Posted on September 13, 2025 by DrPyspy

Another devlog! Slightly later than desired, but I like to keep it vague so I can say I'm always on time. Today, we're taking to the stars and focusing on Meteor Herd! We shall see, hear, and taste the stars. Quite delicious! But that's not all, as we'll also be taking a look at a new type of... what is it? A weapon? An item? A tool? Perhaps all these things... and MORE. Let's not delay it any further! TIME FOR DEVLOG

Get Your Groove

A new Tomb Fetus music preview! Space Trip Steps is the song for Meteor Herd! Immerse yourself in the mindset of Kuckles and obtain a seventh sense dedicated to underground jewels! Are you ready to go into space?#TombFetus #gamedev #modding #music #doom #knuckles

[image or embed]

— Tomb Fetus (@tombfetus.bsky.social) September 13, 2025 at 1:28 AM

I love this song! I didn't make it though. So, let's have a word from the creator himself, Carlos Sanchez:

The Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack is legendary. I could end the sentence right there, but I was told to make this longer, and I must oblige under penalty of being sent to the Arena Eternal (aka Wisconsin). Hunnid-P's Knuckles stage tracks (that he wrote in three minutes before the studio session began (without getting paid (supposedly (allegedly)))) are burned into my brain. They're almost nonsensical and only vaguely related to the stages they're on, as if Mr.-P was only given the stage title and the idea that you play as Knuckles from "Echido'na" to go off of. Maybe he did write these songs in a couple of minutes? Sometimes growing up means learning that we're all just making up shit along the way. Even this paragraph was mostly made up on the spot. Sorry!

Initially, I only thought of having the track reference the string/synth melody from Space Trip Steps as a funny easter egg, but otherwise it would have been an all-new track. That changed when I discovered that the "awwww yeah!!" lady sample from the original song was found at some point, and the vision began to brew (as visions often do). I haven't done a whole lot of remixes, but I lean into high-energy tracks for my first-person perspective blasters, and Space Trip Steps was really easy to push into that direction.

I knew right away that I didn't want to re-record the original verse by Hunnid-P and wanted it to lean into the Kuckles character and the goofiness of Tomb Fetus. Hunnid-P, either due to being strapped for time or possibly not being paid, typically only wrote one verse for his contributions to the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack. I figured having the first portion of the song be instrumental would make the rap verse punch more, especially for longer play sessions. Also, this was the first introduction of "chaotic jewels" and the currently unnamed sexy bat character who is trying to grab Kuckles's balls in the Tomb Fetus lore, so I will be expecting a story writing credit.

Thank you, Carlos! Your cooperation has been rewarded and you'll be receiving nutrient packets next week.

Earth Below Us

Between the moon and the stars...

Welcome back to Meteor Herd! This map has been covered previously, but there's been layout touch-ups and some improvements on the artpass! Every map in the demo has something to set it apart from the others, and Meteor Herd is no exception. Let's dig a little deeper...

Floating around the moon...

Tomb Fetus has maps of all sizes, but Meteor Herd is uniquely large! The map is large, tall, and completely open. If the area is visible and within the confines of the barrier shield, you can go there! Combined with the low gravity and sufficent space to build up speed, you can truly put the movement capabilities of the Tomblets and their weapons to the test. Being up in the air more often makes you a big target though, so use the air wisely!

Down below...

The Chaotic Jewel sits atop the center tower, but that's not where everyone congregates; you gotta have the firepower to justify risking your life for that thing! The canyon area is a bit more complex and winding with decent cover, while the techbase area is wide open with less cover and a greater contrast between the different height levels. Keep these differences in mind when hunting down pickups, as they can either benefit you or screw you over depending on the battles you find yourself in!

Wandering between the second and third levels...

With the unique openness of this big ol' space base, it invites the question of what the best way to move around is. Many would say the answer depends on what you have, where you are, and how much health you can spare... but the CORRECT answer is in a TANK!!!

TANKS!

HOLY SHIT A FUCKING TANK

We've seen weapons, powerups, and usable items, but there's another tool of battle at your disposal: TANKS! That's right! TANKS! These single-seat monsters of tread and tire lay motionless on the battlefield, waiting for a rider brave enough to mount them and charge into battle! When a map has tanks, there usually aren't too many and they take quite a while to respawn, so make sure to grab one if you see it!

The thick plating of the tank is quite strong; jumping into one will effectively triple your current health value! You're still vulnerable to any damage, but enemies will have a much harder time trying to take you down, giving you more time to win a fight. The catch is that tanks can't pickup items, so you'll need to step out of the tank to grab anything, which untriples your health. If your tank is almost gone and you've got enemies nearby, it's probably best to go out swinging instead of trying to heal up. Do whatever you'd like, though.

Pictured: an undesirable scenario.

In a tank, you have two ways to deal damage. The first one is cannonballs, which fire from the big ol' nozzle at the front. These things can't be aimed vertically, but they have a generous bounce and velocity. Hit someone directly with one of these nasty orbs to deal lethal damage! The second method of dealing damage is embedded in every living being's most primal of instincts: running people over! Run your treads over your foes and flatten 'em! It's fun for the whole family!

Start a tank gang!

Will there be more kinds of these automatic mobile machines beyond tanks? Only time will tell... and time says "not in the demo." You should be tankful that you get even one vehicle! All the fuel money comes out of the Tomblets' paychecks.

That's all for now! I'm taking things a little bit slower to prevent burnout, but I'm being careful not to fumble this so close to the finish line. There's still a lot to do! See y'all in the next devlog...