Decision: Godot with 2D sprites in a 3D tactical scene
Working design. New events, appearances, mechanics, and political details remain proposals. See canon ledger.
The earlier engine proposal is Godot, typed GDScript, and a fixed orthographic camera for the larger production slice. Verify and pin the stable engine version when that project is created. The current playable is the browser foundation described above. Godot release archive.
The game should look like a richly presented sprite tactics game. Implement its height, bridges, occlusion, and lighting with simple 3D terrain, while using authored 2D sprite frames for the units. Godot explicitly supports mixing Sprite3D/AnimatedSprite3D with 3D environments and orthographic cameras. Godot: 2D in 3D, Sprite3D reference.
This is an engineering recommendation for this project's priorities, not a benchmark declaring one engine universally better.
| Option | Fit for this project | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Godot, sprite units and 3D terrain | Direct control over simulation, UI, small tools, and hybrid scenes; manageable project structure | Recommended |
| Unity with URP | Strong alternative for a team already productive in C# and Unity, particularly with established deployment needs | Choose instead if existing team expertise outweighs setup cost |
| Pure 2D Godot isometric rendering | Excellent fallback for a fixed view; smaller rendering scope but manual height/occlusion work | Keep as a prototype fallback |
| Unreal | Technically capable; this game's main challenges are authored tactics, content, UI, and sprites | No clear project-specific advantage at this stage |
| RPG Maker or a tactics framework | Potentially quick for a constrained tactics demo; deep world simulation and custom presentation need careful fit testing | Avoid building the main plan around unknown framework limits |
Unity provides 2D/3D workflows and URP as a scalable renderer. Those are real alternatives, not reasons to switch from a tool the team already knows. Unity Engine, Unity URP documentation.
Godot is MIT licensed. That is helpful for controlling the project's engine dependency and distribution, while shipped third-party assets still need their own records. Godot license.
Assume Windows PC first, with controller support. Console export and certification require a separate confirmed plan; open-source engine availability is not a promise of effortless console shipping. Start with the renderer suited to the actual target hardware, then profile a real battle. The first technical spike compares a restrained modern renderer setup with a lower-cost configuration before selecting final lighting effects.
Source document: 03-production-plan.md