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[PATV] Wednesday, December 14, 2011 - Extra Credits Season 3, Ep. 21: Playtesting
Dog
Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
This week, we explain the value of playtesting your game, and offer some tips on how to get the best data possible.
Come discuss the topic with us in the forums!
Dog on
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That being said, you need some beginner-level playtesters too to keep it fun at that level.
I noticed Arc System Works tends to cater only to the hardcore, in any genre they make it for. I have to wonder if it's a symptom of listening a bit TOO hard to their fans, though, since to many of these hardcore players, beginner-friendliness is a non-factor or even a detractor, since some see it as diluting their own player base while some others see beginner-unfriendliness as a sort of entrance test into the franchise.
In high school I made a game with Game Maker with a couple friends of mine. We had fun, of course, but ultimately it was WAY too hard for the average person to enjoy it.
I'm currently making a mobile game based largely on that same one I made, and I've been extremely deliberate with level design, trying to make many of the choices presented help guide players to either solutions or new understandings of the mechanics.
I've not done extensive playtesting, but what friends I've asked to have said that the first 5 or so levels feel about right as far as difficulty goes. To me, these first levels are pathetically easy, no challenge at all (part of this is because it's a puzzle game, but still). I think this really reinforced the point for me that I am indeed the WORST tester. I'm too good at the game simply because I know EXACTLY how it works. And that's important to remember.