Game Maker’s Play Test Notes – Scurry Ship

What questions did your players have?
- One of the questions players asked was about the gray tiles. I specified the mechanics of the gray tiles in the rules, but I realize that this is something that I can make more noticeable/clarified. It could have been easily overlooked, causing confusion. The next question that a player asked was how you are supposed to win. More specifically, what the win indicator is. I noticed that some players didn’t know what to do once they reached the end of the board, leaving them to question if they have won. Along with the win indication, a player asked if both characters had to be on the end in order to win.
How quickly did they learn to play?
- Compared to my other games, this one took a bit of time for players to get used to. Players had to get used to the slide puzzle mechanic, which took a game or two for them to be fully comfortable. One player tried to jump over the tables, which is specified in the rules not to do. But once they reviewed the rules, familiarized themselves with the core components, they enjoyed the playing experience.
What kinds of interactions did the players have?
- The direct interaction between players was racing towards the end of the board. Players would periodically observe the progression of the other player, controlling the pacing of their actions. For example, one of the players were reaching the end of the board, so the opponent started moving the pieces around more frantically. This instilled a rollercoaster of emotion from players, from critical thinking to panic.
What confused players?
- Not much confusion was amongst players, other than the slide puzzle mechanic and the few questions they asked. I think that overall, the confusion lies within tiny unspecified or overlooked rules within the rule sheet.
What made players excited?
- Players were excited based on their thinking capabilities, which reflected based on their performance. They loved the competition against the other opponent and felt a sense of accomplishment knowing they outsmarted their rival. When a player would reach the end of the board, they would eagerly put their pieces in the life raft. In a moment where a player would get stuck in a corner, they would also get excited at solving the problem and progressing.
What did your players enjoy doing?
- Players enjoyed progressing their pieces to the end of the board. They liked the constant flow of movement, providing a quick-paced gameplay. Additionally, they enjoyed flipping the pattern cards over, because it was a charm of randomization.
Did any aspect of the game frustrate players?
- There were two main things about the game that frustrated the players. The first and foremost frustration was the fact that the gameplay was repetitive. The purpose of the pattern cards was to add a sense of randomization to the gameplay. However, in the end, the gray tiles are in the same place every game and the tables can be moved around the randomized patterns, making no difference. The second frustration was that the game was bare bones and could use a spice up. This and the repetitive gameplay go hand-to-hand, urging a sense of touch up.
What is your plan to address player questions. Confusion and frustration?
- In order to address player confusion and frustration, I can add more components to the game. This could add more fun factors that can alter the pacing of the game, or maybe even a sabotaging aspect for the players. Maybe I can find a way to randomize the gray tiles, making each route for the playing experience different. As for any confusion, I plan to tweak the layout of the ruleset. I made sure to add extra pictures to the rules, so player confusion could be reduced majorly. But after realizing there are some things that players still questioned, I can find new ways to emphasize these clarifications in the rules. Maybe new pictures or angles can help…

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