Beta Build Log Entry

Here is my beta build for JIBUN, and I’ve made a lot of progress since the early art build. I took the feedback from playtesting and used it to refine how each room connects and flows. Testers mentioned that some areas felt a little too separate before, so I reworked my layout to make the mansion feel more cohesive and intentional. Now, the rooms are arranged in a way that gives players a better sense of direction while still maintaining that eerie uncertainty that fits the gothic tone of the game.

Since the art build, I’ve gone through a few rounds of iteration, mainly adjusting tile placement, lighting, and spacing to improve atmosphere. I wanted the reds and purples to feel richer and more deliberate, really driving home the supernatural mood. The storage room and hallway both got visual upgrades as well, with better contrast between cluttered and open areas to guide the player’s eye naturally.

The UI and overall game goals are starting to feel more unified, too. The game’s minimal interface keeps attention on the environment, which is where most of the story is told visually. That decision fits the core experience exploration and unease, where every object and shadow could have meaning.

One of the bigger challenges I ran into between the art and beta builds was balancing decoration and functionality. I wanted the rooms to look detailed but remain easy to navigate. Another small setback was dealing with how MZ layers tiles compared to XP; it took a while to relearn how collisions and overlays work in this version of the engine. Going forward, I plan to fine-tune event behavior, add sound triggers, and start implementing more of the story-driven mechanics that will make the final version feel complete.

Overall, I’m really proud of how much JIBUN has grown. The feedback has been helping me shape something that feels atmospheric, playable, and polished, and I’m excited to keep improving it as I move toward the final build.