#cause I love rpg maker horror games

[chibassy]

Ring-a-ring o' roses,

A pocket full of posies.

Ashes! Ashes!

We all fall down!

[rampenn]

Yes she has blue hair and pronounce.

[maleyanderecafe]

Love Hex (RPG Maker)

Created by: diamii

Genre: Horror

This is a fun little horror RPG Maker game made by the same person who made Synthetic Heart, another fun RPG yandere maker game. This game, while relatively short, is a fun little story that has a somewhat happy ending for the main character, Mina and the yandere Valen.

The story starts out simply with Mina being held captive by a handsome person who is attempting to feed her. We then see Mina attempting to create a hex/potion for getting a boyfriend. She's missing the final ingredient of a dark mage's skull and goes into a cave to retrieve it. As she goes through the cave, she finds various demonic circles with varies text on it, mostly talking about the sacrifices that are being fed to the monster. On each of these demonic circles, Mina talks to a tentacle like creature. She initially puts herself as a sacrifice to open a specific part of the dungeon, before talking about what the monster's favorite type of sacrifices are (the type that tastes like caramel), talking about what she's doing here in the cave, and then finally feeding the monster caramel as an attempt to kill it, only for it to enjoy the sweets. After getting into a locked security area, Mina is finally able to retrieve the skull she needs, but the monster seems rather unhappy considering that she's about to leave. After attempting to leave, she finds that the outside is blocked by black goo that slowly starts spreading. After unlocking another door, she finds herself inside of a laboratory. It is implied that the cult used both magic and science to keep the monster alive, but after some mishaps, was unable to contain it and got itself killed. Upon nearly leaving, the monster captures Mina, developing into a form that looks like a handsome human named Valen to appease Mina. When asking why she was looking for the skull, Mina starts to talk about her past.

She states that the entire thing was triggered by watching her brother get married. From when she was small, Mina was prophesied to bring doom to her village, thus shunning her from pretty much everyone except for her family. As her parents were busy and Mina was not close to her other siblings, she became very lonely and tried to make something that would get her a boyfriend. Valen seems to empathize with Mina as he too has been lonely for a long time. While initially going to eat her as she is a human that he enjoys the taste of, Valen seems to change his mind and instead asks if he could be her boyfriend instead. Initially Mina refuses, but Valen asks for her to play a game of chase with him. He pretty much declares that he wins by default as he's holding Mina and takes a protesting Mina into the underground. From there, we see the end scene of Mina and Valen hanging out together, with Mina complaining that she doesn't want to play house with Valen and Valen trying to eat food with Mina so that he can be like her. Mina accepts her fate as she enjoys being with Valen and continues to live with him, presumably forever.

The story itself is pretty good for a small game. I think that the idea of having magic and more scientific elements together in the cave was a cool idea and cool world building that is presented in such a small place. I also think that the reveal of why Mina wanted to have a spell/potion for a boyfriend is also pretty cool and does make sense why she would eventually have been happy being with Valen in despite being isolated because she already didn't have a lot of people whom she cared about (though I do feel bad for her parents though, since it seems that while they were busy they didn't have bad relationship or anything). It does make me wonder if releasing Valen (sort of) is what the prophecy that made Mina isolated in the first place, and if it isn't... then was the prophecy false? Would there still be something that she does that causes the village's downfall? These things seem to be left out for this game, but perhaps it can be explored in a future game. I do like that she is willing to try to trick and kill Valen for her goals, even if they don't really work at the end. She is very determined to get what she wants which was nice.

Valen as a yandere is pretty much made by Mina indirectly, considering he doesn't really seem to understand humans all that much. It seems that Valen was pretty much just used for sacrifice feeding, and initially only liked Mina because of the fact that she was a tasty sacrifice, even almost just using her as a meal. Of course, in the end, he does seem to sympathize with Mina more especially when she reveals the reason for wanting a boyfriend. He does take care in transforming into a form that she does like, and in the end does try to pretend to be more human so that Mina will like him more and try to play games with her. It is nice that he does try so hard to make sure that Mina actually does like him, even if it does seem like he doesn't fully understand what love is when it comes to humans. He does trap her and try to attend to her every need, so really both of their wishes of no longer being lonely is finally fulfilled.

While I do like this game, the one big gripe I have about it is the three codes that you have to put throughout the game. For the first one, I think you can actually find the code by using the last three numbers for each of the rituals that you go through, but if you fail, the game will automatically kill you after three tries. The other two locks seem to have no real good way of figuring out what you're supposed to type with them, with one being based off of the various grime on the number pad, which is difficult when you can hear the black goo coming after you and eventually killing you if you take too long, and the last code in the lab for the computer, which I have no idea how you were able to solve that one. I had to check the answers for the codes in the comments to find those out. Generally, games will have better clues on what you need to submit for the number puzzles, but for this one it feels like you really need a tutorial or have to stretch pretty far to figure it out, so it can be pretty frusterating to try to figure out what the codes are for that one.

Overall though, I do like this game, as it's short, it has a pretty fun and compelling story with some nice rpg maker gameplay and we get a nice yandere in the end, with a sort of happy ending. I want to be able to write a recommendation for Synthetic Heart at some point, maybe when we see more of the yandere action going on as it does seem like it has some interesting potential (but not enough for me to really talk on it more.) But I would recommend this game if you enjoy the premise of it.

[grenade-maid]

Man, I think what makes me so sad about Guilty Gear is just knowing that there won't ever be anything quite like it. The cultural soup that spawned it just doesn't exist anymore. The edgy 90s counterculture boom can't really be replicated. Doom is something you run on thermostats and microwaves, Mortal Kombat is something your brother's friends played in college, spiked leather and heavy metal are things anyone might be into, arcades have been dead longer than they were alive, everyone is aware of JoJo. Everything that was shocking, transgressive, and exciting then is now pretty normal (if still beloved--nay, more beloved, even). They even made a new Matrix movie about this feeling. And the thing is, there were a lot of fighting games tapping into the same things as Guilty Gear was. They all died in obscurity, and Guilty Gear is the lone survivor, carrying the DNA of a cultural moment but unable to propagate, being the last of its species. Sol Badguy is a perfect protagonist for it, in that sense.

At the end of the day, there's just no real analogue. The genre of musclebound blood soaked anime it was drawing from like Fist of the North Star, Bastard! and Ninja Scroll don't really exist anymore. Rockstars of the hotel thrashing middle finger waving hard drinking hard partying variety don't really exist in the same way, either. Very few recent album covers would make for good stage backgrounds. There isn't really an "underground" subculture or counterculture--we're all just in different niches that are one online search away from each other. Nobody has to "introduce" you to metal, you don't have to know a guy, just look up a few whole discographies and listen on your commute. Fighting games themselves are a firmly established genre with it's own self selecting population--in the 90s it was pretty common for basically anyone to casually try a few rounds of Tekken or have some version of street fighter at home. That's not really the case anymore, and, as such, fighting games need to be designed differently and more thoughtfully than they used to be.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!None of these are bad things!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But it does mean that any attempt to do something in the same vein as Guilty Gear will necessarily be a pastiche. Hell, even Guilty Gear itself was pastiche by the time of XX. This isn't a bad thing either--I'm loving Little Goody Two Shoes, for example, which is the most lavish and loving throwback to 90s shojo and 00s RPG Maker horror games. But it would still be different. Because even the most loving reference or recreation, even the ones that surpass the quality of the originals, can't replace the spirit of expressing something quintessential to your current moment, whatever that moment is.

The moment that I cherish cause I grew up in its shadow is long gone. I don't know if there's anything in the current moment that could speak to me in the same way. Most of my favorite all time games, manga, anime, etc etc all came out in the last few years, so this isn't about old shit being better. I guess most of what I love that's currently being made just didn't lend itself well to riffing on in the same way. Unfortunately, high passion rock operas screaming your feelings just lend themselves perfectly to kickass games, and those aren't in vogue like they used to be. And, ultimately, on a strictly personal level, I'll never be 15 again, being shown the sickest shit I've ever seen before a D&D game for the first time.

[dykedvonte]

Silly ask incoming: what video games would the crew enjoy, in your opinion? Especialy, multiplayer games they can play together on their rare breaks? I think Anya eats everyone up in mario cart (she is picking princess peach probably)

-💀

Okay so I know everyone always tries to do cop out answers with saying "They wouldn't play video games yadda yadda" but I'm giving everyone something:

Curly

I think he likes those mindless sort of games. Not like easy but ones where they are a bit methodical.

Likes games with options but also set rules/restrictions. Endless creativity would overwhelm him and make him frustrated as he wouldn't know what to do and when

Honestly? Sims, minecraft, stardew, terria, games where there's options but at the end its like an inverted funnel. Start the same each time but you make it what you want in the end.

I also think he'd love VR type games like Super Hot and Beat saber just for the physicalness and kinda not having to be in reality.

Not into multiplayer too much mainly cause he's actually not that competitive but because he always drags out matches by being the worst

Will happily join a server or world in the games he does play even if it gets abandoned. He's the type to log on for notalgia

Daisuke

We know he's a gamer already. QnA said he likes to go to the arcade and waste time losing.

Also has his little handheld so I think he's into retro games, no specific type just likes how creative they are for how simple they tend to look

Def likes management games. I see him as being into figuring out pro strats and gamer shit like that.

Pikmin, Katamari, Resident Evil, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, etc... He likes the older stuff with a challenge, but proponent in wanting games to be mean to you again.

Gamer rage but in a sulky way like he misses a jump and just turns off the entire TV

A Mario Party instead of Mario Kart guy. Like the random chance of it all and to get aggressive and hype over like line tracing the mini game

Anya

And if I said Anya is like a strict multiplayer competitive like COD lobby girl then what?

Honestly I think she likes games with a lot of story and depth but has guilty pleasures in FPS and competitive games.

Like those RPG maker games a lot Mermaids Swamp, The Crooked Man, Ai Oni. Not for the horror, its a bit cliche but often time its the real people monsters or tragedy that captivates her.

Me thinks she's the type to scroll like Itchio or Game Jolt and plays whatever's free and looks interesting, gamer in the way she's just played games.

Ofc she's competitive, likes any game where she can show off or win, so she's always upset during chance games. Sorry girl, Daisuke won the draw no mario kart for you

Though I think her favorite would be like fighting games just to have subtle shit talk like "Are you sure you're not just button mashing?" Tekken Girlie

Swansea

This was hard cause like I genuinely think he wouldn't care about games and just plays them in the way like parents beat levels for their kids.

Platformers. Idk why but I think its just like its good hand eye coordination, keeps him feeling spry mentally.

Rhythm games honestly but in the sense of like how like piano tiles is a rhythm game.

He's like basic older man who plays like bejweled, solitaire, maybe even penguin diner.

I know this is almost a cop out but like I can't imagine him like being into gaming even if he was young, like I think he'd like card games, jacks and dice.

Honestly he plays online dominos vs the computer online and complains to his family or the crew (depends on where he is) about it cheating whenever he loses.

Jimmy

For real he's harder than Swansea's cause man doesn't even have hobbies like I don't know what he would actually like and it scares me

I think he's somewhat elitist with his gaming views because he just always thinks he's write but I know he plays everything the bad way

Honestly I think he likes games like Borderlands for the humor and the like fantasy power. Like Handsome Jack's humor a bit too much

Played Halo and Cod but either is so mid it's just not enjoyable enough for him to continue. Like he needs the instant gratification from gaming or he's not playing it anymore

Maybe GTA but again he annoys too many people and gets banned from servers and doesn't care about story mode.

LIkes the sims but in the fucked up girl way where he makes all the sims like live in his basement and paint for him while he get mad over storylines he made up.

I like think they all play monopoly like my family where it takes days because we treat it like real investments and alliances are formed and relationships ruined.

[holidxyy]

Your Turn to Die -Death Game by Majority- (Japanese: キミガシネ -多数決デスゲーム-, Hepburn: Kimi ga Shine -Tasūketsu Desu Gēmu-) is a Japanese episodic horror adventure game first released on 28 August 2017. The game was developed by Nankidai, a manga artist, and was later adapted into a manga and light novel, which were both released in 2021. An English translation was released in 2019. A Steam release was released on February 20, 2023 in Early Access with the vgperson translation used for the English version.

Your Turn to Die is an adventure game with conversations laid out in a manner akin to a visual novel. The game uses a first-person view. Characters in view can be interacted with directly by clicking on them. Players interact with the onscreen menu to move between areas, save their game, and use items, similar to a point-and-click adventure game. Unlike many RPG Maker games, there is no level progression or character stats. However, there are puzzles which require careful item usage to solve, and minigames that test the player's reaction time. “Discussions" in which the player must deduce the correct logical solution in order to advance time contribute to a large part of the game. During discussion time, focusing on an incorrect or irrelevant statement will cause the main character's "clout" to drop; reducing it to zero causes a game over. Certain decisions made during discussions change the game's plot significantly, though most decisions only give different dialogue options. Other gameplay features include Partner Abilities, usable when traveling with certain characters, and Debates, in which the player must find the incorrect statement within a group of four.

I LOVE YOUR TURN TO DIE OH MY GOD Haha can you guess who this is Heh uhm hah Hi

hi red

[fictionfixations]

started a cute game

pocket love or something like that

i have been drawn in by the cute art style. i tend to take names from the recent-ist stuff i've consumed, so I have stuff like Blank Dreamer as a name (Blank Dream, an RPG Maker horror game), Itachi (Naruto), and recently for a roleplay I've been Silver. And then OCs like Reinen and Calisto since I'd wrote them recently. etc etc

So. I was gonna go silver again, and so logically the other pairing would be Sebek or something, but I don't have a lot of options for hair colors (no green D:)

so now here I am, with my Riddle & Floyd lmfao. I gave him long hair but before he had shorter hair? I just saw this hair that was Leona-like that I wanted.

dont ask me why i have two TVs. also i just realized the tv blocks the fridge...

anyway since im tagging this as twst, heres a twst screenshot. i dont remember why i took it but i dont think i ever used it lol

if i ever mentioned this already, my bad. but so my plan is to have something from every dorm? although I don't know if I'll have enough room, or if it'll look too cramped and awkward.

(Minimum is like, each dorm having 'table-chair')

I did Octavinelle first cause I got the birthday Azul, so there's the broom, the table, and a chair.

Heartslabyul has like the big chair instead of a stool, and a table.

Then I started doing Savanaclaw, so it just has a table for now, but I'm working on getting the big chair instead of a stone stool.

Also I had to get the tuna cans for Grim lol

[lumenadev]

tell me about lumena!

it has been such. a long time since I explained it to someone who knew nothing about it (i miss this feeling!)

so b asically:

I don't know if I want to work on the game or novel first. Probably novel! But the game is planned out to be an RPG Maker horror game based on fairy tales! The plot is the world needs to be saved from shadow beasts that can only be destroyed with powerful magic!!

Hopefully soon I will start feeling physically better cause I would LOVE to start showing off my character designs and more about them so STAY TUNED!!!!

[mintyproof]

personal fav horror games?

i m never great at coming up with lists of favourites, mostly cause i have real bad memory issues n often forget a lot of specifics about games i play.. v.v

but if i had to try n pick standout all-time favourites!! on the survival horror side, i love soma (i still think about the setting n ending to this day..), amnesia: a machine for pigs (frictional games did the chinese room dirty), and pathologic 2. as far as rpg maker and visual novel type titles go, i really enjoy world of horror & the hello charlotte series.

recently i ve been playing some ps1 & ps2 horror games i really dig, too. i picked up an english patch for a ps1 game called ...iru! and while it's not actually that great of a game, it's still an obscure n interesting lil thing. on the ps2 i ve been playing fatal frame, and though im still pretty early on in it, it's super unique and i like it

[thegeekynarwhal]

Who is a youtuber you’ve been obsessed with and why? and say 3 things about someone you love!

YouTuber question is fun! I think the only YouTuber I actively keep up with is rtgames he is just absolutely the funniest. I've loved him for years mostly because he's just really funny and I vibe with his sense of humor? I also watch like. A lot of different Minecraft YouTubers to the point where I have a side blog for it cause I didn't want to crowd up my main one lol. I also really like manlybadasshero he plays a lot of horror games and used to do so much RPG maker content. I like his sense of humor a lot and also his voice.

Three things about someone I love! Okay targeting you my wonderful qpp. Your voice is very sweet and It makes me happy every time I hear you, you're a joy to be around, and genuinely one of the sweetest and kindest people I know. You also have really good OCS!

[thepixelblender]

Witch's Heart Character Summary

just thought I'd post this stupid thing here

[interact-if]

Day 3 of the Game Jam Winners Months Featured Author Interviews, continuing with Albie!

Albie author of Mousetrap.

You’re one of the many overworked interns working at Whimsey World. When it was announced that Imogen, a category three hurricane, would soon hit Orlando, Florida, your employers asked for volunteers to remain in the parks during the storm, promising triple pay for at least 24 hours. You and your friend seized the opportunity. After all, Whimsey wouldn’t ask its cast members to stay behind if it was potentially dangerous.

That’s what you assumed before you were knocked unconscious. Before you woke up in a costume chained to your friend and three strangers. Before Dickey the Rat informed you and your “team” that you get $250,000 for each person you kill. Before the neurotoxins pumping through the park’s air system began to loosen your grip on reality. Before nightmares and the real world bled into a horrifying, broken fantasy you can’t wake up from.

If you survive the storm (and the things lurking within it), you’ll win riches beyond your wildest dreams. But how far are you willing to go? How committed are you to pleasing your guests and satisfying your spectators? The Show will go on. It will always go on. But what role will you play in it?

Read more about Mousetrap [here] Mousetrap Demo | Dev Blog | Albie's Blog Tags: Horror, Thriller. Survival. [INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT UNDER THE CUT!]

Q1 . Tell us about the story you made for the Jam!

Mousetrap is a surreal survival horror story about theme park employees forced to participate in a deadly game where teams win money for each death they cause. As players fight to survive, neurotoxins pumping through the air system begin to wreak havoc on their minds. Fantasy bleeds into reality and the characters’ worst nightmares come to life.

Q2. What was the biggest challenge in creating a game in such a short time span? How did you manage it?

The biggest challenge for me was just getting the writing done - trying to stay focused without hyperfixating on things. Distractions were my biggest hurdle. When I noticed myself getting wrapped up in proofreading, testing code, playing with the UI, etc. I’d take whatever I was working on in Twine or Scrivener and transfer it to a plain .txt file. That would remove or quiet most of those distractions and help me focus on getting the story out of my head and onto my computer. I also set a goal for myself of writing 1,000+ words a day but didn’t beat myself up for failing to reach that. Having the goal encouraged me to write but not really caring about it made the process more enjoyable and less stressful.

Q3. What was your inspiration for your entry?

Honestly, personal experience was my main source of inspiration. Almost everything in this story is directly based on my time working at “Whimsey World” and is symbolic of the things I went through/witnessed there. If it’s not, then it’s a nightmarish representation of other traumas which haunt me or things which generally terrify me.

I also didn’t set out to make a game that was like Saw, but it ended up being a big source of inspiration for me as well as other classic horror stories. Dimension 20’s Fantasy High: Sophomore Year also influenced me with its Nightmare King storyline – which D20 fans will surely be able to tell after the next update. Finally, old RPG Maker horror games like Ib, The Witch’s House, Misao, and The Forest of Drizzling Rain were really inspirational especially when I was doing the audio.

Q4. Is this your first time working on a game like this? What do you like (or not like) about working in this format?

I’d been working with Twine for about three months when I started Mousetrap, but this is the first jam I’ve participated in, the first sprint project I’ve done, and really the first game I’ve published (in truth, it’s only the second creative project I’ve shared with others). I love this medium and using Twine to make IF is perfect for my interests/skills and the way my brain works. I honestly can’t think of anything I dislike about the format. Non-linear storytelling is my passion, and my goal is to eventually work in the video game industry, but for now Twine allows me to easily make games on my own and that’s been really fun.

Q5. What is your favorite part about your entry? What have you enjoyed most doing during the Jam?

I was really happy with the atmosphere and variability of the game, but my favorite part might be the audio. I’m really proud of that since it was completely new to me and I wasn’t sure how players would react to it. It’s something I’m considering adding to all my projects now.

I really enjoyed coming up with the horror stuff – taking conceptual things and trying to abstract them into something terrifying and tangible. Figuring out what I wanted to say or depict and then finding an indirect way to represent those feelings. I don’t know why, but that was even more fun than normal. Maybe because the subject matter was so personal.

Q6. What is your advice for sprint projects like this one?

I’d suggest starting with a small idea, then making it even smaller. Adding to a short story is far easier than whittling a big one down. For me, it’s hard to abandon aspects of a project without feeling like I’m betraying my original idea in some way or compromising the integrity of the story. So, starting smaller than you think you need to will set you up for success, make the process less stressful, and save you grief down the line. Also, work off of a template. Experiment with and customize the UI all you want but starting from a template is very helpful. Shoutout to Ash (@innerdemons-if) for her amazing one <3

Q7. Do you have any other works you’d like to promote?

Sure! My other big projects are Hades’ Kitchen (@hadeskitchen) and Zorlok (@zorlok-if).

Hades’ Kitchen centers around a cooking competition show set in the Greek Underworld. Players take on the role of a recently deceased chef presented with the opportunity of an (after)lifetime – a chance to become one of Hades’ personal chefs. It’s a character-driven story about rivalry, redemption, and (optionally) romance, in a postcyberpunk setting that combines mythology and science-fiction. Hades’ Kitchen is also the precursor to another mythpunk series called Neo Olympus. The demo for Hades’ Kitchen hasn’t been released yet but there is a lore bible called Hades’ Guide available on Itch.io.

Zorlok follows the bizarre misadventures of a demon with no memories and the nerdy high schooler they’re bound to serve. Players can uncover mysteries and cause mayhem in this dark comedy about monsters, found family, personal identity, and the nature of good and evil. Zorlok is inspired by cheesy horror films and campy murder mysteries (+ it was originally a MotW campaign). The demo will be released on May 13th, 2022.

You can find updates on these and any other projects I’m working on at my blog @gamesbyalbie :)

[lionheart-giddings]

I'm sorry, but ever since you revealed that you're replaying corpse party for the season, I have got to send you an ask about it cause I've ever met anyone else irl who has actually played the game too fgdjdkdhdjd

Which version are you playing? The 2016 steam release with all the og rpg maker art and the bonus episodes? The 2010 psp release with the updated art but issue of not being able to 100% the name tags because of the 'what moron goes in to investigate the women's washroom when a demonic school dimension is currently is the process of collapsing?!' bug? The 3ds version with the updated art AND bonus episodes AND lack of name tag bug?

Have you ever watched the ova anime series as bloody and graphic as it is? What about the manga? Have you read that? Who's your fav character? Least fav? Favourite chapter? Fav song? Did you ever play the other games in the series or only the first (and the best let's be real)?

(I'm sorry for all the questions btw. I was hyper obsessed with this series like 8 years ago and it still clearly holds a special place in my heart fhdjdkdjdhd so as an apology here's a pic of two very gay girls that live on my shelf)

AHHHHH IM SO HAPPY YOU ASKED ABT THIS

its so nice that someone else i know has played it!!!

as for which one I'm playing, it's the 2021 rerelease!

i never actually got to play the og game growing up because i never had a pc

so i was stuck watching playthroughs for the longest time </3

i honestly cannot remember which version it was that i grew up watching. it was in the early 2010s, so it was probably the psp version! and those glitches aajhdhrjsjsjaj. it sounds so frustrating!! i had no idea they were bugged like that

corpse party has a special place in my heart because i started off roleplaying it by rping in the comment section of youtube vids as ayumi 😭

as for the anime series i did end up watching it! definitely younger than i should have been doing so but i liked it!! except i was really bummed about how it had the bad end if i remember correctly?? i was(still am) a hardcore ayushiki shipper and was so sad they did yoshiki like that </3

and i have actually read the manga! or at least part of it. i just have the first volume but really wanna get the rest. i just got so caught up in dorohedoro that i ended up splurging on all the books for that instead.

ayumi hands down is my fave. i know shes a motherfucker and fucked everything up, but thats honestly why i like her. i also just love that shes a horror aficionado but is by far the biggest pussy out of everyone. her duality <3

as for least fave itd have to be morishige. he's just such a fucking creep and the studious anime boy act is annoying af.

ill have to get back to you on fave chapter because my memory is really rusty and ive only made it back up to chap 4!

same goes for song. im also just the kinda person who doesnt really recognize soundtracks that well 😭

i do remember watching a lot of visual novel gameplay and book of shadows, but i do not remember anything about them because it was so fucking long ago!

AND PLEASE DONT FEELSORRY FOR BEING EXCITED ABOUT THIS IM GENUINELY HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND SOMEONE THIS EXCITED ABOUT IT!!

AND YOU SEIKO AND NAOMI FIGS ARE ADORABLE they should have been end game,,

[rpgmgames]

November’s Featured Game: Grimm's Hollow

DEVELOPER(S): ghosthunter ENGINE: RPG Maker 2003 GENRE: Indie RPG, Adventure WARNINGS: Discussions of death, losing a loved one, grief SUMMARY: Grimm’s Hollow is a spooky, freeware RPG where you search the afterlife for your brother. Reap ghosts with your scythe, explore haunted caves, and eat ghostly treats on your journey through death.

Download the game here! Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! *BB: My name's Bruno and I did some of the music along with Nat! I’m super happy to have participated in this game! *NW: I’m Nat Wesley, a.k.a. Natbird! I’m a composer available for hire with a few projects in the works. I’m honored to have had the chance to work on the soundtrack to Grimm’s Hollow! *GH: Hello! I go by ghosthunter online; I started developing RPGs with a friend in school when we found out that we both enjoyed RPG Horror. I enjoy art, webcomics, cartoons and narrative-driven indie games a lot. I bought RM2K3 on sale and started pouring pixel art into it, before learning how to do things like chase scenes, cutscenes, etc. I used to fantasize about making my own game, drawing dungeons and ghosts in the back of my sketchbooks, before I finally started Grimm’s Hollow. Now I’m near the end of high-school, and I’m hoping the best for uni!

What is your project about? What inspired you to create this game initially? *GH: Grimm’s Hollow, originally, wasn’t as ambitious or personal. It was simply just going to be “my first game”, something that I could finally put my doodles and RM2K3 skills to. I wanted a game that a younger me would have enjoyed, back when I first discovered the classic RPGMaker games and replayed them constantly for those endings. That was my initial inspiration. It eventually evolved into an action turn-based RPG that relies on timing, yet it’s mostly narrative-driven. You traverse death in search of your sibling, and try to make an escape. There are unexpected pieces of me that ended up in this game, some of which I’m still noticing even now.

How long have you been working on your project? *GH: Since the summer of June 2018.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *GH: Standstill Girl, OFF by Mortis Ghost, Undertale, Over The Garden Wall, and the animation medium in general.

Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them? *GH: Many! Making your first game is such a giant learning curve, that the list of challenges goes on. I would say that the most difficult issue I encountered (and that, in some ways, I am still facing after release) is working around the limitations of the game engine I am using. I wanted to see whether creating an engaging but simple 1-party RPG in RM2K3 (without going completely custom) was feasible, and I experimented with quick time events as part of that. I worked around the engine’s built-in formulae so players could see progress when they upgraded their stats - although the game might display as defence as “10”, in reality the game stores it as 40 since the engine splits defence by 4. Since I did not want to create an RPG which was too complex for my first game, I also scrapped traditional staples such as armour or weapons. There were also issues such as having an appropriate “game over” handling event which wouldn’t shoot you back to the title screen after you lost a battle; getting RM2K3 to play a small cutscene where you faint and respawn somewhere else was tricky. I felt that if the player had to reload after a loss, it would disrupt the game flow.

Have any aspects of your project changed over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *GH: Like I mentioned before, the game started off impersonal. I just had a soft spot for a spooky cute aesthetic, and I wanted to indulge in that. It was (and in its essence, still is) meant to be a short story, to keep the player invested for the short game length - nothing grandiose. The original draft did not have Baker play a role in the narrative - he was just an ordinary shopkeeper NPC. For a long time during development, Lavender did not even have a name. In the very first draft, she was a silent protagonist the player could name and customize. But she played a very active role in the final outline, so it was hard not to give her own unique voice when one emerged from the narrative naturally. I am glad I did; she grew on me quite quickly! Grimm was virtually unchanged from beginning to end. The only difference was that a close friend suggested that he seemed like he would be into drinking Oolong tea - so that’s what he offers you when you meet him. Timmy also did not go under massive overhauls like Lavender and Baker did, but his relationship with Lavender became much more fleshed out as I wrote the narrative. In other facets of the game’s design, there were not many changes to the original prototype.

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *GH: It was just myself, doing the art, writing, programming, etc. But halfway through creating the second cave, I realised I would need a very specific sound for Grimm’s Hollow. So, I contacted Nat for music, but I also created a post on tumblr calling for a composer since there were many tracks to make. I met Bruno as a result! I am very happy with their work and I am so grateful I’ve got to work with them! (Some players are asking for an OST release, which is in the works).

What is the best part of developing a game? *GH: I really enjoyed the early stages of development: creating new tilesets, sprites and maps and piecing them together in the editor, then taking a small screenshot and sharing it with my friend over summer vacation … It was nice to see the game’s world slowly come together. I think that’s what I enjoyed the most from beginning to end: that sense of world-building, that sense of relaxation from making a small cosy game. The latter started to disappear as work and other responsibilities started to intrude, and pressure began to seep into development time - but I never stopped loving making the world and characters. I also want to say that, by lucky chance, I have met a lot of kind people from making my first game. I’m very grateful for that, so thank you to everyone.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *GH: All the time! Other RPG Maker 2003 projects are great inspirations for pixel art tilesets, as well as how to code harder features such as custom menus. They’re also just fun to play.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *GH: Lavender and Timmy are relatable to me in multiple ways. I can’t elaborate on Timmy since that would go into spoiler territory, but I somewhat relate to Lavender’s insistence on managing her life on her own - sometimes to her own detriment. I’d say the most fun character to write for was Grimm. He can be unintentionally silly while speaking in the most formal way, but also very caring too. Everything he does and says was easy to write, whereas I had to think harder for the interactions between everyone else - especially for very crucial scenes regarding their development. That being said, my favourite is still the game’s central two siblings. I can not pick between them for the life of me.

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *GH: I wish I started testing even earlier! Not only does it give you a good sense of what’s missing, but seeing people enjoy what you’ve made yet get hindered by bugs is a very strong incentive to fix your game immediately. When I was lacking motivation or was stuck, I found that good feedback and support made me motivated again. I also wish that I could have pushed the deadline a little further, or perhaps released the game on Early Access since it will take me a while to refine post-release bugs - but as it is, the 31st of October really was the deadline for my game due to external circumstances (no, that deadline wasn’t just because it was Halloween!). Other than that, I wonder if using an updated version of RPG Maker would have produced the same game …? It’s hard to tell, but I hope people enjoy it for what it is - I will be working on that post-release patch soon!

Do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *GH: There are no current plans, but I would be happy to have the opportunity to improve and expand on the game. As it is, the game’s released for free and done as a hobby, so I would struggle to do that by myself.

What do you most look forward to now that you have finished the game? *GH: Earlier on, I was really looking forward to players’ reactions. Games are made to be fun, and I would have felt distraught if my game didn’t achieve what it was set out to do. Yet it was not just about the gameplay; it was about the narrative. I hoped that what I found funny, the player would too; what was heartfelt to me, was heartfelt to the player as well. Like sharing a laugh, or just a good experience together. I hoped they would enjoy the feeling that went into it, despite the struggle of making it against circumstance and limitations. Now, I look forward to resting and sleeping once this over. I want to explore my other interests, improve, and explore new media. I want to relax, and refocus again like I was before the heat of development.

Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *GH: Bugs! Some are easy to fix, but others are harder due to the limitations of the engine (e.g an error in one ending is caused by an overflow error).

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *GH: Show your game as early as possible, to as many people as possible. As soon as you have something playable, it’s ready for feedback. You’ll see if that game mechanic you spent hours refining works, or if it doesn’t work and why. You’ll understand what players enjoy and what they want more of, but also what they don’t like or don’t enjoy. And you will definitely encounter bugs. You’ll be able to pinpoint and fix minor problems early on that can easily become a larger issue later. You’ll be able to fine-tune your game so its best bits shine, and the difficulty is just right.

Question from last month's featured dev @dead-dreams-dev: Is there anything you’ve added to your game for no other reason than because you’re hoping fans will get a kick out of it? Fanservice, fourth wall breakage, references to other games, jokes, abilities that are just ridiculously overpowered and badass, etc? *GH: It’s hard to say; game design is trying to find the intersection between what’s good for the player, what the developer enjoys, and what’s feasible to implement. Every decision made should be conscious of that … I think a lot of the game’s early light-hearted jokes was not only made because I enjoyed it, but I hoped the player would “get a kick out of it” too. But more so, I think it’s because I would struggle to write a story which is serious and bleak from beginning to end. The game is a little self-indulgent in the narrative that way.

We mods would like to thank ghosthunter & team for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Grimm's Hollow if you haven’t already! See you next month! 

- Mods Gold & Platinum

[basementdwellercreaturefeature]

Current  DA2 Thoughts

Per usual, I have thoughts. 

TL;DR Anders fucked up but that doesn’t make him irredeemable. 

Jennifer Brandes Hepler said, “Personally, my view of it is that Anders wants to blow up the Chantry AND wants to die for it -- that way he gets the revolution he/Justice believes is necessary, but still gives justice to those who died in the Chantry.”

First, yes. People died in the Chantry explosion. Not like, 5 people. A lot of people. Not up for debate. Second, it didn’t start the revolution or the mage rebellion, it was a tragic loss of life. Also not up for debate. The following events of Inquisition confirm this, even if you don’t read any external Dragon Age content. Anders’ actions did not start a mage rebellion.

What Jennifer Brandes Hepler said here touched me though. Anders, like Solas and Loghain, and other controversial characters in the canon, walks his own Din'Anshiral and believes his death is the only atonement he can offer to the victims. With the prompting of Justice, he moves toward violence as a catalyst for his revolution. It’s an illogical move rather than a strategic move toward mages’ freedom. It really is not even discussed in DAI as a significant plot element regarding the Mage Rebellion. Frankly, Anders... it was dumb. Love you the most, but it was dumb.

So I am never going to argue that Anders was right in his final solution because I think the political climate of DAI objectively shows us that he wasn’t. Was he right regarding mages rights? Different topic, one too dense for one post. To me, his final decision doesn’t really matter when it comes him being redeemable/empathetic or not. You want to talk about the merits or issues of the Circle? The potential crimes of Kirkwall’s Chantry specifically? Fine, then whether or not he was “right” matters in the context of those discussions. However, in regards to character study and the merits of his redemption, I feel that him being right or wrong is irrelevant. Here is why.

Kirkwall is a dumpsterfire. Weakened Veil, wealth disparity, alienages, blood mages and Abominations running rampant, poor control of both the Circle AND the Templars, abuse of both, overwhelming refugee influx from the Blight, both Orsino and Meredith and their own brand of crazy, etc. What we have here is a chaotic clash of both magic and material. Basic, real world problems and fantasy RPG elements. Let’s throw fucking Anders in the mix, see what happens.

How would a mage joined with the spirit of Justice not go a little batshit being there?

And that’s just Justice standing alone. With the kinds of injustice present in Kirkwall? I mean, think about it. We aren’t even factoring in a traumatized ex-Warden whose blood may have tainted Justice (or his anger, we don’t know for sure) into Vengeance. Just Justice in itself would have been difficult. Frankly, I am amazed that he was even sane for as long as he was and able to do as much good as he did in his clinic.

Elements of Justice improved Anders, ironically. In DAA, we see a something of a fuckboy who loves his cat and runs away from responsibility and who probably likes Nickelback. In DA2, our first introduction to Anders is in his free healing clinic in an impoverished area where he is offering aide to refugees and Kirkwall’s maligned and he has definitely moved on to Nirvana. Big difference there. Would he have remained a non-violent advocate for mage freedom outside of Kirkwall’s magic influence and internal chaos? Unclear, but I find it interesting to think about. Sometimes in my personal head canon AU Hawke got him out of there and they moved to a farm with cats before it all went to shit. 

JFK said, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” BLM taught me that when a group is oppressed long enough, when screaming from the rooftops and offering peaceful solution for decades doesn’t work, when years go by with no change, people get mad because they’re fucking human beings. So, when some protests engaged in looting and rioting and violence (even though it was minor and the news harped on it like a bunch of assholes) it didn’t invalidate the movement. What else do we expect when we ignore their cries for justice for so long? 

You shit on people for years and get surprised when it bothers them?

The question to me is not whether or not Anders was right... but is it fair to not expect this from him? In so many ways, that boy was setup to be a disaster. Childhood trauma, Circle trauma, becoming an Abomination after the taint, then the horrors of Kirkwall... Look at all these red flags we all ignored! But still, he works to improve the lives of refugees and mages in Kirkwall. Did our other companions do the same? No, they laugh off his pleas for mage freedom and dismiss him as a fanatic. What does that say about them? 

It’s strange to me that there is such a cry for empathy for Solas and not for Anders. People dismiss Solas’ actions because “he hasn’t done it yet” but he is advocating for the eradication of entire races knowingly and has already been partially responsible for hundreds of deaths in Haven and at the Conclave. Solas does this without being possessed by anything. Less of the argument with Solas I have noticed is whether or not he is “right” but more so if he is worthy of redemption because of player affinity, empathy, love in some cases. There’s a desire to save the Dread Wolf from himself, despite his past and future mistakes. Because his "intentions” are good and he wants to restore Arlathan. But with Anders, him being “right” often is the most discussed... as if redemption and grace has anything to do with that. Less popular is discussing the value of intentions. It appears to be a minority that want to reach out to the fucked up apostate idiot cat man and offer atonement despite all these external factors, which I think make mercy more... amiable? At least it did to me. The dissonance here is confusing and sometimes I wonder if it comes down to player preference. Solas is pretty damn smooth. Anders? Not so much. Complete dumpsterfire.

When romanced, Anders might be given the chance to live and atone, to come to terms with himself as an Abomination. Hawke can provide a more stable atmosphere and offer grace and mercy in the moments when he curses himself for joining with Justice and the chaos that decision wrought. Whether or not that is healthy or justified is up to the player to decide. But, I have to wonder what it would do to him seeing the mage rebellion prompted entirely by something else years later and the lack of revolution his actions caused. Mages reject him and his own self-hatred may be all-consuming at this point. While I love the idea of my favorite sewer-dwelling apostate and my kick-ass Hawke growing old together, it very likely would be an agonizing journey, ripe with toxicity and painful dynamics for both of them. Frankly, I have yet to decide what my canon decision is there. Thank the Maker its a video game and I can change my mind as often as I want to.

I see a lot of myself in Anders in a way I have yet to experience with other Dragon Age characters, so I can recognize that this factors into my level of empathy. But all the same, I wanted to share my thoughts. Even as someone who loves the guy, I can see that he is a complete fuck up who may be better off dead... then he is at least free. Unsure. What are your thoughts regarding fandom empathy and objectivity towards more controversial characters?  Now excuse me as I return to my Sewer Apostate Spotify playlist and cry for a good two hours looking and Handers fan art like an idiot I just feel for the guy.