Frost & Iron

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Inspiration

I have always been fascinated by stories of survival in extreme environments, Arctic and Siberian expeditions, maritime disasters, and the resilience of people forced to cooperate under harsh conditions. I wanted to explore what happens when a small, diverse group of strangers loses access to modern conveniences and must rely entirely on planning, resource management, teamwork, and difficult decisions to stay alive. I was also inspired by survival games that emphasize atmosphere, uncertainty, and meaningful choices rather than constant combat. I wanted to create an experience where the environment itself becomes the primary challenge. The idea gradually evolved into Frost & Iron, a survival and resource management game centered around hope, endurance, and the pursuit of rescue.

What it does

Frost & Iron is a survival and expedition management game set in a remote northeastern Siberian coastal–taiga transition zone. Following a shipwreck, seven surviving members of an international expedition find themselves stranded in an unforgiving wilderness, isolated from civilization and cut off from communication networks. Players must: Gather scarce resources; Maintain warmth, shelter, and food supplies; Assign expedition members to specialized tasks; Manage morale within the group; Adapt to unpredictable weather conditions; Avoid or mitigate risks posed by predators and environmental hazards; Salvage materials from the wreckage; Explore the surrounding landscape. The long-term objective is to locate and restore an abandoned Soviet-era meteorological station and use its communications equipment to transmit a distress signal for rescue.

How we built it

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was balancing realism, tension, and scope. Early iterations of the concept introduced too many hazards and mechanics, which risked overwhelming players during the opening session and expanding beyond a manageable MVP. Another challenge involved creating a survival experience that feels stressful and uncertain without becoming unfair. This led to the idea of using imperfect environmental cues, changing weather conditions, and partial information instead of fully predictable events. Designing an active rescue objective also required several iterations. Rather than relying on a passive waiting period for rescue, the concept evolved toward restoring a meteorological station, giving players agency and a meaningful long-term goal.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I am proud of transforming an initial survival concept into a focused and cohesive design that emphasizes planning, resource management, and emotional pacing. I am particularly satisfied with: Establishing a clear and engaging survival loop; Designing a player journey with a defined difficulty curve and emotional rhythm; Incorporating morale as a meaningful management mechanic; Developing an achievable MVP while avoiding feature creep; Creating a setting that combines environmental storytelling, isolation, and the gradual restoration of hope.

What we learned

Through designing Frost & Iron, I learned the importance of scope discipline in game development. A compelling survival experience does not necessarily require a large number of systems. Often, a smaller set of interconnected mechanics can create stronger gameplay and more meaningful decisions. I also learned that player agency is crucial. Allowing players to actively work toward rescue creates a more satisfying experience than relying solely on endurance or random events. Additionally, I gained a deeper appreciation for pre-production planning, player journey mapping, and the role of emotional pacing in shaping memorable gameplay experiences.

What's next for Frost & Iron

Future development would focus on prototyping and validating the core survival loop through small-scale playtesting. Potential next steps include: Implementing a functional prototype; Testing resource balance and morale systems; Expanding environmental interactions; Improving weather simulation; Refining predator behavior systems; Enhancing accessibility and onboarding; Exploring opportunities for deployment within the Meta Horizon ecosystem. The immediate goal is to continue evolving Frost & Iron into an immersive survival experience that rewards thoughtful planning, adaptability, and perseverance in one of the world's harshest environments.

Built With

• canva
• chrome
• google-docs
• google-slides