In the last part of the Sebastian plans a playtest series series, I’m posting up my playtest plan, which I intend to use (and probably have used by now due to the time-bending technology of scheduled posting) at Warpcon XX.

Schedule

• 0:00 – Introduction (+why I need help with playtesting, how long it is expected to take)
• 0:15 – Playtest overview (Explain 3 areas for critique: game difficulty, explanation of the narrative rules, impact of the Gore Threshold)
• 0:30 – Rules (Story Pips, Narration & Challenges)
• 0:45 – Rules questions?
• 1:00 – Team generation & setup
• 1:30 – Contestant “Recruitment”
• 1:45 – Game begins
• 2:15 – Game end, solicit feedback asking “I wasn’t sure that X worked, how do you feel about that?” where X is something that didn’t work. Continue asking for negative and positive feedback.
• 2:45 – Ask one player for an interview on the game, going through feedback checklist (below).

Expectations

These are things that I expect form the game, with corresponding challenges/reinforcements.

1. Rules presentation - I expect it will be easy. Make sure it’s quick and leave time for questions.
2. I expect there will be some difficulty understanding Story Pips. Focus all the explanation time on narrative and leave most of the dice rules to be explored during the game.
3. I expect people will be embarrassed to describe their recruitment. Prepare to go first, and prepare a character and recruitment beforehand (Ben Snakehand, negligent alcoholic biker, gets bagged after being seduced). Try to encourage player investment by getting the group to collectively contribute to world building. This might loosen people up.
4. I expect people will want to opt for Gore Threshold 3. Spend extra time on describing an anecdote that explores why delaying Felonies is more fun. Maybe talk about the prison sequence in the London playtest, and the escalation occurring too quickly, cutting off avenues for decent soft narrative (which impedes on chances for victory by naturally reducing the movement of Story pips).
5. I expect the players will be silly. Roll with it. If the players are giddy, stay out of it. Watch from a distance and enjoy. Don’t try and correct it, it’s their game. It’ll just make you look like an asshole.
6. I expect people will not trust me. Be open from the start, explaining why you need help for the playtest, and what you hope to achieve.
7. I want there to be laughter. I want there to be creativity. I want there to be interaction.  I want there to be enthusiasm. If you’re playing, force someone into a precarious situation that will call for some dodgy, on the spot strategy. Always fun. If you’re not playing, stay away from the table and try not to intervene.
8. I want positive feedback. I want there to be room for negative feedback without feeling it’s personal. Outline a couple of aspects of the game that you know may need some work and mention those at the start, as well as a component you’re confident with. After playtesting, form questions so that it is easy for players to answer truthfully. “I didn’t think X worked very well today, would you agree?” After that, solicit feedback on any of the issues that you can’t work out for yourself, and also ask for open feedback from some of the group, or a private interview with one of the players.

Questions

• Flaws – Do Flaws have any useful purpose? Does “sleazy” work?
• Challenges – Will Challenges inhibit the narrative (by taking out the old Call an Event rules)?
• Felonies – Do Felonies, as their function to limit narrative violence, negatively inhibit the narrative?
• Difficulty – Is the Easy circle easy enough for new players? Should it be called the Beginner’s circle instead?
• Investment - Do Connection / Setting / Gore Threshold help to encourage player investment? Or do they confuse the players?
• Story Pips & Narrative – Does a large Pool allow for Checkpoints to be fulfilled too soon? Should SP be earned during Events?
• Drop-Off & Objective – How will players react to being advised to start the game ex media res? How will they interpret “epic” for their Objective?
• Wounds – Are wounded characters ostracised from play? Is that a bad thing?
• Large groups – In a 5-6 player game, does the 2SP limit encourage or inhibit interaction? How long does the Finale take? Storm the Network (5 players all Checkpoints 4VP, 6 players last 6VP)
• Chill Out – 2 SP/Heat instead?
• Call for Help – Do people Call for help during the game/Finale?

Closing Notes

All of this is guesswork based on around 25 playtests over the last three months. All the opinions expressed here may well be total horse-shit. However, I do feel like I’m ready to learn, rather than ready to have fun, and if nothing else, that’s made this evaluation a useful process. Soon I’m going to find out whether or not it really paid off. Watch this space for confirmation either way.