Tabletop Game Design for Video Game Designers

Chapter FourPlaytesting Tabletop Games

Introduction

Making the first prototype of a game is only a small part of the overall design process. Much more time and eff ort goes into properly playtesting and developing a game than is spent creating its first incarnation. Playtesting can strain your patience and bruise your ego. But it can also be exciting and fulfilling. Playtests are where your game comes alive and (hopefully) evolves to reach its full potential.

The learning objectives for this chapter are:

• 1 Become aware of the various types of playtests, the purposes they serve, and the processes for conducting them.
• 2 Explore what is meant by “fun.”
• 3 Understand the importance of playability.

Solo Playtesting

After coming up with a new ...