Overview
TickForge is a deterministic simulation framework built by TARC Solutions to solve one of game development’s most subtle problems: non-reproducible logic in RPG combat.
Version 1 (TickForge Base) delivers five integrated systems:
- CoreSim — deterministic tick engine & RNG
- ROCS — spatial orbit combat
- ODIS — timing input system
- CRE — combat resolution engine
- GS3S — stats and realm law framework
Each subsystem works within a unified fixed-tick simulation, ensuring that any battle replay produces identical outcomes from the same seed.
The Challenge
Turn-based RPGs and tactics systems rely on order, timing, and precision.
But Unity’s default frame-based logic introduces non-deterministic behavior that breaks replays, simulations, and lockstep networking.
Studios need:
- Reproducible results across sessions.
- Predictable AI behavior for QA.
- Deterministic RNG for fairness and sync.
- Data-driven balance for fast iteration.
The Solution: TickForge Architecture
At TARC Solutions, we built TickForge as a modular, extensible architecture centered around CoreSim — a fixed-tick clock that executes every registered system in deterministic order.
Each system (ROCS, ODIS, CRE, GS3S) operates in perfect sync, feeding deterministic data forward into the next.
- ROCS: Handles positional combat and gate triggers.
- ODIS: Aligns player inputs to tick-based timing windows.
- CRE: Resolves all combat math deterministically.
- GS3S: Defines stat data and realm laws for tunable combat.
Together, they form a reproducible simulation that is seed-locked, replay-safe, and designer-friendly.
Technical Standards
- Fixed-tick scheduler with ordered execution.
- Seeded random number generation for reproducible outcomes.
- Deterministic serialization and replay hashing.
- Modular architecture compatible with Unity’s ECS or MonoBehaviours.
- ScriptableObject configs for stats, laws, and balancing.
QA & Validation
Each module was tested via replay parity:
Running identical seeds across two builds must yield matching combat logs, tick by tick.
This deterministic guarantee means studios can:
- Validate AI performance reliably.
- Run automated tests on combat balance.
- Enable rollback or lockstep multiplayer with minimal desync risk.
Business Impact
For studios building RPGs, tactics, or card-based battlers, TickForge cuts weeks of engineering time.
It transforms combat from an unpredictable system into a testable, deterministic simulation layer.
TARC Solutions now offers:
- Integration support for Unity teams.
- Custom deterministic modules for proprietary projects.
- Unreal Engine porting (C++ deterministic core).
The Future
TickForge Pro (Phase 7–8) will add:
- Turn Management
- AI Commander
- Pathfinding & Range System
- Area Highlight Overlays
- Card & Ability Subsystem
Together, these will form a complete tactics engine.
Later, TickForge Unreal Edition will bring the same architecture to UE5 in C++.
Conclusion
TickForge is not just a toolkit, it’s a philosophy of precision.
It empowers developers to design systems where logic, math, and input remain consistent—every tick, every replay.
TickForge Base launches soon on the Unity Asset Store.
Built by TARC Solutions — engineered for deterministic, data-driven combat systems.