Battledrones
A multiplayer battle game project developed by Simon Willison, supporting AI players and WebSocket-based multiplayer sessions, with robot combat as its core gameplay.
Timeline (last 90 days)
Simon Willison's Battledrones project released version v14, codenamed 'Compass Rose'.
Battledrones v14 expands the game's combatant limit from two players to four players.
Simon Willison used a natural language prompt to drive Claude Opus 4.5 to implement the four-player map feature, with the prompt requiring the map to be four-way rotationally symmetric, support up to four AI players, be compatible with the non-audio WebSocket multiplayer mode, allow up to four human players to join with empty slots filled by AI.
Claude Opus 4.5 modified the WebSocket multiplayer networking code in Battledrones v14 development to support four players battling simultaneously.
The Battledrones project previously or concurrently had an audio-channel-based online multiplayer approach, and v14 emphasizes using the non-audio WebSocket mode.
The Compass Rose map uses a cold/ice biome and has a layout with a four-way rotationally symmetric structure.
Battledrones v14 adds purple- and green-themed robot factions alongside the original blue and red designs.
In Battledrones v14, four-player rooms are joined via a shared link or QR code, with empty slots taken over by AI.
Simon Willison provided a replay link for a four-player AI battle with the 'Goliath Armada' mutator enabled, which gives each side four giant Goliath mech units at the start.
The prompt used to implement the four-player map simultaneously constrained four levels: map geometry, player count, network protocol compatibility, and matchmaking logic.
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All Facts (11)
Battledrones v14's success case was built on the project's already clear architecture, as incremental extension on a mature codebase; for projects starting from scratch, the same prompt may not produce usable results.
50%UnverifiedBattledrones v14 expands the game's combatant limit from two players to four players.
50%UnverifiedSimon Willison provided a replay link for a four-player AI battle with the 'Goliath Armada' mutator enabled, which gives each side four giant Goliath mech units at the start.
50%UnverifiedThe prompt used to implement the four-player map simultaneously constrained four levels: map geometry, player count, network protocol compatibility, and matchmaking logic.
50%UnverifiedClaude Opus 4.5 modified the WebSocket multiplayer networking code in Battledrones v14 development to support four players battling simultaneously.
50%UnverifiedThe Battledrones project previously or concurrently had an audio-channel-based online multiplayer approach, and v14 emphasizes using the non-audio WebSocket mode.
50%UnverifiedThe Compass Rose map uses a cold/ice biome and has a layout with a four-way rotationally symmetric structure.
50%UnverifiedBattledrones v14 adds purple- and green-themed robot factions alongside the original blue and red designs.
50%UnverifiedIn Battledrones v14, four-player rooms are joined via a shared link or QR code, with empty slots taken over by AI.
50%UnverifiedSimon Willison used a natural language prompt to drive Claude Opus 4.5 to implement the four-player map feature, with the prompt requiring the map to be four-way rotationally symmetric, support up to four AI players, be compatible with the non-audio WebSocket multiplayer mode, allow up to four human players to join with empty slots filled by AI.
50%UnverifiedSimon Willison's Battledrones project released version v14, codenamed 'Compass Rose'.
50%