Exclusive: Unveiling the Hilarious World of Sludge Life 2: Behind-the-Scenes with the Dev and Composer

Sludge Life 2 has recently been released as a direct sequel to the original first-person open-world platforming vandalism simulator developed by indie duo Terri Vellmann and veteran musician Doseone. The game is specifically designed to cater to fans of the original Sludge Life, providing an opportunity for players to once again navigate through a peculiar environment filled with eccentric characters and peculiar situations. As they traverse the game, players will embark on a quest to discover carefully placed tagging spots.

In an interview with Game Rant, Terri Vellmann and Doseone discussed their approach to various key features of the game and delved into the challenges they faced while creating Sludge Life. Comedy, music, and exploration are the fundamental pillars of Sludge Life and its sequel. The team disclosed insights into how they successfully integrated these elements to ensure that the players' curiosity drives their exploration. For the sake of brevity and clarity, the interview has been condensed.

Q: Sludge Life is brimming with eccentric and comedic visuals. How do you approach devising the next peculiar item to include in a room? How do you determine if something is not suitable?

Vellmann: Our process is highly iterative. We begin by creating basic layouts of the spaces and exploring them, allowing any inspired thoughts and potential integration into the game world to flow. Ultimately, it relies on intuition - occasionally, certain areas remain vacant temporarily as we work on other aspects, until an idea emerges later on and we proceed to populate the space.

Doseone: Indeed, it's a wonderfully intricate process where ideas and humor sometimes exist before the creation of assets, while other times the comedic elements come to us only after a room or NPC has been placed in the world. As a result of this process, we end up with a blend of intentional and situational humor. The "doesn't work" aspect becomes apparent when neither of us finds it funny - in those cases, we often have to reimagine the circumstances using new assets or through refreshing the writing.

Are there any specific easter eggs or NPCs in Sludge Life that you particularly enjoy? Are there any favorites you have in the sequel?

Vellmann: Personally, one easter egg that stands out for me is the pigeon nest in the second game. It was something I had wanted to add for a while and finally managed to include it at the last moment.

Doseone: I'm all about Creepy Teddy in Sludge Life 2! In the previous installment, it was the "baby sludge thing" tucked away in the sludge, but we decided to bring them back in Sludge Life 2 to make them more prominent!

By the way, I absolutely adore the music that plays at the Clop Station.

Q: In Sludge Life, comedy serves as a major catalyst for exploration. In your opinion, what key elements are crucial for a game to be humorous?

Vellmann: The element of surprise and the ability to challenge preconceived notions of what activities are typical in a video game.

Doseone: Yeah, I believe that a significant part of Sludge Life 2's charm stems from the NPCs speaking at you rather than to you. Drawing inspiration from my experiences growing up in Jersey and Philly, where people tend to offload and convey information without expecting a response, the dialogues in Sludge Life strive to embody that dynamic.

Q: What prompted the distinctive visual style of Sludge Life? Are there any specific challenges associated with this style during the development process?

Vellmann: The decision was influenced by my experimentation with various tools to achieve the desired aesthetic and my aim to create a captivating and unified atmosphere. The outlines often highlight flaws in the models, making it necessary for us to either find ways to address these issues or embrace them.

Q: How did the idea for a first-person platforming vandalism simulator come about?

Vellmann: The idea stemmed from my desire to eliminate combat mechanics and approach the map I was creating from a different perspective. The use of tagging as a means of interaction seemed like a perfect fit, especially considering the simplistic appearance of the level design tool I was utilizing.

Doseone: Yeah, seeking "tag spots" essentially expands the vertical dimension of exploration, motivating players to venture into seemingly unreachable areas and challenge that perception. As a result, the color and context of the world organically emerged in relation to this immersive "budget parkour" experience.

Q: Sludge Life is widely praised for its hands-off approach, allowing players to independently explore and grasp the mechanics. Was this a deliberate decision? Do you think excessive tutorials and guidance diminish the thrill of discovery?

Vellmann: We saw a chance to bring something new and refreshing to the table, while also aligning with the theme of a neglected and marginalized character in Sludge Life.

Doseone: Creatively, our goal is to immerse ourselves in the game-making process and create an experience where players can truly connect with our creation. To achieve this, we believe in minimizing hand-holding for both the creators and players, allowing them to freely explore an open yet carefully crafted world.

Q: Regarding Sludge Life 2, what improvements have you made over the original? What were you most excited about bringing into the game?

Vellmann: Our main goal was to expand it further. We had numerous ideas and characters that needed more development. I was particularly thrilled about the introduction of new features like the bum-a-cig mechanic and the Newsbeak photo app.

Doseone: Absolutely, many of the enhancements were actually ideas we had initially wanted to incorporate into Sludge Life but couldn't due to time constraints. Adding those technological advancements at a later stage in the development didn't seem logical. Therefore, we introduced sprinting and double jumping, with greater emphasis on interacting with NPCs, making it more dynamic and interconnected.

When creating the sequel, what was your priority in continuing the Sludge Life experience?

Vellmann: Maintaining the same vibe was crucial, and any new elements had to seamlessly blend into the existing world. Our main goal was to ensure that the game appealed to fans of the original.

Doseone: During the creation of the sequel, we had a discussion about targeting the audience – whether it should be primarily focused on players who have already experienced Sludge Life or catered towards new players. It was an enjoyable process to amplify the presence of certain characters and allocate them more significant or distinct roles in the sequel. Consequently, the game transformed into an immersive "next episode" experience rather than an entirely new narrative. Undoubtedly, player feedback played a crucial role in shaping the development of the sequel. Could you elaborate on its influence?

Vellmann: It was wonderful to receive feedback from players and we made sure to take note of their preferred characters and moments. Additionally, we observed how players reacted to the endings and their sense of fulfillment upon completing the game. Despite that, we remained true to ourselves and worked on the game in our own way.

Doseone: We definitely paid attention to what struck a chord with players, which is why Big Mud became a key aspect of the plot as players seemed to really enjoy him. However, player feedback is not necessarily more reliable than our own creative ideas. Once we started putting things into action, everything began to change and evolve.

Q: What was your process like putting together the soundtrack? How did you approach the sonic character of the music given the game's unusual theme?

Doseone: In order to achieve cohesion without redundancy, it was important for me to hold Terri's visual world in mind while creating the music. The soundtrack can be categorized into three main styles. First, there is the Glug-related music, which consists of vibrant, catchy tunes that fill the Ciggy City Suites. As you delve deeper, the sound shifts to Sad Boy's music: slow, atmospheric melodies that emanate from forgotten radios amidst the sludge. Lastly, there are the Big Mud songs, also produced by Sad Boy, which effectively capture the emotions and atmosphere of growing up in the world portrayed in Sludge Life.

Despite their distinct styles, all three batches of music needed to harmonize with each other and avoid redundancy.

Q: Doseone, you have been involved in the music industry for a number of decades, both as a rapper and producer, and have also worked on several game soundtracks. How does working in video games differ from creating your other music?

Doseone: Working in video games has provided me with the opportunity to be part of something much larger than just my own creative process. It has allowed me to contribute to a bigger and more substantial entity. Creating music and sound design for games pushes me to surpass my own personal artistic struggles and truly give my all in terms of serving the game. This has become a rewarding experience, and thanks to Terri, I have also been able to utilize my writing skills and vision to further enrich the overall creative mix.

Have you gained any valuable insights from working with games that have influenced your music-making process in other areas?

Doseone: Absolutely! Prior to working on games, my approach to music production was more like creating collages. I didn't have much experience with mixing or the necessary tools to effectively transform my initial ideas into a finished piece of music. However, over time, I began incorporating these techniques and skills into my craft, allowing me to create tailored sounds that align with my personal preferences and creative sensibilities for new game projects.

Q: What are your future plans after the Sludge Life 2 release? Do you have ideas for the next game or additional post-launch content?

Vellmann: We have exciting new merchandise in the pipeline, and the future of Sludge Life will depend on its reception among players. However, once we shift our focus, we anticipate exploring different projects.

Doseone: Our next steps will be influenced by the feedback and response to Sludge Life 2. I'm confident that our future collaborations will blend our existing strengths with some innovative ventures!

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Sludge Life 2 is available on PC.