Games Test 2

In this session we once again had the opportunity to playtest board games that others in the class had made. This time we were tasked with looking at elements from platforming video games and incorporating these into our products. This resulted in the groups having very interesting results in their games, and here are the notes made while playtesting:

Game 1 - Sky Jumper

• This game was a 3D game that allowed players to stick onto the board with velcro, however there was only one piece of velcro per square, meaning it was very awkward for more than one player to land on the same square.
• Also the pieces were very flimsy, but this is forgiveable as it was only a prototype.
• The rules were very complex, one of which being that the player had to write down a number at the beginning, however this mechanic never came back into play and seemed rather pointless.
• The directional arrows make the game slow and difficult to progress.
• It has a clever 3D concept, with the player being able to move the board around to their advantage.
• Rotation - gravity roles slow down the game a lot, meaning you need a long play time to appreciate the game properly.

Game 2 - Dungeoneering 101

• It was very difficult to read the rules due to the font being used, and the board was incredibly small due to time issues.
• It was a little unclear on movement directions.
• If the player is on a chain, can you flip a coin again on the next go or do you have to roll instead?
• The game has a good design and is very enjoyable. If the board was metal with magnetic pieces the size would have worked very well.

Game 3 - Call of Barrellfield 2 - It's All In The Dice

• This game has a very good concept, with a simple but effective design.
• It lasted for a reasonable amount of time, while not being too long.
• Rules were messy, but with refinement in typing will be fine.
• A more applicable name is needed.

Game 4 - No Name Game

• The rules were very complex in this game.
• It was a turn-based platforming multiplayer, feeling the truest to the challenge set.
• Traps were not a direct threat, the player had too many lives, and there was no real sense of risk.
• The board has a good layout, but needs more colour.

All in all whilst the No Name Game felt truest to what we were trying to capture in our group projects, CoB2 was my favourite, I really liked the design and enjoyed playing it.