Seismic Squirrel Breaks Down Turn-Based Car Combat in Aether & Iron Dev Diary #3
Emanuela
(12. March 2026 10:00
)
Seismic Squirrel Breaks Down Turn-Based Car Combat in Aether & Iron Dev Diary #3
New behind-the-scenes video explores the design philosophy behind the game's tactical vehicle encounters
Issaquah, WA, USA – March 11th, 2026 – Seismic Squirrel today released the third behind-the-scenes developer diary for Aether & Iron, offering players an in-depth look at how the team brought high-speed car chases into a thoughtful, turn-based framework. Titled "How We Made High-Speed Car Chases Work in Turn-Based Combat", the video features Tyler Whitney, Narrative Lead at Seismic Squirrel, as he dives into the development process behind the game's tactical turn-based car combat system and the design philosophy that shaped it.
Watch the Aether & Iron Dev Diary #3:
In the video, Whitney explains why the team chose to make vehicle encounters fully turn-based, aligning combat with Aether & Iron's core identity as a thoughtful, methodical RPG experience. The goal was to ensure that every decision players make – whether in dialogue or in combat – feels intentional and meaningful.
He also shares that the team wanted meaningful crossover between the narrative systems and the car combat systems, reinforcing the game's cohesive design.
The diary offers insight into how Seismic Squirrel approached the challenge of bringing high-speed car chases into a strategic, turn-based format while staying true to the game's core vision.
Aether & Iron launches on Steam on March 31, 2026, featuring full English voice acting and text localization support for English, Spanish (Spain & Latin America), French, German, Polish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese - Play the demo and wishlist Aether & Iron now on Steam!
About Aether & Iron: Set in an alternate 1930s New York transformed into a vertical city by the discovery of "aether", a key component to newfound anti-gravitational technology, Aether & Iron follows Gia, a smuggler navigating crime syndicates, political conspiracies, and fragile alliances. Players shape Gia's story through meaningful decisions, with every choice influencing relationships, outcomes and the fate of the city itself. The game features writing talent with credits on Mass Effect, Far Cry, and Sovereign Syndicate, with an original score composed by two-time Grammy Award winner Christopher Tin and Grammy nominee Alex Williamson, best known for their work on the Civilization series.
