I built a small browser auto-battler prototype in about ten days to answer one question: can arranging items in a backpack make the next fight more interesting?
Pack Tactics uses a 4×4 inventory grid. Between waves, you drag items into the backpack, rotate them to make them fit, and merge copies up to level 5. Where an item sits can also matter because neighboring items can activate synergies. Then the next wave puts that layout to the test.
The prototype is written in TypeScript and rendered with Canvas 2D. I kept the scope small so I could test the interaction loop before adding more content.
The loop I wanted to test
- Inspect the items available between waves.
- Decide what to keep, combine, rotate, or move.
- Arrange the grid around space and adjacency.
- Start the next fight and see what the setup does.
The important part is that the backpack should change the player's decision, not just store rewards. A strong item can be useful by itself, while moving it next to another item may create a different payoff. Merging copies gives another choice: improve one item, or keep more pieces available for a different arrangement.
Design questions I used to evaluate it
Does placement matter after the shop?
If moving an item only makes the backpack look tidier, the grid is busywork. Adjacency effects give placement a reason to matter in the next fight. Rotation adds a spatial constraint, so fitting an item and keeping a useful neighbor relationship can pull in different directions.
Can players understand why a layout worked?
The next wave is the feedback for the previous arrangement. If players cannot connect an outcome to the items they placed, the synergy rules need clearer previews or combat feedback. That is one of the first things I would watch in a playtest.
Is merging a meaningful trade-off?
Combining copies can make an item stronger, but it also changes how many pieces occupy the grid and which adjacency options remain. I want that to feel like a build decision rather than an automatic upgrade.
What I would test next
- Can a new player predict which neighboring items will interact before starting a wave?
- Does rotating an item create an interesting choice, or only extra clicks?
- After a fight, can the player name one layout decision that helped or hurt?
- Does the 4×4 space feel constrained in a useful way across several waves?
I made the prototype in the browser so the interaction can be tried without installing anything. The current interface is in Chinese:
Play the prototype: https://floral-queen-7f68.huanglongjian7515.workers.dev/
If you build strategy games, I would value feedback on one thing: what is the clearest way you have found to show adjacency rules before a player commits to a layout?
Disclosure: This article was prepared with AI writing assistance. The project details and design questions are based on my own prototype.
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