Playtest 2 Game Maker’s Notes for – “Sustainable City Builder”

1. What questions did your players have?

  • Players asked how to balance resource management, specifically around waste and energy consumption. They were also curious about how to mitigate the effects of climate events like storms and economic crises.

2. How quickly did they learn to play?

  • Most players learned quickly, especially the basic mechanics. However, it took some extra time to fully grasp the interactions between climate events and long-term sustainability planning.

3. What kinds of interactions did the players have?

  • Players engaged in a mix of competitive and collaborative interactions. They strategized together on how to use resources most effectively but also competed for limited space to build green infrastructures like renewable energy plants and public transport hubs.

4. What confused players?

  • The main source of confusion was the effect of climate events on long-term plans. Some players struggled to understand how to prepare for sudden challenges like population growth and economic crises without derailing their city’s progress.

5. What did your players enjoy doing?

  • Players enjoyed the strategic planning aspect, especially when it came to building renewable energy sources and expanding green spaces. They also liked the sense of accomplishment when they successfully met sustainability goals.

6. Did any aspect of the game frustrate players?

  • The randomness of climate events and the economic downturns frustrated players, especially when they happened at bad moments and seemed difficult to counteract, no matter how well players had planned.

7. What is your plan to address player questions, confusion, and frustration?

  • To address confusion, we plan to simplify the explanation of climate events and economic crises, making it clearer how they affect the city. We’ll also introduce pre-game planning tips to help players better anticipate challenges.

8. If your players didn’t get your intended message, what will you change?

  • If the core message about eco-friendly growth and sustainability wasn’t clear, we could add visual indicators showing the direct impact of green initiatives on city health, pollution, and resource balance. This would help players see the positive long-term effects of sustainability decisions.

Playtest 2 for “Sustainable City Builder”

Player 1:

Set 1:

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The most frustrating part was dealing with climate events like storms and droughts, which often felt like setbacks that couldn’t be avoided, especially when players were making good progress with their cities.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? My favorite part was watching my city evolve as I built renewable energy sources and expanded public transportation. Seeing the sustainability score go up felt very rewarding!

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted to be able to more directly influence or predict the Climate Event Cards, but they were too random, which made it hard to plan effectively.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I’d love to have more control over how I deal with climate events, or at least some kind of strategy to mitigate their effects before they hit.

5. What should be improved with the next version? The randomness of climate events could be balanced by giving players more opportunities to prepare or influence the event outcomes. A warning system or mitigation strategies would help.

6. What was the game’s message? The game’s message is about balancing growth with sustainability—how to build a thriving city while managing resources and tackling environmental challenges.

7. Describe the game in 3 words: Eco-friendly, strategic, challenging

Player 2:

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The economic crises were particularly frustrating because they severely reduced resources when my city was just starting to stabilize, making it hard to recover.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? My favorite moment was when I successfully managed waste and energy, and I saw my sustainability milestones getting closer. It felt like a huge accomplishment!

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted to upgrade my city’s infrastructure quicker, but the resources were too tight. If I had a few more resources, I could’ve expanded faster.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I’d remove or reduce the impact of economic crises, or at least give more ways to prepare for them. They feel like a big, unexpected roadblock.

5. What should be improved with the next version? The challenge tokens could be tweaked to make them feel less like random setbacks and more like manageable obstacles that players can plan for.

6. What was the game’s message? The game emphasizes long-term planning for sustainability, showing how decisions about energy, waste, and public transportation can build a more eco-friendly future.

7. Describe the game in 3 words: Strategic, eco-friendly, rewarding

Player 3:

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The most frustrating part was dealing with population growth—it felt like I had no control over it, and suddenly, I had too many people, leading to waste problems I couldn’t fix quickly enough.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? I loved building green spaces. Watching my city’s parks and community gardens flourish made me feel like I was really helping the environment.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted to build more renewable energy sources, but I couldn’t afford them after some early-game mistakes. It felt like I couldn’t recover in time.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I would add a savings system that lets players set aside resources to handle future crises or events, like saving up for renewable energy upgrades.

5. What should be improved with the next version? The population management system could be adjusted so that players have more control over growth, or at least some warning so they can prepare for the challenges that come with it.

6. What was the game’s message? The message is that sustainable development requires planning and balance—you can’t just grow a city without considering its environmental impact.

7. Describe the game in 3 words: Eco-conscious, engaging, challenging

Player 4:

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The most frustrating aspect was managing waste—it built up so quickly, especially after a few rounds of climate events, and it felt like I couldn’t keep up with the growing demands.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? My favorite moment was when I hit a sustainability milestone, like reducing carbon emissions or creating a lot of green spaces. It felt rewarding to see the long-term payoff.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted to expand faster by building more infrastructure, but I didn’t have enough resources to do everything I wanted. I had to pick and choose, which felt limiting at times.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I’d give players more flexibility in planning and fewer penalties for things like population growth. It would make the game feel less punishing.

5. What should be improved with the next version? More control over the randomness of climate events would be nice. Adding some mechanics where players could at least partially prepare for them could make the game feel more fair and balanced.

6. What was the game’s message? The game shows that sustainability is a balance of progress and environmental care. You need to grow a city responsibly, considering its resources and impact on the environment.

7. Describe the game in 3 words: Challenging, eco-friendly, strategic

Playtest 1 Game Maker’s Notes for – “Sustainable City Builder”

. What questions did your players have?

  • How do we handle climate events? Players were unsure how much preparation they needed for the random climate events and whether they could do anything to prevent them.
  • How do the Victory Points work? Some players had trouble understanding how different actions (like waste management or renewable energy) contributed to the Victory Points system.
  • How can we balance resources better? Many players were asking about the best strategies for managing limited resources, especially early on when it feels like there’s so much to juggle.

2. How quickly did they learn to play?

  • Players picked up the basic rules relatively quickly, taking about 10-15 minutes to understand the gameplay flow and how to build their city.
  • The most complex part was learning how to manage the resource tracker and understanding the Climate & Challenge Phase, but after a few rounds, they got the hang of it.

3. What kinds of interactions did the players have?

  • Players mostly interacted during the trading of resources (like money or energy) to help each other build their cities.
  • There was occasional collaboration on strategies (e.g., one player focusing on renewable energy while another focuses on waste management), but the game is primarily competitive.
  • Some players enjoyed informal alliances, discussing strategies to tackle environmental issues together, even if the rules didn’t require collaboration.

4. What confused players?

  • Challenge Tokens and how they were triggered often caused confusion, especially with the dice rolls and specific resource thresholds. Players weren’t always sure when they would face a challenge.
  • Victory Points: The different ways to earn Victory Points (like for renewable energy or waste management) weren’t fully clear to some players, especially early in the game.
  • The Climate Event Cards sometimes felt too unpredictable and were difficult to plan for.

5. What did your players enjoy doing?

  • Players really enjoyed building green spaces and renewable energy sources because it felt like they were doing something positive for the environment while earning points.
  • The transportation system and seeing the benefits of their public transit investment (less traffic, fewer emissions) was also a highlight.
  • Strategic planning and managing the city’s growth over multiple rounds gave them a satisfying sense of control.

6. Did any aspect of the game frustrate players?

  • Players found the random Climate Event Cards and Challenge Tokens frustrating, especially when these events disrupted their carefully laid plans.
  • There was frustration around resource shortages, particularly with managing waste and energy. Some players felt overwhelmed by the amount of things they had to keep track of.

7. What is your plan to address player questions, confusion, and frustration?

  • I’ll create a quick reference guide for the Challenge Tokens and Climate Event Cards, showing exactly when and how they can affect gameplay.
  • I’ll also make the Victory Points system clearer, with more visible markers on the board showing how different actions contribute to points.
  • To alleviate frustration from resource shortages, I might introduce early game bonuses or a tutorial phase that helps players understand how to balance resources from the start.

8. If your players didn’t get your intended message, what will you change?

  • If players didn’t fully grasp the message of balancing sustainability, I’ll clarify this through clearer objectives for each city element (like energy, waste, transportation, etc.) and perhaps give bonus points for achieving balance early.
  • I might also add a goal-tracking system on the player boards, with milestones for achieving specific eco-friendly goals like reducing carbon footprint, so players can see how they’re progressing toward sustainability.

Playtest 1 for – “Sustainable City Builder”

Player 1:

. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The hardest part was dealing with pollution spikes. I wasn’t ready for the amount of waste it caused, and it hurt my city’s happiness and resources.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I loved building public transportation. It helped reduce traffic and gave me bonus points, making my city more efficient.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to invest more in green spaces and renewable energy, but I ran out of resources and had to focus on fixing problems first.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I’d add more ways to interact with other players, like trading or forming alliances, to make the game more engaging.

5. What should be improved with the next version?
The Climate Event Cards could be less disruptive. I felt like they made the game too hard to recover from at times.

6. What was the game’s message?
The game shows that balancing resources like energy, waste, and green spaces is key to building a sustainable city.

7. Describe the game in 3 words:
Challenging, fun, strategic.

Player 2:

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
It was frustrating when I couldn’t manage waste properly and faced penalties because of it. I had to deal with a lot of issues at once.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I enjoyed building renewable energy sources like solar farms. It felt good to reduce pollution and gain extra points.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to build more parks but had to prioritize energy and waste management instead. There wasn’t enough time or resources.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I’d give players more control over challenges, like letting us prepare for upcoming climate events to avoid surprises.

5. What should be improved with the next version?
Maybe make the Victory Points system clearer and add more ways to earn points for sustainability efforts.

6. What was the game’s message?
It’s about balancing eco-friendly growth. You need to plan carefully across energy, waste, and green spaces to succeed.

7. Describe the game in 3 words:
Eco-friendly, strategic, interactive.

Player 3:

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
I found it tough when my population grew too quickly, and I didn’t have enough resources to keep up.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
The best part was when I created a sustainable transportation system that helped reduce pollution and traffic.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to add more green spaces to improve quality of life, but I didn’t have the resources for it.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I’d add more cooperative options so players could work together to face big challenges like pollution or energy shortages.

5. What should be improved with the next version?
The random events could be more balanced. Some felt too punishing without enough time to prepare.

6. What was the game’s message?
The game teaches that sustainability takes effort—you need to manage resources and plan ahead to create a thriving city.

7. Describe the game in 3 words:
Strategic, engaging, challenging.

Player 3:

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
I found it tough when my population grew too quickly, and I didn’t have enough resources to keep up.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
The best part was when I created a sustainable transportation system that helped reduce pollution and traffic.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to add more green spaces to improve quality of life, but I didn’t have the resources for it.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I’d add more cooperative options so players could work together to face big challenges like pollution or energy shortages.

5. What should be improved with the next version?
The random events could be more balanced. Some felt too punishing without enough time to prepare.

6. What was the game’s message?
The game teaches that sustainability takes effort—you need to manage resources and plan ahead to create a thriving city.

7. Describe the game in 3 words:
Strategic, engaging, challenging.

Player 4:

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The economic crisis caught me off guard, and I had to cut back on building projects just when my city needed more growth.

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I really enjoyed creating green spaces. They improved the happiness of my population and helped boost my sustainability points.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to build more renewable energy sources, but I couldn’t afford them because my resources were tied up in waste management.

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be?
I’d add a city cooperation feature, where players could help each other by trading resources or sharing technologies.

5. What should be improved with the next version?
I’d make the climate events a bit more predictable, so players can plan for them rather than just reacting to random disasters.

6. What was the game’s message?
The game’s message is that sustainability is a balance. You need to manage energy, waste, population, and green spaces wisely to thrive.

7. Describe the game in 3 words:
Strategic, eco-focused, rewarding.

Playtest 2 Game Maker’s Notes for – “The Sell Me This Challenge”

1. What questions did your players have?

  • How to handle defects in the product: Players were unsure how to pitch a product with major defects, especially in scenarios like “selling a broken object” or “passive-aggressive buyer.” Some asked if there were more flexibility with the Scenario Cards or if it was okay to ignore defects in favor of creativity.
  • How to handle the time pressure: Players wondered whether they had enough time to fully think through their pitch, especially when using variations like the 1-minute or Mystery Box challenges. Some felt rushed and weren’t sure if they were using the full 2 minutes effectively.
  • Scoring clarity: There was some confusion around the point system, especially for the more challenging products. They wanted more guidance on what makes a sale successful, aside from just the majority “Buy” vote.

2. How quickly did they learn to play?

  • Quick to pick up the basics: Most players quickly understood the core mechanics—spin the wheel, pick an object, pitch it, and get feedback from the buyer. The concept of the game was easy to grasp within the first few rounds.
  • Some initial confusion around Scenario Cards: The concept of Scenario Cards, especially those that imposed restrictions or forced defects, took a little longer for players to get comfortable with. But once they got the hang of it, they embraced the challenge.
  • Learning curve: The learning curve for variations like the “Mystery Box Challenge” and “Time Pressure” was a bit steeper, as players had to adjust to the unpredictability.

3. What kinds of interactions did the players have?

  • Creative brainstorming: Players worked together to come up with the wildest, most convincing pitches they could. Sometimes, there was friendly competition to see who could be the most convincing.
  • Role-playing: As sellers, players got really into their characters, sometimes taking on exaggerated personas (like “fashion expert” or “aggressive salesperson”) to sell the object. This led to funny, engaging interactions.
  • Feedback sharing: After each round, players gave constructive feedback on the pitches. Some buyers were critical, offering suggestions on how to make the pitch more persuasive, while others were more lenient, enjoying the creativity.

4. What confused players?

  • Scenario Card limitations: Players were confused about how strict some Scenario Cards could be. For example, when selling a broken item, some players were unsure how much they could bend the rules or be creative without making the defect too obvious.
  • Handling the “passive-aggressive buyer”: The buyer in this scenario seemed to throw off some players because the sarcasm and negativity sometimes made it difficult to maintain a positive pitch.
  • Timer management: Some players were confused about how much time they should be spending on different parts of the pitch. For instance, whether to focus on humor, addressing defects, or delivering the product’s benefits.

5. What did your players enjoy doing?

  • Improvising pitches: The most enjoyable part was making spontaneous, sometimes outrageous sales pitches. They loved getting creative with their approach to make even the most mundane items seem desirable.
  • The fun scenarios: Players really enjoyed the “Mystery Box Challenge” and “Theme Pitches” because it pushed them to think on their feet and embrace the absurdity of selling something unexpected.
  • The feedback round: Players had a great time giving and receiving feedback after each pitch. It became a fun part of the game, where players tried to impress the buyer while also getting better at understanding what made a pitch convincing.

6. Did any aspect of the game frustrate players?

  • Time constraints: The pressure of the timer, especially when combined with difficult Scenario Cards, led to some frustration. Players felt rushed during their pitches and couldn’t always get their points across clearly.
  • Defective products: Having to sell items with clear defects (like broken or incomplete objects) felt like a major obstacle to some players. They weren’t sure how to balance honesty with creativity without getting too bogged down by flaws.
  • Limited role flexibility: The restrictions on certain scenarios limited some players’ ability to be as creative as they wanted to be. For example, being forced to sell a pencil case with no real unique selling points became frustrating.

7. What is your plan to address player questions, confusion, and frustration?

  • Clarify Scenario Cards: I’d clarify the rules around Scenario Cards to ensure players know they have some leeway to get creative with defects. I’d also provide examples of how to pitch a product with flaws, emphasizing that creativity is key.
  • Adjustable timers: For certain challenges, I’d add an option to adjust the timer based on the difficulty of the product or scenario, giving players more time when necessary, particularly for tough products or unexpected challenges.
  • Flexible scenarios: I’d add an option to pick between different types of challenges within a scenario to give players more agency in crafting their pitch. For example, allowing players to choose between a “difficult buyer” or a “broken product” scenario would add variety without overwhelming them.
  • Expand role play: I’d allow more flexibility in how players pitch products. Maybe a “cooperative pitch” option could let players team up and share the spotlight for a more fun, collaborative experience.

8. If your players didn’t get your intended message, what will you change?

  • Refine the message of creativity over perfection: If players didn’t fully grasp the message that creativity and persuasion are more important than the flaws of the product, I’d include more examples and practice rounds to emphasize that. I’d also add “cheat cards” or hints to encourage thinking outside the box.
  • Encourage risk-taking in pitches: If the players were too focused on delivering a flawless pitch, I’d introduce more risky scenarios where they have to exaggerate or push the boundaries of logic to sell a product. The point is to show that sometimes, the most ridiculous or unconventional pitch is the one that works best.
  • Clarify the objective: If players were too focused on the idea of “selling a perfect product,” I’d remind them that the game is about overcoming obstacles, not presenting the perfect item. Players should focus on creating a compelling story around the product, no matter its imperfections.

Playtest 2 for “The Sell Me This Challenge”

Player 1:

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The Scenario Cards can be tricky sometimes. For example, I had to sell a pair of socks with a tear in them, and that was super hard!

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? When I landed on the “Around the House” category and had to sell a vacuum cleaner. It was fun to exaggerate how powerful it was, making it sound like it could suck up the entire mess of a whole party! It was really satisfying when the buyer said “Buy” because of how enthusiastic my pitch was.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted to use humor more, but the Scenario Cards sometimes gave limitations that made it harder to be funny. I could have done more with a funnier pitch if I wasn’t stuck explaining defects or limitations of the objects.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I’d add more time for the seller to think through the pitch. Sometimes, the 2-minute timer felt too short to get creative with all the constraints, especially if I wanted to pitch the product in a unique or outlandish way.

What should be improved with the next version? Maybe offer more varied Scenario Cards with different levels of difficulty. Some scenarios were too easy, while others were too restrictive. A good mix would make it more balanced and interesting.

What was the game’s message? The game is about thinking on your feet, using creativity, and adapting to challenges. It’s also about persuasion—no matter the flaws or constraints, you have to convince the buyer why it’s worth purchasing.

Describe the game in 3 words: Creative, challenging, fun.

Player 2:

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The time pressure added in some of the variations made it tough. When I had to sell a textbook in 1 minute with a “passive-aggressive customer” scenario, I felt like I was rushing too much and couldn’t fully explain the benefits of the book.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? The pitch where I had to sell a fancy tie while pretending to be a fashion expert. I went over the top with fashion jargon, and it made everyone laugh, especially when the buyer actually said “Buy” because they were so entertained by my absurd pitch.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted to use more props to enhance my pitch, but the game is based on just the cards. It would be fun to actually have some physical objects to hold up and demonstrate while selling.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I’d make the timer adjustable depending on the difficulty of the scenario. For example, when there’s a major flaw in the product, a little more time could help come up with a better solution.

What should be improved with the next version? A bit more flexibility in the Scenario Cards would help, maybe allowing the seller to choose between a few options for each scenario. This would let them customize their challenge a bit more.

What was the game’s message?The message is clear: you can make anything sound great if you approach it creatively and with enthusiasm, even if it’s not perfect.

Describe the game in 3 words: : Entertaining, unpredictable, humorous.

Player 3:

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?: The “Mystery Box Challenge” was really tough! I had no idea what I was selling, and trying to improvise on the spot with a random object was stressful. I kept second-guessing myself and losing track of the time.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? : When I got to sell a pet rock in the “Around the House” category. I just leaned into the ridiculousness of the product and pitched it as the perfect “low-maintenance pet,” which cracked everyone up, and they ended up buying it!

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I really wanted to pitch the idea of “selling with charm” more, but sometimes the limitations on the Scenario Cards (like selling a broken object) made it hard to get charming about something that wasn’t in perfect condition.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I’d love to have the option to have a “pitch coach” or extra help from the other players during the sales round. Maybe a chance to get a hint or suggestion to improve your pitch if you’re stuck.

What should be improved with the next version? I’d add more interaction between players during the pitch. Sometimes it felt like the buyers weren’t fully engaged, so maybe allow the buyer to ask questions or challenge the pitch mid-presentation.

What was the game’s message? It’s all about being creative, adaptable, and persuasive, no matter what challenges come your way. You can sell anything if you can spin it right.

Describe the game in 3 words: Spontaneous, funny, competitive.

Player 4:

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The “passive-aggressive buyer” scenarios were hard to deal with! I had to sell a pencil case, but the buyer kept pointing out how “unnecessary” it was. I tried to steer the conversation, but it felt like I was losing the sale from the start.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? My favorite was selling a bicycle in the “Activities” category. I used the “adventure” angle and turned it into a fun pitch about how this bike could be the key to exploring new places. The buyer bought into it, and I was really proud of how that pitch turned out.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted to go into more detail about the emotional benefits of the product, but the time pressure and strict scenarios made it hard to really tap into that emotional appeal.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I’d remove the “forced scenario” rule where you can’t ignore a defect in the product. Sometimes the objects are just too flawed to sell, and it makes the game feel frustrating rather than fun.

What should be improved with the next version? Maybe add a “team sales pitch” option where two players have to work together on one pitch. It could lead to some really fun interactions and ideas that the solo pitches don’t quite capture.

What was the game’s message?The game highlights the power of persuasion, creativity, and thinking fast. No matter what challenges you face, a solid pitch can still win the day.

Describe the game in 3 words: Interactive, creative, strategic.

The butterfly effect play test notes

  1. Label where to start more clearly
  2. Simplify rule wordiness
  3. Make the outline colors on the board dots more prominent
  4. player count?
  5. Make spaces bigger to accommodate multiple players being on one spot
  6. The left and right moving on the game board is a good idea, but I would like to see more directional cues on the board.
  7. How to win is a little confusing because you get to choose which path to take when you start instead of having the choice made for you. If winning meant being the farthest left on the game board, then i would choose to move left every time to win.
  8. I like the name of the game and i think you should add more details and or facts about why you chose it and add in that you picked counterclockwise game play because thats the way the earth spins.
  9. Looking at the board now, there is no indication that the game has anything to do with earth, maybe add a couple more graphics

Hues and Cues Game Review

I enjoy this game but it really shows how limited my vocabulary is and how slowly I can think on the spot. Evelyn mentioned when she played before all players took turns putting their pieces on the board instead of all at once. I like how we all rushed at once because it adds a more competitive aspect to the game. I think it also makes the game go faster when you have a lot of players.

My frustration with this game is that the card colors do not match the game board colors very well. I think if you are making a hues game with a lot of color variation, you better make sure the colors match correctly. I think they should really fix that because you have to look at the board code color when you are giving cues and people can tell where you are looking if you are not strategic.

I like how you get points for how many people got in the square when you care giving cues. It makes the hinter really want to think of good words because it benefits them when the other players go good.

Also I wished the board laid more flat when playing but thats just me being picky.

the butterfly effect

Players are moving on a board where they have to answer questions at certain points of the board, changing course with each action affecting what their actions could do to the world.

4 players

3 sided die

cards

Boost cards

Players will start their pieces on the planet in the button of the board. 

The player that is the oldest will roll the die first and the play moves counterclockwise.

Players move as many spaces as the dice shows.

When a player lands on an impact space marked by the butterfly they must pick up a butterfly card and answer the question yes or no and explain why, it doesn’t need to be every reason, just a few so the group can agree with them or disagree with the player. When a consensus is reached follow the arrow for either yes or no from the card.

If you land on the impact spot in the middle of your move then answer and continue your move.

If a player lands on a charity space(circle spaces with a different outline color) at the end of their move, they can pick up a boost card that counts at the end of the game so keep it until everyone has finished.

The point of this game is not to make it first, it is to see your impact. When every player has reached the finish line, look at how you fared in changing the world. A charity card lets you move over one finish to the left. Whoever is closest to the “ideal world”(farthest left finish) wins the game.

Barrel of Truth Game Review

  1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
    • I think that the only thing that frustrated me with the game was the fact that the players were sometimes nudged in criticizing each other. Regardless if it is up to us to take the game in any direction, I feel that some questions could easily turn people against each other. The thing is, if I were playing with a group of people that didn’t like me, it would be easy for them to answer questions in a negative manner.
  2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
    • The game was a very good way of getting to know people better, as well as learning about what people think about me. I enjoyed the interactions from this game, as well as thinking of funny things to say on my response cards. There was also a neat sense of randomness in which I didn’t know what to expect from people.
  3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
    • I wanted to draw pictures, as well as seeing other pictures that people could draw. I think that drawing prompts would contribute to more funny/interesting interaction.
  4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience what would it be?
    • Bouncing off of the previous question, I’d add drawing prompts, which would spice up the playing experience. It would be hilarious to try to guess who drew a certain picture, almost like JackBox. If I could change anything, I would change a couple of the questions that might cause controversy. Based on what I said in the first question, maybe you could reword the prompts to make it less personal. Lastly, I think that it would be cool to incorporate a timer during the playing experiences so that people don’t have to wait on each other to finish.
  5. What should be improved with the next version?
    • The game is already really fun, and doesn’t need a whole reiteration. I think that the prompts can be misinterpreted, as I’ve talked about how sometimes it can feel personal. Other than that, I think that by adding a few things I’ve talked about, you could boost the potential of this game.
  6. What was the game’s message?
    • It is kinda hard to tell what the message of the game is, but I’d have to say it is about trust. It can show the true colors of people (responding to prompts anonymously) so you just have to trust that you are playing with friends not foes.
  7. Describe the game in 3 words.
    • Social, trusting, funny

Pixel sprite art

This is the Lord chancellor, he is 16 X 29 pixels big, and his art style was inspired by Akira Toriyama’s art showcased in Chronotrigger, with a less chibi style look to him, and more focus on the shading, highlights, and color variants.

Slim Jim Ad

I apologize for the video quality but I thought this was so ironic, Slim Jim just released an game advertising their products. I might download it, let me know if anyone has played it yet!

Final Game Research? 

For my final game, I really wanted to try to make a video game, so I’ve conducted a little bit of research about various video game making software and applications. I really would like to make a choose-your-own-adventure game, something that is super narrative and text-based. So I started looking up the best platforms to make stuff like this and this is what I came up with. If anyone has any other suggestions for what I could use, I greatly appreciate it! 

Game Reviews 

As part of my exploration for this game, I also played various interactive fiction type games, specifically ones that were made using Twine. Twine is a big contender for what I will use to make this game, as it is mentioned a lot online and I really like some of the games that people have created using it. I highly recommend playing some!! 

A Man Outside – https://litrouke.itch.io/a-man-outside 

  • Was it fun? Yes! And very suspenseful at that! I was super impressed with the way the game was made as well. 
  • What were the player interactions? As a single player game, the player did have the chance to interact with other “characters”. There was a text conversation going on between you and your friend, regarding the man standing out your window. The friend would check in on you and it helped escalate the game.
  • How long did it take to learn? I learned this game almost instantly. With the help of little notes and flashing symbols indicating what to click, it made it very easy to grasp. 
  • Would you play it again? Yes, I would, especially to see if there were any other endings that I missed. I also wasn’t able to play with sound for my first playthrough and I think that would really add to the game experience. 
  • Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. Act 1: text conversation with your friend begins. You discuss about how you need to study on your vocabulary app, but there is a weird guy who has been standing outside your window for a long time. You complete the first set of vocabulary flashcards on your phone. Act 2: the man is still there, and you move on to work on the second set of vocabulary flashcards. The flashcards start to glitch a little bit and some of the words have creepy definitions, and the tension really starts building. Act 3: the man is still there (at some point he does disappear though). Your friend gets worried and you have to make the decision to either call your mom or ask your friend to drive there. I asked my friend to drive there, but before she got there, the man disappeared and I heard a sound in the house. I thought it was my friend but when I went to go investigate, I presumably died and had the “bad ending”. 
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? This is a horror game about trying to do your school homework, but there is something that threatens your safety outside, however you are persistent to finish your homework, but it can lead to your demise. I thought it was super interesting to have the player actually go through the vocabulary flashcards. The glitching moments of that were also super cool and made it very suspenseful. 
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? It felt like some of the cards took forever to load up or assess if I was right or wrong, but I’m pretty sure that that was intentional to add to the anxiety and suspense. 
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? My favorite aspect of the game was the subtle details in the vocabulary cards. The definitions seemingly reflected the situation that you were in at times and were actually quite challenging to answer. (It also let you pick your vocabulary level and I thought that was a nice touch!)
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I don’t think there was a way to go back to the text conversation without exiting the vocabulary app altogether and losing your progress, so I wish I could have done that. 
  •  If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I think I would have enjoyed more emphasis on the text conversation. 
  • What should be improved with the next version? Very little! Maybe more alternate endings?
  • What was the game’s message? Homework can wait. Prioritize your safety. 
  • Describe the game in 3 words. Suspenseful, educational, dark

Goodbye – https://artsybarrels.itch.io/goodbye (depression and suicide warning)

  • Was it fun? I enjoyed the game, but I’m not sure I would call it fun. It’s a little too sad a subject for that. 
  • What were the player interactions? The player got to make decisions that determined the actions of their character. The player was also able to interact with other characters, most notably, the mom, as they are on their way to end their life. In certain paths of the game you also have the opportunity to call other characters such as your sister, dad, or friends to say your goodbyes. 
  • How long did it take to learn? Games like this are pretty intuitive so I understood it pretty much instantly. 
  • Would you play it again? Yes, I would like to go through all of the different storylines and endings. 
  • Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. With a game like this, the 3 act structure is going to change based on your actions. The 3rd act in some of the playthroughs ends with your character ending their life, and the others you decide not to. But generally the first act is how are you going to start the day that you intend on ending your life (will you shower, clean your room, etc.) and then the 2nd act is when you go downstairs and have to say something to your mom as you are leaving. This is a pretty pivotal point in the game as your mom notices that something is wrong and here is where you may select a choice that will convince you to not end your life. 
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The game’s metaphor is about depression, suicidal thoughts, with a big emphasis on saying goodbye to people before you end your life. The mechanics themselves weren’t necessarily anything special, but I really liked the touch of being able to select who to say goodbye to in the one ending. 
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? I think the frustration I experienced was mostly out of anxiety of not knowing what was going to happen. It is frustrating because you don’t want to think about someone ending their life and frustration about what your family members have to say in their last conversation with you. It was all intentional. 
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? The art style of this game was beautiful, and I think they really portrayed a scenario like this well. It definitely had me in my feelings. 
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? 
  •  If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? Not really!!
  • What should be improved with the next version? Maybe slightly more interactivity or choices? But I also don’t want it to become unrealistic for a person who is battling depression. 
  • What was the game’s message? Saying goodbye to loved one’s before you end your life. (very well done!!)
  • Describe the game in 3 words. Beautiful, heart-wrenching, poetic 

Case Study – We Didn’t Start the Fire

Short Summary

We Didn’t Start the Fire is a song from 1989 by Billy Joel. It contains references to popular culture and newsworthy, significant events from around the world and the United States (over 100 references mentioned). In 2023, Fall Out Boy released an updated version of We Didn’t Start the Fire, with events from 1989-2023 (over 80 references mentioned). 

In the game version, players answer trivia questions about history and pop culture from the time period of either song. When players answer questions correctly, they are able to move their token closer to the fiery finish line. 

The purpose of this game is to make a fun reference to the songs, and also provide context and background information to some of the lyrics. It is important to be educated about both world history and culture. 

Primary Audience: Billy Joel & Fall Out Boy fans, history/pop culture enthusiasts 

Other than the primary audience, I feel like this game could be enjoyed by a large number of people. Trivia games have pretty mass appeal to people, so someone that enjoys a trivia game would enjoy this game. 

Design Process & Thought Process 

Iterative Design: For the design of this game, I kept a red, black, and white color palette. I wanted to have experimental typographic lyrics on each of the cards so that players can refer to the lyrics that the trivia question pertains to. I varied the typography by using varying weights, as well as oblique and italic type. The backs of the cards have photoshopped pictures of either Billy Joel or Fall Out Boy, in a context that I felt pertains to the game (either from the music video or pictured with fire). The fronts of the cards have a red gradient behind the lyric typography, with a black box that contains the trivia question. 

For the future, I would like to continue working on the design of this game. I need to redraw the images of Fall Out Boy and Billy Joel so that it will work better for copyright purposes. This will also help me get a more unifying style for my game. I likely want to keep the same color palette, but I could also explore using blue flames as well. The typography also needs some refining, and I want to fit all of the lyrics into one unified block, keeping all of the varying weights. I would also consider having different card backs (maybe with just different pictures of the artists), just to make it a little more visually exciting. 

Game Mechanics: Players pick up cards, answer trivia questions, and discard cards when they are done. The players advance their player token when they answer a question correctly.

Player Goals: In the first iteration, the players goals were to be the first player to reach the end of the board. This is accomplished by answering 5 trivia questions correctly. I would like to make this number a little bit higher in the future, or potentially have it adapt depending on the number of players. I would also consider making a game board with spaces that make you pick up the trivia cards versus picking up a trivia card on every single turn. 

Gameplay Sequence: The sequence of gameplay is as follows: decide who goes first, another player picks up the card for the player whose turn it is and asks them a trivia question, if the player answers correctly they advance forward on the game board, it cycles to the next player’s turn. The first player to get to the end of the game board wins and the game ends. 

Game Board & Components: In the current game board, players start at the top and move linearly down to the bottom of the board, moving one step with each card they answer correctly. In future iterations, I would like to add more tiers to this game board and consider a nonlinear path that players could potentially follow.

Rulebook and Playtesting 

Rulebook Sample:

Playtesting Notes: Overall, from playtesting, I learned that this game is a feasible idea. Players enjoyed the trivia questions and learning more about history and culture. No major frustrations presented themselves throughout the game, but I feel as though I could still make the game more interesting and exciting for future players. 

  • What questions did your players have? The game was pretty straightforward so there weren’t a lot of questions. I think the questions were mostly about the song itself and some of the pop culture and history questions. 
  • How quickly did they learn to play? The players learned extremely quickly since it was a simple trivia game. 
  • What kinds of interactions did the players have?  Players discussed the different historical and pop culture events and asked each other and answered questions. 
  • What confused players? The only thing that was confusing was having to keep track of your own points and keep the card that someone else asked you about. 
  • What made players excited?  Players were excited to answer questions, get questions correct,etc. 
  • What did your players enjoy doing? They enjoyed answering the questions. They enjoyed the challenge of it and some of the questions provided a good discussion. 
  • Did any aspect of the game frustrate players? Players didn’t have any frustrations. 

Game Reflections: Developing this game allowed me to learn more about history and culture myself, as I was developing the game I didn’t know a lot about the topics that were mentioned in the songs. Next time, I would probably develop this concept a little more to make it go beyond a trivia game, like including some unexpected elements or not having each player’s turn be exactly the same. I also didn’t anticipate that players would want to continue answering questions beyond the 5 card winning point, and I thought they would have gotten sick of the same format, but surprisingly, they really didn’t and wanted to continue answering the questions. 

Game Reviews/Playtests

Evelyn’s Around the World in 80 Days

This was a great game and I could see myself playing this with my family! 

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? It was frustrating playing with so many people. It took a long time to get to my turn, and we weren’t able to finish the game. But that’s not really an issue with the game’s rules though! 

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? I like the cards where everyone has the chance to participate, like with naming all the countries that start with a certain letter.

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? Not that I can think of. 

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? Maybe make the board a little more exciting. I feel like for the type of the game it is, a square board just feels a little boring, but I wouldn’t be mad if it wasn’t changed at all! 

5. What should be improved with the next version? I’m not sure how I feel about the blank spaces on the board, part of me wants something to be there but I’m not sure. Maybe some of the trivia cards could have some stuff about capital cities as well?? You could also include some more visual-oriented cards like country flags, fashion, etc. 

6. What was the games message? The game was about culture and geographic education. 

Evan’s Cracking Jokes Game

This was a pretty fun game! I could see myself playing this with friends! 

1. What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? It was just a little too unstructured for me. I feel like I need a timer or a way to keep track of who is “winning”. 

2. What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? I enjoyed cracking the glowsticks, telling jokes, and listening to what everyone came up with. 

3. Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I wanted some of the jokes to be something where the whole group had to tell a joke with that category. 

4. If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? Just adding things to switch up the turns so it’s not just pick up a card, tell a joke, and repeat. 

5. What should be improved with the next version? You could consider adding the idea of having a spinner or something that determines if the whole group was gonna tell a joke, if it would just be one person, or maybe their is a “duel” with two people? I think that something like that could help make the game a little more exciting (don’t get me wrong I love this game though!) I also wonder if there is an alternative to the glowsticks that you could use so that it isn’t as wasteful?

 6. What was the games message? Telling jokes, making others smile?