise.

Summer Engine helps you build the map system, unit types, turn order, objective mechanics, and AI through conversation. You design the factions, the maps, and the campaign. The AI scaffolds the systems that make the game feel strategically rich.

The best turn-based strategy games create situations where the right move is obvious in hindsight but non-obvious in the moment. Design your encounters to produce those moments and your game will create the stories players retell.

• Designers inspired by Advance Wars, Civilization, or Heroes of Might and Magic who want to build their own.
• Solo devs building a compact tactics game they can ship to Steam with a focused scope.
• Teams building a campaign-based strategy game with a strong story wrapper around the battles.
• Anyone who wants a strategy game they can play async without the pressure of real-time opponents.

• Battle Prototype

  Build a complete battle with two factions, a victory condition, and AI opponents to test the unit balance and map design.

• Campaign Chapter

  Create a series of linked battles with a story wrapper, unit persistence, and escalating map difficulty.

• Multiplayer Map Pack

  Design a set of asymmetric maps for competitive play with balanced starting positions and multiple viable strategies.