It’s key to ensure every level in a game DOES NOT follow the same exact layout as another. Take a look at what went into this process!
Inspiration from Contra
Iron Meat had several inspirations going into the fray of development, but it should be no question that the most notable of these is Contra! We wanted to mirror the feel of its mechanics, along with making a single level dedicated to its “Jungle” stage!
"Jungle" from Contra:
"Forest" from Iron Meat:
Ensuring Each Level Plays Differently
One of the goals we strived for early on in development was ensuring each level in the game plays differently from each other. Players can expect no change in basic mechanics, but the layout of each level is intended to be unique. For instance, Ivan described the “Base” level to mirror the “style of the atmosphere” of the movie Aliens.
You can also expect there to be unique obstructions found on certain levels that you won’t find on others, so stay alert when running and gunning!
This...Isn't My Final Form?
Iron Meat did not initially begin development with the themes it has now. You may not believe it, but the game used to NOT have ANY Meat monsters and backgrounds whatsoever! We thought about the idea of making the game–which obviously was not YET called "Iron Meat"–into a simple-run-and-gun shooter.
Then…the idea of The Meat was born, and what was once a matter of steel, bullets, and brawn turned into the onset of crazy machinations of metal and flesh!
The game’s journey could perhaps be summarized by the following iterations of the tank boss in the first level:
Early Build Version:
Updated Early Build Version:
Latest Design:
Now, the tank boss has actually evolved into a different version once again, but we’ll save what that looks like for a later time! However, this is just one of many examples on how Iron Meat has evolved from what it once was to what it is now (and will be!).
We’re excited to share more with you as we move ahead with Iron Meat's development! Be sure to check back here for the next transmission!
You can wishlist Iron Meat and play the free demo available NOW!
“I’d Like to See Your Boss!” #1 - The Tank
// ALERT! "BOSS" CLASS ENEMY INBOUND! //
What was once a formidable battle tank for the Earth Counter Invasion Force has now become a henchman of The Meat!
Double Energy Cannons!
The first attack for this boss consists of two energy cannons firing two distinct rounds! The blue energy round, fired from the upper tank cannon, follows an irregular zigzagging pattern that goes up and down, while the orange round, fired from the lower emitter, follows a standard linear aim. Depending on the difficulty you're playing on, these energy rounds can be either slower or faster, so be sure to time your jumps when dodging!
Particle Radiation Beam!
For its second attack, this boss will fire a single linear beam from its lower emitter! Unlike the previous dual attack, this one cannot be dodged by jumping, so be sure to GET DOWN when you see the warning aim line.
Toxic Rain!
For its third and last attack, the boss will launch several rounds into the air from its “brain” at the back of its upper cannon. These rounds will then disperse a multitude of toxic bubbles that will rain down across the battlefield. Aim up and fire at the bubbles dropping towards you!
Tip: Weapons that cover a wide range, like the (B) Plasma Arc Blaster or the (S) Shotgun Spreader can be of immense utility in dealing with this attack!
// ATTENTION RECRUITS: We have a mission for you! //
Our intelligence officers have given this “boss” class enemy the working name of “Entrail Blazer MKII,” but the top brass wants a better name–one informed by firsthand accounts–for this threat!
That said, we need YOU to take on this boss and provide us with a more appropriate designation name for it! Firsthand accounts of the enemy will be much more useful to us rather than secondary sources and guesses!
So, jump into the Forest sector and give us your best idea to rename this boss! And who knows? If your idea makes the cut, we’ll reclassify the name of this boss to your idea!
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We've got more updates on the way, so be on the lookout for the next transmission!
You can wishlist Iron Meat and play the demo, available NOW!
Photos, Autographs, & Iron Meat!
Lead game developer Ivan Suvorov took Iron Meat to a recent game festival in his home city!
In his own words, Ivan described his time at the event: “Everything went just amazing! I shook hands, gave autographs, and took pictures with a bunch of fans! It felt as if I was some kind of hero. I didn’t expect this, in addition to the fact that I brought only a laptop and gamepads.”
Below: One view of the room the game fest was held in…
And at another angle…
And here’s one of Ivan’s friends who came out to help him!
We’re EXTREMELY happy for Ivan and congratulate him on all the amazing feedback he’s received for Iron Meat! With launch just several months away, we’re hard at work making sure the final preparations are set and ready!
Look forward to even more updates about the game, and don’t forget to wishlist Iron Meat and play the free demo NOW!
From Concept to Creation: Ivan Suvorov Dev Log #3
Question: Can you describe the journey you took and how it feels taking the game from a concept to a nearly completed title at this point?
Ivan: Before Iron Meat, there were several attempts to make games in different genres, but none of them were even 5% complete--that is, there wasn't even a prototype for those. And the current version of Iron Meat was originally a quest, much like "Lone Survivor." I wanted to make a scary game with an interesting plot, but the feedback from friends showed that I wrote the plot and dialogue EXTREMELY poorly. Therefore, I abandoned the strong plot and began to develop a combat system, instead.
In general, I positioned myself as a self-taught programmer, and used free assets for games. In this particular case, I decided to simplify my life and abandoned 3D, and used pixel art, instead. Even with mediocre drawing skills, it was possible to edit assets to match the style of the game. But in the end, I came to the conclusion that I would have to draw everything myself. There are catastrophically few good free (and paid) assets and they are all in different styles.
I painted pixel sprites for several months, and eventually realized they were bad. So, I had to read about the theory of pixel drawings, and it helped, but it took some time to increase my own art skills. I couldn't afford to hire a really good pixel artist, and I didn't want to take amateurs--I'm an amateur myself, why would I need another one?
Well, in the end, it turned out that it was good pixel art that attracted attention to the game (I believe that at that moment the gameplay itself could have attracted so much attention with mediocre graphics).
We'll be following up with more from Ivan's response to this question next time!
Wishlist Iron Meat and play the free demo NOW!
From Concept to Creation: Ivan Suvorov Dev Log #2
We’re back at the secret headquarters of the Earth Counter Invasion Force with Ivan Suvorov, lead game developer of Iron Meat! This week Ivan goes into detail about the common enemy–or enemies?--in the game: THE MEAT.
Question 1: How did the ideas for The Meat come to be? In other words, how did you come up with the idea for The Meat as this invading, global flesh plague that infects machines and people?
Ivan: It all started with the truck story. I saw the works of Boris Grokh, and was inspired by some of his works. The very first "Meat Inhabitant" of the game was a boss truck, which I "took" from Boris's art.
Initially, I wanted The Meat to appear only in the middle of the game, but in the end it turned out that it was more interesting for players to meet The Meat right at the very beginning. The story itself has already been created together with Retroware, rather, they even invented most of the story. But they started from the existing levels. The task was to figure out what was going on there. As a result, the plot is usually written and levels are made for it; in my game, it was the opposite. That is, there was a moment when everyone in the game was infected with The Meat, but there is no explanation for this.
Question 2: Can you describe what The Meat is and where did it come from in terms of the game's story?
Ivan: It is an extra-dimensional alien life form that has been planning an invasion of Earth from its dimension for a long time. It was able to teleport a part of itself inside the Moon, where it grew and was discovered purely by chance before it gained critical mass.
It has a "brain center," without which all other incarnations of The Meat are crazy monsters with the intelligence of a rabid animal. In the case of an infected person, the intelligence is no higher than a zombie, with some skills preserved (For example, running, shooting, somehow driving a car, etc.). They can act in sync only when the brain center exists.
Question 3: Who is Yuri Markov? And what is his motive?
Ivan: To avoid too many spoilers, I will say that Yuri studied The Meat, got infected, and, through the portal, led the invasion of The Meat onto Earth. At the same time, The Meat Brain from the Moon also controlled the invasion, and revealed tons of The Meat hidden in the depths of the Moon. The Meat Brain also bombarded the Earth with Meat-infected pieces of the Moon (falling Meat meteorites in the game).
We've got more in store to share in future updates!
And be sure to download and play the Iron Meat demo available now!
From Concept to Creation: Ivan Suvorov Dev Log #1
From the safety of the Earth Counter Invasion Force’s secret headquarters, game developer Ivan Suvorov opens up about some of the details on Iron Meat!
1. What were some of your inspirations for making Iron Meat? Ivan: Obviously, Contra. But after I saw Super Cyborg, I decided to make the game. I thought, “I can make the same game.” And so I was inspired by a series of games, namely Contra, Metal Slug, and many other games that, to be honest, I can’t remember right now!
2. What were some of the most challenging elements in the game to program? Ivan: Physics, specifically the interaction with platforms, jumps, walls, etc. These were difficult to program. Game cutscenes also took a lot of time. The bosses themselves were also difficult, and, of course, gamepads. I really dislike them because there will always be some model that just doesn’t work in the game.
3. Do you have a favorite level? Ivan: Hmm, probably not. There are some levels that I like more than others, but overall there is no specific one that’s my favorite.
4. Do you have a favorite boss? Ivan: Hmmm…I started to list those that I really like and this consists of at least half of the bosses: specifically, the train, the truck, and three other bosses that I shouldn’t reveal just yet!
That’s all we have this week! Check back soon for more updates, and play the new Iron Meat demo now!
From Concept to Creation: Razz Dev Log #1
From the safety of the Earth Counter Invasion Force’s secret headquarters, game developer Ivan Suvorov opens up about some of the details on Iron Meat!
1. What were some of your inspirations for making Iron Meat? Ivan: Obviously, Contra. But after I saw Super Cyborg, I decided to make the game. I thought, “I can make the same game.” And so I was inspired by a series of games, namely Contra, Metal Slug, and many other games that, to be honest, I can’t remember right now!
2. What were some of the most challenging elements in the game to program? Ivan: Physics, specifically the interaction with platforms, jumps, walls, etc. These were difficult to program. Game cutscenes also took a lot of time. The bosses themselves were also difficult, and, of course, gamepads. I really dislike them because there will always be some model that just doesn’t work in the game.
3. Do you have a favorite level? Ivan: Hmm, probably not. There are some levels that I like more than others, but overall there is no specific one that’s my favorite.
4. Do you have a favorite boss? Ivan: Hmmm…I started to list those that I really like and this consists of at least half of the bosses: specifically, the train, the truck, and three other bosses that I shouldn’t reveal just yet!
That’s all we have this week! Check back soon for more updates, and play the new Iron Meat demo now!
Knowing the Mechanics = SURVIVAL
Basic Movement & Aiming You can run left or right, and jump up or diagonally in either direction. Aiming works similarly, in that you can fire in any direction, either while moving or while standing still. For instance, when playing on an Xbox controller, if you hold the Left or Right Triggers, your player-character will stop running. You can then use the left stick to aim in any direction to concentrate your fire!
Going Prone Shooting while prone gives soldiers a key advantage while on the battlefield. There are times when it’s necessary to dispatch hostiles from a lower vantage point, and there are certain “boss” class enemies who make use of abilities that would compel soldiers to evade or counter projectiles by dropping to the ground.
Jumping Soldiers should utilize their jumping skills to evade incoming projectiles. This can also prove useful when dealing with hordes of Meat soldiers. Additionally, the jump height will vary depending on whether players press and hold the jump button, or tap it. Use this to your advantage when dealing with common enemies, incoming projectiles, and attacks from bosses.
Descending Levels You can jump down to a lower platform or level by pressing Down and the Jump Button. Doing so can help you dodge projectiles or hordes of enemies, and you can reach destructible objects to obtain new weapons, upgrades, and passive abilities.
It’s important for every soldier to get acquainted with these basic movement controls. Knowing when to run, when to jump, and when to either aim while moving or standing still can save you one of your limited lives!
You can test your battlefield finesse by playing the Iron Meat Demo available now!
Stand by for more updates!
New Transmission Incoming! - More Weapon Data Has Arrived!
Attention, recruits! We’ve received more intel on weapons that will be available for your use in our war against The Meat. The armory of the Earth Counter Invasion Force returns with another batch of guns fine-tuned to help you defend our world:
H: Heavy Capsule Launcher
This weapon has the slowest rate of fire among all the rifles available to soldiers. However, while this drawback is especially noticeable during active missions, the damage output by individual energy capsules more than makes up for its sluggish performance. Not only is the damage output maximal, but when an energy capsule explodes on impact, it releases a large wave of plasma that can further deal with enemies at a wider range–albeit only on impact.
Upgrade: When fully upgraded, the Heavy Capsule Launcher becomes the most powerful weapon available in the armory. Now outfitted with green energy capsules, its damage output surpasses that of its standard version. Capable of dealing massive damage to enemies of all types, the upgraded Heavy Capsule Launcher retains its extremely low rate of fire, but this drawback from its standard version is but a minor flaw in its overall dominating performance in the field. This weapon is best used by veteran soldiers who can skillfully turn this deceptively slow-firing weapon into a monster to destroy all monsters.
E: Energized Curving Particle Railgun
While not as potent as the Heavy Capsule Launcher, the Energized Curving Particle (ECP) Railgun still ranks among the highest damage-outputting weapons available to soldiers. Known for its curving energy projectiles, this weapon bursts into three plasma trails on impact, allowing soldiers to dispatch multiple hostiles at once when aiming at a group. With a higher rate of fire than the Heavy Capsule Launcher, this weapon is highly regarded as an excellent substitute if the Heavy Capsule Launcher is not presently available. However, where the latter lacks in rate of fire, this gun excels in, coupled with a constant barrage of highly lethal projectiles perfect for dispatching common and “boss” class enemies alike.
Upgrade: The upgraded version of this weapon rivals the upgraded Heavy Capsule Launcher for its usefulness and potency. While clearly not as extraordinarily powerful as the upgraded Heavy Capsule Launcher, the upgraded ECP Railgun is still a force to be reckoned with. The higher base rate of fire is already a key advantage this weapon has over the Heavy Capsule Launcher, but given its upgrade to green plasma rounds, the ECP Railgun has become the weapon-of-choice for veteran soldiers who appreciate a balance between suppressive capabilities and an excellent damage output.
U: Ultra-Burst Laser Gun
Outfitted for single-target eliminations and focused fire, the Ultra-Burst Laser (UBL) Gun is a unique weapon for only the most skilled soldiers on the battlefield. Unlike many of the weapons available, the UBL Gun fires concentrated “bursts” of plasma energy in noticeably long streaks of light. Soldiers proficient in handling this weapon are able to line up multiple hostiles from varying heights and dispatch them all with a single burst. For those soldiers intent on efficiency and who prefer a challenge to their marksmanship, this weapon is for you.
Upgrade: When upgraded with green plasma rounds, this weapon becomes arguably the most reliable single-target tool of choice. Its concentrated fire, coupled with an increase in damage output, makes the upgraded version of the UBL Gun a very powerful tool in capable hands. It is especially reliable in taking out certain “boss” class hostiles, along with select Meat obstructions and common enemies that would pose more of a hindrance for those unequipped–or unskilled–with this upgraded masterpiece.
Only the most skilled soldiers among us will be able to utilize these weapons to their greatest potential. You can join the fight against The Meat by playing the Free Demo available now!
From the Moon Base Headquarters, this is Sasha of the Lunar Defense Regiment. Prepare for deployment!
New Transmision Incoming! - More Weapon Data Has Arrived!
Attention, recruits! We’ve received more intel on weapons that will be available for your use in our war against The Meat. The armory of the Earth Counter Invasion Force returns with another batch of guns fine-tuned to help you defend our world:
H: Heavy Capsule Launcher
This weapon has the slowest rate of fire among all the rifles available to soldiers. However, while this drawback is especially noticeable during active missions, the damage output by individual energy capsules more than makes up for its sluggish performance. Not only is the damage output maximal, but when an energy capsule explodes on impact, it releases a large wave of plasma that can further deal with enemies at a wider range–albeit only on impact.
Upgrade: When fully upgraded, the Heavy Capsule Launcher becomes the most powerful weapon available in the armory. Now outfitted with green energy capsules, its damage output surpasses that of its standard version. Capable of dealing massive damage to enemies of all types, the upgraded Heavy Capsule Launcher retains its extremely low rate of fire, but this drawback from its standard version is but a minor flaw in its overall dominating performance in the field. This weapon is best used by veteran soldiers who can skillfully turn this deceptively slow-firing weapon into a monster to destroy all monsters.
E: Energized Curving Particle Railgun
While not as potent as the Heavy Capsule Launcher, the Energized Curving Particle (ECP) Railgun still ranks among the highest damage-outputting weapons available to soldiers. Known for its curving energy projectiles, this weapon bursts into three plasma trails on impact, allowing soldiers to dispatch multiple hostiles at once when aiming at a group. With a higher rate of fire than the Heavy Capsule Launcher, this weapon is highly regarded as an excellent substitute if the Heavy Capsule Launcher is not presently available. However, where the latter lacks in rate of fire, this gun excels in, coupled with a constant barrage of highly lethal projectiles perfect for dispatching common and “boss” class enemies alike.
Upgrade: The upgraded version of this weapon rivals the upgraded Heavy Capsule Launcher for its usefulness and potency. While clearly not as extraordinarily powerful as the upgraded Heavy Capsule Launcher, the upgraded ECP Railgun is still a force to be reckoned with. The higher base rate of fire is already a key advantage this weapon has over the Heavy Capsule Launcher, but given its upgrade to green plasma rounds, the ECP Railgun has become the weapon-of-choice for veteran soldiers who appreciate a balance between suppressive capabilities and an excellent damage output.
U: Ultra-Burst Laser Gun
Outfitted for single-target eliminations and focused fire, the Ultra-Burst Laser (UBL) Gun is a unique weapon for only the most skilled soldiers on the battlefield. Unlike many of the weapons available, the UBL Gun fires concentrated “bursts” of plasma energy in noticeably long streaks of light. Soldiers proficient in handling this weapon are able to line up multiple hostiles from varying heights and dispatch them all with a single burst. For those soldiers intent on efficiency and who prefer a challenge to their marksmanship, this weapon is for you.
Upgrade: When upgraded with green plasma rounds, this weapon becomes arguably the most reliable single-target tool of choice. Its concentrated fire, coupled with an increase in damage output, makes the upgraded version of the UBL Gun a very powerful tool in capable hands. It is especially reliable in taking out certain “boss” class hostiles, along with select Meat obstructions and common enemies that would pose more of a hindrance for those unequipped–or unskilled–with this upgraded masterpiece.
Only the most skilled soldiers among us will be able to utilize these weapons to their greatest potential. You can join the fight against The Meat by playing the Free Demo available now!
From the Moon Base Headquarters, this is Sasha of the Lunar Defense Regiment. Prepare for deployment!
