Game Maker’s Play Test Notes – Mindful Memorial Services
- What questions did your players have? There weren’t a lot of questions, but they would ask each other about the requirements and what would happen with each tile.
- How quickly did they learn to play? They learned to play pretty quickly. The only thing that was a little difficult to get used to were the specific requirements and actions that happened with each tile, so a key would probably be helpful.
- What kinds of interactions did the players have? Players would influence the next player’s turns by taking up the different tiles. Players could max out the tiles, making the next person have to purchase a brand new tile. Players also would discuss about the people and their wants and needs
- What confused players? I feel like the players didn’t really have that much confusion.
- What made players excited? I think players were excited when they satisfied both the deceased and the loved ones.
- What did your players enjoy doing? I think they enjoyed looking at the different character cards and how their needs and wants differed.
- Did any aspect of the game frustrate players? I think having to refer to the rules constantly frustrated players, also not being able to obtain more energy very easily so it made them not want to do cremation or human composting.
Other playtest notes
- clarify the way tiles are placed
- i think the human composting needs more benefits
- a way to yet more tokens
- get more energy
- maybe something to mark that the tiles aren’t open when they are maxed out
- a key
- Maybe add how they died, with effects from that
- extra card and it could effect if they get buried or cremated
- maybe green burial plots need to be separation
- maybe the green ones can’t be near a crematorium
- pretty easy to learn but there were a few things that they had to keep referring to
Sara’s Game Playtest – Don’t judge a book by its cover
- What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The end of the game became a little bit frustrating because it was essentially just trying every possible combination until we got the whole thing right, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly frustrating to the point where it ruined the game experience. I think maybe there could be a limit on the number of tries? Either way works though.
- What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? Because I personally had a card in the game, it was really interesting to see what other people thought was my experience and belonged to me. I also knew a few of the other cards but I didn’t reveal it to the other players so it was really interesting to see what they thought too.
- Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? Not anything that I can think of, but maybe know a little more about the people on the cards? But I’m not sure if adding that would ruin the purpose of the game.
- 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 make it so that anytime that anyone plays this game, they always have a connection to at least some of the people in the game (or know who they are). I think that aspect of the game made it more fun on my end.
- What should be improved with the next version? I feel like it’s pretty solid already ngl, but you could play around with some different potential things: having the answer on the back of the cards like those memory card games, having it be a game that is commissioned by people (maybe you have a website and you draw and send them all the cards??), maybe explore how the game can be created at a party (maybe players go to a character creator online, build themselves, and print out the cards and they can all submit their own facts/traumas), etc.
- Describe the game in 3 words. Thoughtful, personal, well-done!
Game ideas
- protect our national parks – make it like the bob ross board game where there are different cards and pictures of the national parks and you must invest resources like staffing for search and rescues, trail cleanup, etc to preserve that specific national park
- 2025 plane ride – a board game where you must navigate the treacherous landscape of riding a plane in 2025. you land on spaces and those cards can effect your plane’s ability to deal with certain conditions until you either reach your destination or crash
- visit the national parks before it’s too late – try to travel to all the national parks or just the ones on your bucket list before the government (another player) gets to them. They will drill for oil, destroy animal habitats and biodiversity, and make the parks a much dangerous place for visitors. this could be like Battleship..
- Giving credit where credit is due – a party or online game where people can share their accomplishments and things that they are proud of that they might not have been appreciated for or recognized from