Building Tiny Tanx: My Vibe Coding Journey as a Non-Coder with GPT-5
When I first set out to build Tiny Tanx, I wasn’t a developer. I didn’t know how to code a game, let alone create something playable and fun. But what I did have was curiosity — and a powerful partner: GPT-5.
This page tells the story of how I, as a complete non-coder, used conversational AI to design, test, and launch a game from scratch.
🧩 The Process
At the start, the game was extremely simple: two tanks, flat terrain, and basic shooting mechanics. But step by step, the game evolved through a cycle of:
Describe what I wanted
Play the AI-generated version
Ask for refinements
Bit by bit, new features were layered on:
Arcing projectiles that follow gravity
Smarter AI opponents with selectable difficulty
Animated explosions and “cute” destruction effects
Changing terrain and mountainous maps
Smooth transitions and celebratory win screens
What made this process remarkable is how collaborative it felt. Each time I described an idea — no matter how vague — GPT-5 turned it into code. I was, in essence, designing by conversation.
✨ The Breakthrough Moments
Seeing the first projectile fly across the screen felt magical — the moment the game came alive.
Adding AI opponents meant I could play solo. Watching the computer take its turn made the game feel real.
The final flourish was adding mountains, valleys, and explosions — transforming the flat world into something alive and unpredictable.
These moments weren’t just about code; they were about creativity made tangible.
🏆 What I Learned
You don’t need to be a coder to create something interactive.
The power lies in knowing what you want and being able to describe it clearly.
Building with AI is like sculpting: you refine the shape bit by bit, watching it come to life.
Most of all, I learned that playfulness and persistence are enough to build something meaningful.
📜 The Prompts That Built Tiny Tanx
To show you how this worked, here’s a simplified version of the prompts I used. Notice how short and natural they are — no special coding knowledge required:
“Build me a simple turn-based tank game in HTML where tanks can shoot projectiles at each other.”
“Make the projectiles arc with gravity.”
“Add AI opponents so I can play against the computer.”
“Add multiple difficulty levels for the AI.”
“Make the terrain generate randomly each game.”
“Add smooth camera transitions when shots are fired.”
“Show a cute explosion when a tank is destroyed.”
“Celebrate the winner with a message and animation.”
“Make the terrain mountainous with valleys and ridges.”
That’s it. Through these iterative steps, Tiny Tanx was born.
🎉 Play Tiny Tanx
The result is a fun, quirky, turn-based tank game — built entirely through conversation.
🎮 How to Play Tiny Tanx
Move Left: A
Move Right: D
Aim Up: W
Aim Down: S
Fire: Spacebar
💡 Tips:
Use mountains for cover, but beware – they can trap you as well.
Adjust your aim carefully; projectiles arc over terrain.
When a tank is destroyed, watch for the cute explosion animation before the winner is announced.
✨ Ready to roll? Download below and open in any browser.