Assembling Dee’s Army- How Testing Muffles Changes Everything

Hello to the gamers,

As I type these words, Muffles is being played by testers for the first time. From writing every baffling character, to drawing out each location pixel by pixel, and planning out every gameplay mechanic, it has all led up to this.

The demo for Muffles is set to be released on Steam/Itch.io next week (10/7/24). But how the HELL did we get here? What went into making this demo and why are all of my lovely, beautiful, amazing testers so important to making Muffles a good game? Well that’s exactly what this post is all about!

How I Made a Demo

Having a demo for Muffles was going to be an absolute no-brainer. With a pinprick-sized internet presence and a lack of experience/funding for a marketing push, I was determined to get the game in people’s hands as soon as possible. Getting feedback would help me make the best (and possibly weirdest) game possible, as well as generate some interest.

With the decision to structure the game into Episodes already having been made, the structure for a demo was clear- Episode 1 would be the demo. It would give players a few hours of game time, during which they’d learn all about the plight of Muffles, have numerous combat encounters to fight through, over a dozen maps to explore, and the first arch of an unfolding story.

I knew to prioritize this demo, I would have to keep the horse blinders on. I would need every in game system (card combat, shaders/visual effects, collision, dialogue windows, weather, etc.) working, a visual style firmly settled on, the final designs for many characters, AND a whole bunch of music written. And all the while not letting my imagination roam to far past this initial chapter of Muffles journey (which is really hard because I want Episode 2 to be AMAZING).

My Testers are a bunch of little freaks (and I love them)

Nomad and I can only play the game so much leading up to the demo’s launch. We would need a lot of help if we were going to have thorough bug testing, see how the game runs on various systems, balance combat encounters, rewriting confusing dialogue, etc.

I am very upfront when it comes to my influences for Muffles. I love games like OFF, Lisa the Painful, World of Horror, Paper Mario, Hylics, Monster Train, and Slay the Spire– all of which find their way into Muffles in some way or another. I decided to share my videos of Muffles gameplay with some of the communities that love these games to see what they thought- and maybe they’d even want to join the ride with me.

Today the BossyPino discord is a small and strong little haven. I’m not just making this game on my own anymore- a collaboration has already started forming that I’m confident will continue and grow throughout Muffles’ development. It’s not just a game I’m making for myself, but a game I’m making for myself AND YOU.

Is there anything cooler than THAT?

In other news…

Wow. The demo. It’s been a lot of work to get here. And it’s dropping next week on 10/7/24.

I hope to do many more early releases for my community- letting them see the game before a broader public gets their hands on it. But right now, my head’s in demo-mode. With testing reports flooding in, I’m firing on all cylinders to get the Muffles demo up to snuff and ready to rock.

If you’re reading this, and you are a tester, a member of our discord, a Cell-Buddy, or a fan following along with development, I want to say- thank you! Like it or not you’re becoming part of Dee’s Army, and together we will take over the world (or some such insane plot).

Until next time…