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How often to test a game with a Gamegroup?

3 replies [Last post]
Anonymous

Hi,
I am testing my games with always the same group of people. This bunch of people has seen the game develop over time and has seen many changes done with the product.
Now it is quite difficult for me to decide whether their opinion over some points is still valuable. For example they know the rules of my game in and out, but they have also played willingly my game for many times. They just take a few moments to check the rulechanges I have introduced and are off to play the game. So their info on how complex or easy they rate the rules is rather useless...am I right?
Indeed now I don't know what to think of the game, because the know it so well, that they surely aren't able anymore to decide whether the game has a good appeal at first sight, because they already know the most important parts of the game. So how often should I change Testgroup when I am testing a game?
Still I have made changes to the game because of comments of this game group...what If I have made a game, that is good for this specific kind of people, but doesn't "click" with the rest of the world?
Do you have similar doubts, when developing a game?
How often and when do you change testgroup?

Anonymous
How often to test a game with a Gamegroup?

You are very luck to have a group of friends that supports you so well. They must like the theme and game play to keep coming back for more. At this point their opinions are invaluable.
It sounds as if you have had many small revisions, and not any major ones. Make as many revisions with this group as possible, or until you are satisfied that game play is very smooth. Fix any glitch that needs to be fixed while playing with this group.
Only after you are satisfied that everything runs smoothly, triple check the instructions for clarity. Clarity in the instructions is what will make or break you. You should be confident that some one can pick up your game and play it, they may need to check the instructions from time to time, but you shouldn’t have to be there to explain it to them.

Have your group do a full read of the instructions and fix any glitches there also.

You could toss the idea of a play test out here on this forum, (If you can find anyone here that likes games)
If you don’t like that idea due to location, or shipping charges or what ever, take the game to your local game shop. If you can’t do something like that, have each friend bring a friend to play.

Many of my friends are not “serious” gamers, so you might need to think of target audience also. RPG, Axis and Allies, CCG, Hex games, Classic style board games, Card games, Apples to Apples, etc…are all different styles and people prefer one over the other, (people are just that way). I don’t know your game but I bet that there are similar games published.

Just my 2 cents, Good luck with your game.

jwarrend
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Joined: 08/03/2008
How often to test a game with a Gamegroup?

In my opinion/experience, a group like the one you're describing is ideal for tinkering with and perfecting a game, since they'll see every little change you make and can evaluate whether it is an improvement or not. A group like that is what you need to get the game to work flawlessly.

After that, outside groups are valuable for making sure the rules are understandable, for learning if the game has broad appeal, and for finding out if there are strategies that your group hasn't thought of that are unbalanced in some way.

Both kinds of groups are essential for taking a game from prototype to published design, but I think that the kind of group that you have is the most essential: if you can't develop the game to a point where it works really well, all of the other questions are moot, and it takes a commitment to advance a design over many iterations, something that only those who have come to really care about a game will be willing to invest. But if you can, it's very useful to be able to get a broader perspective whenever possible.

Good luck,

Jeff

Anonymous
How often to test a game with a Gamegroup?

Thank you for your kind words :)

Indeed I am working on this game on two levels contemporary:
1. the gamegroup tests the game with me on an almost daily basis
We do one or two games then we sit down and discuss the gameflow and various ideas, that could be introduced, or whatever aspect of the game should be fleshed out.
2. I work on the rules and send them to another friend of mine, who checks it for clarity. He has already revisioned my rules for 5 or 6 times and I have always introduced his various suggestions to make the rules clearer or shorter, where necessary.

My game isn't very comlex, it is indeed just a cardgame with 64 cards. So one game only lasts 15-20 minutes! So it isn't THAT difficult to find people that are willingly to test it. It may be a whole different story, when making a game that is a whole lot bigger and takes longer to play.

The last game I developed lasted 3 hours to play in its first version ! I trimmed it down. Now one game lasts 1 1/2 hour! But the other game was a game I made just for my friends to play! Indeed it was quite successful in our group and is to date one of the most played games there :)
So they are willing to try some other stuff from me. The trick was to find a theme that was generally liked in the group and to build a game around it!

This new thing is a whole different story. Indeed right now the game is abstract and has no theme. I made it that way to test the mechanic and the gameflow! Right now I am introducing the theme. I will still have to see whether this brings some rulechanges with it.

I will let them know that I have to consider myself lucky for having such supporting friends. :)

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