IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator News

Greetings, Operators,

With Steam Next Fest beginning tomorrow (and with each title allowed to deploy in Next Fest only once), High Command is launching a separate operation under the codename: NEST FEST. Our official Steam Next Fest offensive is planned for June, but we are opening the gates now with a full-scale public time-limited Demo testing initiative.
[hr][/hr][h3]What exactly is NEST FEST?

• Hosted entirely on our Discord
• Running from Feb 23 to Mar 2
• Open time-limited public playtests of the Demo
• Includes extra Discord events

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[hr][/hr]During this festival, every willing Operator will receive time-limited access to public playtests of our internal Demo build... helping Nick harden, improve, and prepare it for the official June deployment.


Beyond the NEST FEST itself, our Discord is a bunker for over 3,000 of your fellow brothers-in-arms ready to stand by your side all the way to launch. Additionally, on Discord, daily recruitment for General Playtesters has been ongoing since December 2025 and will continue all the way to launch. Even outside the festival, mobilization never stops... so you can still join their ranks.

⚠️ Message to General Playtesters ⚠️ Do not be alarmed! All general playtesters will keep access to the playtest build after the festival ends. You are testing the full game build; the goal of the festival itself is to test and improve the demo.
[hr][/hr][h3]Mission parameters are simple, Operators:

• Join the Discord
  
• Enter the demo
  
• Break Things
  
• Report the damage
  
• Send your feedback
  
• Strengthen the machine
  

[/h3][hr][/hr]All details regarding access to the internal demo during NEST FEST, how to submit feedback and evaluate the build, and any other important information will be announced on Discord tomorrow (23.02), around the start of Steam Next Fest.

This festival is a great way to directly influence the future development of IRON NEST but only through the honest feedback and constructive criticizm.

Another way to influence development, of course, is through our open development process on Discord. As many of you already know, we run it every day, giving the community direct access to channels dedicated to the game’s development and everything around it. You can comment, ask questions, or (as often happens) jump into voice chat with us and brainstorm ideas together.
[hr][/hr][h3]Quick aside, Operators:[/h3]

What has happened since the last devlog has been absolute madness. The sheer numbers in which you answer the call to mobilization sometimes make Nick and me wonder whether all of this is even real... or if it’s just a product of our imagination and we’re both lying somewhere in a coma.

Originally posted by Dominik

Still, until we wake up, there is work to do.

And that is exactly why I’m writing this. I want to apologize for not addressing all of it in this update. As you know, there are only two of us... Nick handles development, and I handle propaganda... and right now it is crucial for us to focus as hard as possible on NEST FEST, so we can gather your feedback and prepare the demo as well as possible for the June Steam Next Fest, which will be followed shortly after by the official launch.

This last few months (and what you have done for us) truly deserves a completely separate announcement dedicated to all of it, together with a devlog that will outline our pipeline for the coming months in more detail.

So let us finish NEST FEST and sort through the feedback with Nick first. Then I’ll sit down and write that devlog properly, so I can tell you just how insane these past few months have been... all thanks to what you’ve done for us.
[hr][/hr][h3]Steam Store Page Overhaul:[/h3]

Also we’re currently working on a full refresh of the Steam Store page, because it had become pretty outdated.

As many of you may have already noticed, the English version of the page has already received an update to the "About This Game" section, along with 3 new screenshots. We’re now working on localizing the entire store page into all available languages.


We have a new trailer ready, but we need to wait until mid-March to publish it, because it is part of another event that is under embargo (have to wait until the event officially begins before we can release it).

We recommend checking the Steam Store page again around mid-March... the refreshed version should be live by then, and available in many more languages, with additional screenshots, a new trailer, and more.
[hr][/hr]Glory to the Operators!
Glory to the Operators!
Glory to th...

[h3]Who would've expected a niche indie artillery game to grow at this pace[/h3]
[hr][/hr]Greetings, Operators!

It's hard to believe it's already been three/four months since we first revealed our project on Steam. Time is moving so fast it sometimes feels like it all started just a week ago... Back then, Nick and I thought we'd post a devlog every 1K wishlists ➙ roughly once every two months. Not only did we miss the first one by about five thousand… now, as we're writing the second devlog, we've just crossed 20,000!
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]Commissar, record their names.
Mark every recruit who was among the first to summon the courage and answer the call to mobilization.

They stood when others hesitated.
They stepped forward when silence was safer.

Glory to them.
Glory to the sons.
Glory to the fathers.
Glory to the brothers who stand here united.

~ High Command
[hr][/hr]★★★ Previously, I promised that this devlog would be more technical and since I mainly handle marketing, Nick has prepared something for you! ★★★ [hr][/hr]
[h3]IRON NEST - Mission Loop: From Concept to Gameplay & Replayability
[/h3]

[hr][/hr]Nick: When I first started prototyping IRON NEST, (Which was the 5th "big gun" prototype game I made this summer and the 1st one, which was not a hot pile of poop) I wanted missions to feel grounded, like you're actually running an artillery gun, not just ticking off objectives.

So instead of a "go here, shoot this" checklist, I'm building everything around a living map: bearings, distances, impact points, and intel all stack together so you can piece together what's happening out there, even though you're stuck inside the turret.

I could've gone with fixed target spots and scripted situations, but that would've murdered replayability, and replayability is a huge pillar of IRON NEST. Honestly because I need to playtest it for 1000s of hours, and I would go insane replaying the same missions that many times.
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]The first real headache was honestly just… space. Unity's UI has a bunch of different coordinate modes, and they all have slightly different opinions on where "here" actually is.

My solution ended up being pretty simple: I decided to base the whole map system on the local space of a world-space UI.

That means the map is basically a flat 2D "plane" in the world, and I can treat it like real space: 1 Unity unit = 1km. Everything on the map: targets, impacts, recon markers, etc. lives on that same plane, so all bearings and distances come straight from that. I could move that plane around, rotate it, scale it, etc. and the system still works.
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]Next up was figuring out rules and outcomes. Different shell types, sometimes a target may need a single hit, sometimes a full salvo, plus all the Success / Failure / Bonus stuff… and I really didn't want that turning into a giant pile of if-statements.

So I kept it data-driven.

Each target/location has a small list of rules (my ShellEffectRules) that say, this shell type + this many hits = this result. Then when a shell lands, the location checks the rules and decides what that impact actually means: blow something up, disable a system, give you credit, trigger visuals, whatever.

The nice part is the "decision" happens right at the impact, and everything else just reacts to it. Clean cause-and-effect, no less hardcoded spaghetti.
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]Then I moved on to intel. Stuff like bearing lines (083°), distance readouts (1.25 km), grid coordinates (B9 4:2), etc…

Because every target/ally/enemy token is being resolved live inside the same shared map space, I'm not locked into fixed positions or scripted moments. I can set up a situation, let the pieces land where they land, and the map intel still makes sense. The mission can evolve, i.e. units moving, dying, arriving, and every new bit of intel can react to it.
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]This is where the replayability really starts to show up.

Missions aren't locked to one "correct" layout. Spawn zones can pick different positions, stuff can show up mid-mission, and the intel you get is generated from what's actually happening right now.

So even with the same mission template, you can end up with a different map setup. And the same shot can lead to different followup intel depending on who's still alive, what recon/correction level you're working with, and what shells you're using.
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h3]Once the loop clicked, the rest fell into place:[/h3][p]
Impacts are the single source of truth. When a shell lands, anything inside the blast radius checks its shell rules and decides what happens: damage, rewards, disabling systems, whatever that location is set up to do.

Intel comes in with a rhythm. I've got a queued, typewriter-style printer that feeds you info through triggers (like entering an area), so stuff doesn't just instantly pop onto the UI. It shows up when it makes sense in the moment.

From the player's side, it ends up feeling coherent but still unpredictable. You do something and the world reacts. Bearings actually point where they should. Distances line up. Unit locations are only visually revealed when recon photographs overlap with their actual positions. And the whole narration / intel flow keeps the right cadence even when the mission layout and outcomes change run to run.[hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h3]Why not pre-script everything? [/h3][p]
It's just more fun to play.
Because the map is reacting to what's actually happening, you're not just following a memorized routine. You're making a plan, taking a shot, reading the results, adjusting, and watching the situation change. When the bearings and distances line up and the intel updates at the right time, it feels like you're doing real work, not just solving a pre-made puzzle.

It's also way more fun to build.
Honestly, I don't want to keep replaying the exact same version of a puzzle I already know the answer to. With this setup, I can make a scenario system, hit play, and get surprised too, which makes testing and iterating way more enjoyable (and at the end of the day, having fun making this game is really important to me, call my shelfish).[hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h3]Now that the map / intel loop is finally behaving, I can shift focus to the stuff that'll really make the game feel alive:[/h3]

1. [p] Finishing the internal 3D turret environment, getting the space feeling right, readable, and nice to operate in.
   [/p]
2. [p] Adding SFX, all the clunks, hisses, hydraulics, printer chatter, shell handling… basically the "this machine is real" layer.
   [/p]
3. [p] Expanding the mission system so it can generate more dynamic little skirmishes between friendly and hostile units.
   [/p]

Like having an actual front line of allied + hostile units, where if you punch a hole in something, your allies will try to push through and take ground, and the whole mission shifts around that.

IRON NEST started with a pretty simple goal: Make big gun go booom. But that ended up turning into this nice little artillery fire command simulation where the player needs to build fire missions out of positions, bearings, distances, and reference points, and make sure the intel all agrees or risk war crimes.

Building Iron Nest: Heavy tourette's simulator is not flashy, but it's honest work.
[hr][/hr]
[h3]★★★ Operational Summary ★★★[/h3]

[hr][/hr]Dominik: To formally close this devlog... I wouldn't be myself if I didn't thank you once again. For months now, you've stood with us across every front: Instagram, YouTube, Discord... Your support fuels this operation, and it does not go unnoticed... [hr][/hr][hr][/hr]As promised: every Operator present on Discord at the moment of release will be recorded in the credits. Your name will be bound to the machine for eternity.

Operational roadmap is as follows:

• Playtests ➙ on Discord
• Steam Next Fest (February) ➙ Demo deployment
  
• Mid-2026 ➙ full PC release
• Post-PC launch ➙ ports to all major consoles (VR remains under active consideration)
  
• Next phase ➙ a new project built on the foundations of IRON NEST, but this time multiplayer (co-op confirmed, PvP under evaluation)
  

Until next time, Operators.
A hive mind without its hive is nothing... just as we are nothing without you.

Nick & Dominik

PS: Merry Christmas from IRON NEST.
Stay warm. Hold the line.

🎄💥🎁💣

I honestly don’t even know how we should start this devlog… Should we begin with the hundredth "thank you" to everyone who clicked that magical "wishlist" button on Steam? Or maybe with an apology for not communicating with you as often as we'd like to?
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h3]✯ I think it wouldn’t hurt to start with a little backstory! ✯[/h3]

There are just two of us working on this project. From the very beginning ➙ when we were still shaping the concept and setting up our collaboration, we agreed that we didn’t want any second-party studios or publishers involved = we’re doing everything from A to Z, just the two of us... Even though this is our first project together, it’s not the first game either of us has worked on. We both bring industry experience from different companies (over 20 years combined) so we know that in 2025, a developer who wants to self-publish has to be a programmer, an artist, and… surprise, surprise! ➙ An influencer / marketer as well!
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]Following that mindset, we (TBH Nick did) recently decided that IRON NEST was finally ready to be shown publicly... We posted our first short clips on TikTok ➙ the channels were clunky, the BIOs unfinished, and we had exactly "0" followers... But what happened under those short videos… Is something we honestly can’t even put into words...
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h3]✯ BOOM! 💥 IRON NEST just exploded! ✯[/h3]

Some kind robot in charge of the algorithm decided to bless us with an insane amount of reach ➙ Disclaimer: we’d like to thank that kind robot from the bottom of our hearts!

Back to the IRON NEST... That’s when it all began... (not that we’re complaining!) Steam wishlist started growing by around 1,500 people per day, and our Discord (which had just the two of us) suddenly hit over 100 members in a single week! As I'm writing this devlog, we’re sitting at 6,846 wishlists and 288 Discord members! FYI ➙ We’re insannnnnnely happy that this project (born out of pure passion) resonated with you, because we’ve both been obsessed with artillery, interwar machinery, and dieselpunk worlds since forever = seeing this kind of buzz around our project gives us an extra boost!
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h3]✯ We’ve found ourselves in the place we’ve always wanted to be! ✯[/h3]

And it happened so fast it literally blew our fuses... Even though neither of us is capable of maintaining any kind of healthy work-life balance, pulling a ridiculous amount of overtime, there’s still never enough coffee in the machine to keep up with everything...

As many of you already know (we even mention it on our Steam Store Page), one of our main inspirations is PVKK by Bipinbits = if you’re going to aim high, aim so high you run out of oxygen, right?! Here's another small disclaimer ➙ let me paste one of the answers from the FAQ we’ve been putting together with Nick recently.

Originally posted by FAQ

Q: Is it inspired by PVKK?
We both have big cannons? Sure... We both have fully manual control? Absolutely... But what you do with the cannon in IRON NEST is entirely different! We're huge fans of PVKK and, YES - it definitely inspired us. But our core gameplay loop revolves around ground-based artillery, which brings a completely different setup, mechanics, and challenges compared to an orbital gun!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2956040/PVKK_Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant/ [hr][/hr]Since we’ve:

• taken on something equally ambitious; ⤴️
  
• preparing to release the Demo during February’s Steam Next Fest (in just 3 months!);
  
• scheduled the full version (NO Early Access!) for mid-2026;
  
• running playtests all the way until launch;
  
• been handling all the marketing ourselves;

Sometimes we don’t have as much time for communication as we’d like to and that’s exactly where we’re asking for your help!
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]Our top priority is development = delivering a project that’s not just "okay", but one that meets and exceeds the expectations we’ve built through our steam page and short videos. But since it turns out there are people whose autism this also tickles just like ours, we also want to reach everyone who shares our passion and that’s where we need your help! If it’s not too much to ask, spread the religion of IRON NEST across the corners of the internet (to bring even more people of "our kind" here), and we promise... won’t let you down!
[hr][/hr]Examples of how you can help us:

• Ask questions & leave comments on the Steam Community Hub;
  
• Follow IRON NEST social media ➙ like, comment & repost our updates;
  (especially on X... the algorithm there doesn’t seem to like us very much)
• Share info about IRON NEST on Reddits, Facebook groups, YouTube comments ➙ anywhere;
  (or let us know where you think we should reach out...)
• If you're a influencer (content creator), know someone who is, or write for a gaming newsletter... reach out to us or recommend us to your friend: [email protected];
  (we’ll be super grateful for any kind of coverage)
• Join us on Discord & invite your friends so we can communicate with you more easily;
  (FYI ➙ everyone who stays with us on Discord until the game’s release will be added to the game credits + playtests are ongoing)
• Or tell us what we should be doing!

[hr][/hr]PS: Once again, thank you for this amazing month... we're not slowing down! The next devlogs will be more focused, diving into specific gameplay elements and behind-the-scenes insights. ***And if you can’t wait, hop into our Discord! The channels where we discuss development are open to the community, so you can follow everything as it happens + take part in the playtests.
[hr][/hr][hr][/hr]We tried recording this devlog as a video, but every single time we were so exhausted that it turned out like total crap... We’ll try again a few more times in the future, so keep your fingers crossed!

Nick & Dominik
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Oh, and one more important thing! The steam store page (specifically the assets on it) is already quite outdated, since IRON NEST has gone through a lot of visual iterations since then. The updated page will most likely go live alongside the trailer and the demo, around the time of the Next Fest, where we plan to release the demo (pssst... there are constant development leaks popping up on Discord)!

[p]We (Nick & Dominik) were wondering whether the Steam Store Page we put together truly reflects our vision for what IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator is meant to become. Hitting our very first milestone (100 wishlists) without any major promotion seems to show that we did a decent job! Of course, if you notice anything on the store page that could be improved or clarified, we’d love your feedback, either on the Community Hub or through our newly launched Discord.

🔗 Discord Link: https://discord.gg/E92DaqgnZv



We’ll do our best to keep you in the loop as often as possible, but keep in mind that it’s just the two of us working on the project, and that’s how we want to release it = please forgive us if there are occasional delays in communication![/p]