Identifying what to focus on during playtesting can really help improve your game design. Based on what I’ve learned, here are some simple steps to guide you:
Before you invite players, think about what you want to learn from the playtest. This could include:
Knowing what you want to find out will help you later when you look for things that need fixing.
If you’ve done playtests before, check out the notes and comments you received. Looking back at past feedback can show you problems that keep coming up or areas that need more attention. This can help you see patterns in how players act and feel about your game.
Choose specific parts of your game to focus on during each playtest. For example, if you’re testing a new fighting system, make that the main topic for your session. Make a checklist of things to evaluate:
By concentrating on certain game parts, you can save time and gain deeper insights.
If your game is online, think about using analytics to collect data. You might look at things like:
Looking at data helps you find out where players have trouble or succeed.
Think about how you expect players to act before the playtest. For example, you might think the tutorial takes too long. During the test, watch to see if players lose interest or don’t understand how to play. Checking if your guesses are right can help you decide if your design choices are good.
Don’t just rely on what you saw during the game. After the session, talk with players and ask them questions like:
This kind of feedback can give you insights that numbers alone might miss.
Use the information and feedback you collected to improve your game. Playtesting should be a cycle of testing, getting feedback, and making changes. Each round gets you closer to having a great game.
In summary, finding specific areas to focus on during playtesting means having clear goals, looking at data, getting player feedback, and refining things over time. Embrace this process, and you’ll see that each playtesting session can really make your game better!
Identifying what to focus on during playtesting can really help improve your game design. Based on what I’ve learned, here are some simple steps to guide you:
Before you invite players, think about what you want to learn from the playtest. This could include:
Knowing what you want to find out will help you later when you look for things that need fixing.
If you’ve done playtests before, check out the notes and comments you received. Looking back at past feedback can show you problems that keep coming up or areas that need more attention. This can help you see patterns in how players act and feel about your game.
Choose specific parts of your game to focus on during each playtest. For example, if you’re testing a new fighting system, make that the main topic for your session. Make a checklist of things to evaluate:
By concentrating on certain game parts, you can save time and gain deeper insights.
If your game is online, think about using analytics to collect data. You might look at things like:
Looking at data helps you find out where players have trouble or succeed.
Think about how you expect players to act before the playtest. For example, you might think the tutorial takes too long. During the test, watch to see if players lose interest or don’t understand how to play. Checking if your guesses are right can help you decide if your design choices are good.
Don’t just rely on what you saw during the game. After the session, talk with players and ask them questions like:
This kind of feedback can give you insights that numbers alone might miss.
Use the information and feedback you collected to improve your game. Playtesting should be a cycle of testing, getting feedback, and making changes. Each round gets you closer to having a great game.
In summary, finding specific areas to focus on during playtesting means having clear goals, looking at data, getting player feedback, and refining things over time. Embrace this process, and you’ll see that each playtesting session can really make your game better!