The first prototype was now completed. There was no art but I was hopeful that the names of the cards would carry enough of the game’s humour to judge if the general flavour came across and at that early stage it was most important to prove that the mechanics worked as intended and were enjoyable. If the game was fun to play without illustrations, I figured the art should only enhance the experience.
The first playtests filled me with unexpected anxiety: What if the tone, an affectionate parody of the fantasy genre I’d loved since childhood, was too obscure for the average player? What if people didn’t like the humour? What if it just wasn’t fun to play? Worse than all those doubts, however, was the moment I presented the game and had to explain the rules for the first time only to realise that I didn’t know what they were! Of course, I knew how to play the game, but I’d never had to articulate the rules to others before. I was very nervous as those first hands of cards were dealt out.
First prototype
Initial playtests were with family and friends. This group spanned a wide variety of ages, most of whom were not regular gamers. To my enormous relief, the game seemed to work, and everyone appeared to enjoy themselves. The cards and interactions with other players provoked plenty of laughter which was exactly what I’d hoped for. There were plenty of things which needed to be adjusted or improved but overall it was a very encouraging start.
Playtest nbtes
Those first games were relaxed. I just wanted some reassurance that everything worked and that there was some fun to be had when playing. The next round of playtesting was more scientific and I began to record how long games lasted, how frequently players were knocked out of the game early on, how many games could be played before players began to lose interest and other statistics which proved invaluable as I continued to refine and balance the gameplay.
Testing continued to be overwhelmingly positive and I got a real kick from watching players enjoying the game. It was about that time I realised that ‘the game’ was going to need a name…