Muffles' Life Sentence News

[p]Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I am definitely NOT going CRAZY thinking about how fast 2025 flew by and wondering how I'm going to get everything I want done in the new year.[/p][p]Today I want to talk to you about something front of mind- playtesting Muffles' Life Sentence. Why? Because playtesting on the final episode is set to start REALLY SOON! I'd give an exact date but trust me, it's coming very soon.[/p][p]How have playtesters impacted Muffles? How do I use feedback to make the game better? And what about RPGs necessitates a lot of player involvement during the creation?[/p][p]I have no idea. [/p][p]Just kidding I got some ideas.[/p][p][/p][h2]Players are the secret weapon[/h2][p]Our playtesters have much more impact on Muffles than they even realize. It's not just about bugs and typos- they help guide the pacing, flow, balance, and focus of the entire experience. And for an RPG, these things are absolutely critical![/p][p]I joke with the inmates (members of the Discord) when they bring up crazy and silly ideas that if they aren't careful I will put their ideas in the game full stop. For some reason, that doesn't in any way stop them from throwing out wild suggestions.[/p][p]A few ideas from players that I used in game:[/p]

• [p]Emo pettys[/p]
• [p]Secret dialogue if you sequence break into the Drachencrag orientation room[/p]
• [p]A map that Dee scribbled to help you navigate Tangletop forest[/p]

[p]A lot of times it's people telling me they really like a certain character, and so I'll give them more of a chance to shine. Other times it's a lot more subtle, with different players having vastly different or contradicting opinions on characters, combat, places, story elements, etc.[/p][p]No better time for me to touch on how I use (and when I don't use) feedback.[/p][p][/p][h2]Without a vision, feedback will destroy you[/h2][p]Someone will say "I think this combat encounter is too long." And then you'll shorten it by giving the enemies less health, or simplifying mechanics, or some other method. And then someone else will say "Ah man I really liked how it was before that change!"[/p][p]And then what do you do? Change it back or leave it as is? Do you listen to the person with the most experience giving feedback? Are you unbiased enough to listen to your own instincts and filter out what some of your players are telling you?[/p][p]Don't make it so complicated! Follow your pillars and your inspirations![/p][p]Because I want Muffles' to feel like the strange and disturbed child of Paper Mario, OFF, and Undertale, I can look to these to know what choices to make. [/p][p]If I know the player suggesting the combat is too long is not a hardcore strategy player and prioritizes enjoying the story elements, then their feedback is probably the gold standard because that's the kind of game I'm trying to make![/p][p]You have thousands of choices you can make in the process of building an RPG. Follow your vision. Filter feedback through your goals, your inspirations, and your scope, and the choices you are left with are manageable.[/p][p][/p][h2]Why do RPGs need playtesting[/h2][p]This one's kind of a 'no duh.' RPGs are sprawling, multifaceted, multilayered experiences where player choices stack to make for diverse experiences and where many systems work together dynamically to bring the experience to life. And also it has to be fun. And not break. And support niche strategies because those are cool. And-[/p][p]RPGs are a less common game genre, especially for indies. Which is kind of weird, because I actually think they are a great fit for indies with a few caveats.[/p]

• [p]More curated experiences (just because it's an RPG doesn't mean it needs to be all things)[/p]
• [p]Game length and graphical scope are limited[/p]
• [p]Insightful playtesters are involved in every step of the process[/p]

[p]Even as I write these, I can see how they might seem antithetical to the core idea of an RPG- games that are famously gargantuan, graphically-polished, and wide-ranging experiences. Are you asking yourself- how can there be a GOOD RPG that doesn't meet these principles?[/p][p]*COUGH* Muffles' Life Sentence *COUGH*[/p][p][/p][h2]In Other News[/h2][p]New year, new fears. [/p][p]I mean hopes and dreams! What are y'all's resolutions? What games are y'all playing? Want to play Muffles' Life Sentence Episode 5? You should join the Discord and hit up Bossy or Nomad![/p][p]Until next time~[/p]

[p]Hello gamers,[/p][p][/p][p]Another month, another devlog! And instead of my usual ramble I figured I'd share some of the progress I've been making on Episode 5! The final chapter for Muffles' Life Sentence is going to be INSANE and I can't keep it all to myself for so long so... let's dive into it![/p][p][/p][h2]New Song: Half-Devoured[/h2][p][/p][p]Half-Devoured (New Song)[/p][p][/p][p]Apparently Bossy couldn't get enough of recording music live and so he's back again with a death metal song for Episode 5. His goal- go as heavy as he possibly can.[/p][p][/p][p]It's so fun writing these. The entire writing and recording process only takes about an hour, but then picking the best pieces, stitching them together, and mixing everthing takes FOREVER.[/p][p][/p][p]I wonder how this song'll be used in Episode 5...[/p][p][/p][h2]New Large Portrait: Onyore
[/h2][p]Since I teased Onyore's portrait art recently, I figured I'd come clean and share the battle art too. It might still need a llittle touching up, but I like it overall. Been trying to experiment a lot more with 3 colors instead of 2 and it's CRAZY how much more you can do by expanding your palette.[/p][p][/p][p]Now just because Onyore gets the big art doesn't mean DEFINITIVELY that you're going to fight them or that they're secretly evil or something. But clearly something is going on with this guy, I mean just look at them.[/p][p][/p][h2]Captain Shatter and his crew of Petty Pirates[/h2][p][/p][p]Ahoy! I teased Cpt. Shatter on the discord the other day and you're never going to guess who he sails the seas with... it's petty pirates![/p][p][/p][p]Are they all going to be named Petty Pirate or are they all going to get individual names that you can analyze and get their backstories?[/p][p][/p][p]You're gonna have to wait and seeeeeee.[/p][p][/p][h2]In other news...[/h2][p]Happy holidays to all the Decemberists out there! I hope everyone is staying warm, playing games, and spending time with good people. As much as I love fall, winter is such a special time for me. I've got my fingers crossed for snow this year.[/p][p][/p][p]Until next time~[/p]

[p]Hello there gamers,[/p][p][/p][p]And happy belated Halloween! It’s spooky season and I want to talk about something I love love love. Spooky games![/p][p]I’m talking about:[/p]

• [p]What makes a spooky game vs. a horror game[/p]
• [p]How I make Muffles’ Life Sentence a spooky RPG[/p]
• [p]Some of my favorite spooky inspirations[/p]

[p]Prepare for a scare![/p][p][/p][h3]AAAGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!![/h3][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Something spooky this way comes…[/h2][p]Off the bat I want to establish the chasm of difference between a game with spooky/horrific elements or themes or aesthetics vs. a true horror game. These lists are not prerequisites for these kinds of games or anything, they’re just what come to mind when I compare them. [/p][p]Spooky game:[/p]

• [p]Pulls from horrific source material to establish the darker side of your world[/p]
• [p]Provides moody/creepy settings (dark forests, creepy mansions, caves, etc.)[/p]
• [p]References horror tropes and visuals[/p]

[p]Horror game:[/p]

• [p]Using imagery or sound effects to momentarily shock the player is a key draw of the experience[/p]
• [p]The player’s motivation and/or story plot have tension and uncertainty inherently baked in[/p]
• [p]Uses less-forgiving game mechanics that make you feel powerless (survival resource mgmt, stealth, etc.)[/p]
• [p]The role of enemies is less to be obstacles to rewards or fulfilling a combat power fantasy and more to punish the player and have them question survival[/p]
• [p]Uses the unknown as fear vs. just opportunity[/p]

[p]It’s clear from these lists that I think of these types of games pretty differently. If we think of it like art, then spooky games are the dead trees and long shadows you add to a nature scene. Horror games are the works of Giger, Zdzisław, and Junji Ito.[/p][p][/p][h2]Muffles is not a horror game… buuuut…[/h2][p]I love incorporating darker elements into the world and story of Muffles’ Life Sentence, many of which have been there from the start. Set in prison, inmate surgery, your mouth is stitched shut- all that good creepy stuff.[/p][p][/p][p]But I wanted to be sure this never strayed into becoming a horror RPG. I love games like Pathologic, Fear and Hunger, and System Shock, which made it easy to know I wasn’t looking to make the game feel like any of them. [/p][p]I also knew I didn’t want Muffles, an RPG Maker game, to fall in the footsteps of the many wonderful RPG Maker horror games I grew up loving. The Crooked Man, Witch’s House, Ib, Mad Father- these were some of my first delves into horror PERIOD and so many used the unique limitations of the engine to craft incredible linear horror stories.[/p][p]So then what did I use for reference, and why bother with spooky/horror in general if you aren’t making a full-blown horror game?[/p][p][/p][h2]Horror is for more than just horror games[/h2][p]I love games and media that don’t use the horror game formula, but have elements just under the surface that add stakes and depth to everything. Undertale, OFF, and Bloodborne are a few of my favorite all time games and have a darkness to them that can be hard to shake off (hah). They explore madness, corruption of morals, bizarre experimentations, genocide, and more.[/p][p][/p][p]I think every RPG needs to include some elements of horror. Role-playing needs a real-feeling unreal world. Bad things happening to good people is core component humanity- but that doesn’t mean it has to be glum and dour (note to self- create some characters named Glum and Dour). [/p][p]Tragedy, death, and destruction of precious things can be fuuuuun and thematic! Like an evil hare whose death animation is to perform an Irish jig on your back, shattering your spine. [/p][p]Evidence of atrocities can be vague and mysterious! Like the all-to-familiar video game corruption stuff that’s really just purple and black goop or a color palette swap for enemies we see in a bajillion games.[/p][p][/p][h2]But Bossy… are YOU ever going to make a REAL horror game?[/h2][p]Yes. At some point. Probably. [/p][p][/p][h2]In other news[/h2][p]I hope everyone had just the best Halloween. Here, the fall vibes are incredible. There’s a soft pitter of rain and the leaves are red and where they belong- on the ground.[/p][p]I’m going to start in earnest on Episode 5 on Monday- the last episode!!! It’s exciting to know so much and yet so little about what’s in store for me, Muffles, and for all of you reading who will play. [/p][p][/p][p]Until next time,[/p][p]-Bossy[/p]

[p]Bossy created a softlock towards the very end of the new content and to atone he's fixed it. [/p][p][/p][p]What a hack.[/p][p][/p][p]Fixes:[/p]

• [p]Using the Maddox Island mirror to save/go to your mind will no longer softlock you.[/p]

[p][/p][p]-Bossy[/p]

[p]Hello MLS enjoyers![/p][p][/p][p]We gotta ourselves a new patch! Mostly fixing bugs and rebalancing some cards. C'mon Bossy where's Episode 5?!?[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Before the E5 elevator ride added a short Dee cutscene[/p]
• [p]Prediction card no longer causes error[/p]
• [p]Fortify -> Guard Up[/p]
• [p]Death Gripe is now: Deal +5 dmg for every -10 HP you have. Exhaust.[/p]
• [p]Broken Binary now requires not Shocked[/p]
• [p]Petty Pots analyze added[/p]
• [p]Switching faces in Jangus desert makes step count disappear fixed[/p]
• [p]Fixed some dialogue portrait display issues[/p]
• [p]E3 Softlock talking to Elder Fred from the side fixed[/p]
• [p]E4 Train chase NPC collision/normal dialogue fixed[/p]

[p][/p][p]-Bossy[/p]