Date of Playtest: 10/02/2025
Playtime Observed: 6 minutes 25 seconds (first round)
Learning Time: 2 minutes 41 seconds (to learn rules)
1. Player Questions
- Does the story flow from player to player, or is it told individually?
- How do players weave their cards into the story, build on the last or reset each round?
- What happens when the timer runs out and a card hasn’t been played?
- Should a specific book be read to determine who goes first?
- How does the game end — tokens, alternate endings, or another system?
2. Learning Curve
- It took 2:41 minutes for players to learn the rules.
- Players commented that the setup was easy.
- The example card in the rules was helpful.
3. Player Interactions
- Players laughed, smiled, and nodded throughout gameplay.
- Conversations about cards applied to characters and settings.
- Debated whether the story should be told cumulatively or individually.
4. Points of Confusion
- Story flow: cumulative vs. sectioned/individual.
- How exactly to “weave” cards into a story.
- The role of settings in character and plot cards.
- Game endings: whether to use tokens or multiple end conditions.
5. Sources of Excitement
- Randomness of card draws (“random is better”).
- The tension created by a sand timer mechanic.
- Room for interpretation and creativity in storytelling.
- Loved leading humor in the narrative.
6. Player Enjoyment
- Making connections between cards and the story.
- Building individual story sections rather than a single collaborative plot.
- Experiencing humorous or unexpected story twists.
7. Sources of Frustration
- The collaborative story felt confusing and less engaging.
- Settings on cards felt restrictive.
- Multiple game-ending options created uncertainty.
8. Design Adjustments
- Clarify Flow
- Emphasize that each player tells an individual story, not a cumulative one.
- Simplify End Conditions
- Establish one clear win condition (ex., first to 5 tokens?).
- Refine Card Design
- Remove settings from character and plot cards; make prompts more open-ended and funny.
- Timer Rules
- Require players to place a card before the sand timer ends; if not, they must take the top card.
- Rules Support
- Keep and expand example cards in the rules to streamline learning.
