Previously when I've done play testing, I've sent out physical kits. These kits take time and money to produce, so there is always an imposed cap on the number of testers. Then they have to be mailed to the tester, which takes time. When all is said and done the tester doesn't see the game for 2 weeks to a month after agreeing to be a tester. In that time the game stalls. I can't make changes because then the testers will be testing the wrong version. And about half of physical kit testers aren't going to provide feedback at all, which I assume is because something new has caught their attention in the last 2-4 weeks since they said they were interested.
Using a pure digital kit approach, I had actionable feedback before I could finish replying to all the testers to send them the link. Granted, this is at least partially because SwaSG is a short game, but it's also there was an immediate ability for the testers to test while they were / are at peak interest. And so far I've had about 60-70% of the testers provide feedback. I'm used to only having maybe 20% of the kits I send out result in actionable feedback.
So, as of right now I see no reason to go back to physical kits for play testing unless I'm working on a game with a dexterity element or a component that I can't emulate digitally.
This is awesome!
This is awesome!
I've got to admit it's pretty weird playtesting a board game digitally, but you're exactly right. It's been really easy to get going immediately on test games and do those while it's still fresh in my mind (I don't know what you're talking about with this "peak interest.")
ReplyDeleteThe simple fact that you as the designer can change a rule or component on your end and it shows up in the playtesters' kits is incredible though! That alone is worth doing things digitally, the rest is just extra gravy.
With "peak interest" I'm just assuming that part of the reason I usually get less feedback is because sometime playtesters lose interest in the game before the physical kits arrive. Or rather something else has caught their interest more, and so I get less immediate feedback. There hasn't been time for something else to distract from the playtesting before it even begun.
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