Ames' syllabi

What questions did your players have?

• “How do penalty cards work?”
• “Can we exaggerate or lie in creative ways?”
• “What happens if everyone guesses wrong?”
• “How do you win? Is there a score?”

How quickly did they learn how to play?

• Most players understood the basic rules quickly, though the specifics of penalty cards and how to use them took a bit longer to grasp.

What kinds of interactions did the players have?

• Players had lively debates and discussions while guessing whether someone was lying.
• Lots of laughter and social bonding over the penalty cards, especially the funny tasks.
• There were moments of tension when players tried to catch each other in a lie or figured out who was bluffing.

What confused the players?

• The rules around penalty cards were unclear at first.
• Some players didn’t understand how much creativity they could use in telling lies or truths.
• The game’s point system and how to track progress was confusing, especially for competitive players.

What made players excited?

• Successfully guessing when someone was lying.
• Creative storytelling, especially when players told wild or funny lies.
• The unpredictability of penalty cards and the challenges they included.

What did your players enjoy doing?

• Telling stories—either truths or lies.
• Guessing whether someone was lying or not.
• Completing or watching others do the goofy tasks on penalty cards.

Did any aspect of the game frustrate players?

• Yes, having to perform the “penalties”

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
It was frustrating when I guessed wrong repeatedly, and I had to keep drawing penalty cards. It felt like my chances of winning were slipping away.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I loved the strategic element of trying to outsmart the other players with my guesses. The tension of guessing whether someone was lying was exciting.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted a clearer way to track who was winning or getting points. It was hard to tell if I was ahead or behind because the focus kept shifting between lying and guessing.

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 scoring system that tracks points for successful guesses and penalties, so players can focus on winning instead of just having fun with the lies.

What should be improved with the next version?
A more structured point system would help, so it’s easier to tell who’s winning and how penalties affect the overall score.

Describe the game in 3 words
Exciting, competitive, social.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
It was frustrating when penalty tasks were too simple or felt repetitive.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I loved the penalty cards that made everyone laugh, like imitating animals or doing weird dance moves. It brought so much energy to the game.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to make the most outrageous, hilarious lies possible, but the prompts sometimes felt too tame for my style. I wanted more creative freedom.

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 an option to choose a “wild” prompt that forces players to be as outrageous as possible—something that would lead to really funny situations.

What should be improved with the next version?
I think the penalties need more variety. Some were just too easy, and I wanted more challenges that made everyone laugh and create funny memories.

Describe the game in 3 words
Hilarious, social, unpredictable.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
I got frustrated when people kept guessing that I was lying, even though I was telling the truth! It felt like I wasn’t being taken seriously.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I enjoyed the moments when I could share funny or embarrassing stories and see the group’s reactions. It’s a great way to bond with people.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wish there were more options for players who always tell the truth, like earning points or rewards for being consistent.

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 rule where truthful answers get rewarded in some way—maybe by letting them skip a penalty or gaining extra points for sharing a good story.

What should be improved with the next version?
The game needs to encourage more storytelling from truth-tellers. Maybe prompts could be more varied or allow players to make their responses more personal.

Describe the game in 3 words
Fun, social, lighthearted.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
It was tough when my lie was too obvious, and everyone immediately guessed it. It’s hard to gauge how far to push a story without it sounding unbelievable.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I loved when I managed to make a perfect lie that no one saw through. The satisfaction of pulling off a convincing story was awesome.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted more variety in how we could lie—maybe something like “half-truths” where you can mix some real details with false ones for a more strategic approach.

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 “challenge round” where if someone guesses wrong, they have to face a mini-game or perform a task, instead of just drawing penalty cards.

What should be improved with the next version?
The penalty cards felt a bit too much at times. It would be nice if they were lighter and more tied into the theme of the game rather than just random actions.

Describe the game in 3 words
Clever, unpredictable, social.

What questions did your players have?

• “What happens if everyone guesses wrong?”
• “Can we lie about anything, or does it have to be the prompt?”
• “How do the penalty cards work?”

How quickly did they learn how to play?

• Players picked up the rules quickly, within a few minutes of explaining the game.

What kinds of interactions did the players have?

• Players engaged in lively discussions and debates while guessing whether someone was lying.
• There was a lot of laughter and teasing as players tried to spot the lies.
• Some players bonded over hilarious penalty tasks or shared personal stories.

What confused the players?

• The rules for penalty cards and what they had to do were sometimes unclear at first.
• Some players were unsure how much they could exaggerate or elaborate in their stories.

What made players excited?

• Successfully guessing when someone was lying.
• The challenge of coming up with creative, believable lies.
• The unpredictable nature of the game and the funny penalty cards.

What did your players enjoy doing?

• Telling creative lies or funny truths.
• Guessing whether others were telling the truth or lying.
• Watching others complete the goofy penalty tasks.

Did any aspect of the game frustrate players?

• Yes, some players found it frustrating when they had to act out silly tasks during penalty rounds while others guessed. It felt awkward and detracted from the flow of the game.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
At times, it felt like people were too shy or reserved to tell fun or wild stories. I love when people get into the spirit of things, but some players were too careful, and it slowed the game down.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I absolutely loved the conflict that happens when everyone is making guesses. It’s so funny to see how different everyone’s opinions are. Plus, the penalty cards add a lot of humor, and everyone gets involved.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to be able to interact more during the round when someone else is telling their story. Maybe a “group discussion” moment where everyone can share their thoughts before making a guess would be fun.

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 “wild card” prompts that throw everyone off. For example, a prompt that says, “Choose someone to tell a truth or lie,” could mix things up and keep the game unpredictable.

What should be improved with the next version?
Encouraging more boldness in answers would make it more exciting! Maybe adding a “truth dare” mechanic where players have to choose between a truth or a crazy dare would push people to take more risks.

Describe the game in 3 words
Social, funny, surprising.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
It was frustrating when I spent a lot of time trying to analyze the player’s behavior or tone, but I still guessed wrong! It felt like a guessing game based on very little information. I wished I had more tools to judge whether someone was lying.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
The tension when everyone is about to reveal their guesses is the best part. Everyone is waiting for the truth, and the anticipation really builds, especially if the liar has played it well.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to be able to ask follow-up questions or dig deeper into the stories, but there wasn’t really time for that with the game moving quickly. Some kind of “interview” mechanic would be interesting for the next version.

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 mechanic where players could “inspect” each other’s body language or facial expressions in a mini-game of sorts. Maybe if you make a correct guess based on behavior, you get an extra point or reward.

What should be improved with the next version?
The guessing could use more depth. Maybe allowing players to make guesses based on how well they know the person telling the story would make the game feel more strategic. Right now, it feels too much like pure chance.

Describe the game in 3 words
Deceptive, fun, strategic.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
Having to draw penalty cards repeatedly got a little old. They’re funny at first, but after a few rounds, I started to feel like I was just doing silly tasks rather than actually playing the game.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
The penalty cards themselves are often hilarious! Some of the tasks made everyone laugh, and the goofyness of it added a lot of charm to the game.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted more of a chance to redeem myself after drawing penalty cards. Maybe if you’re forced to do something embarrassing, you could “earn” your way back in somehow (like a challenge or a mini-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’d add a way to “recover” from penalty cards—like getting a special ability or power-up after you take a penalty so you don’t feel like you’re always behind.

What should be improved with the next version?
The penalty cards need to be more varied, or else they lose their impact. Some of the actions feel too similar, so it starts to feel repetitive.

Describe the game in 3 words
Silly, unpredictable, challenging.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
It was frustrating when players just kept going with really safe answers, not using the opportunity to lie as much. Sometimes, it felt like it slowed down the game because people were being too cautious.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I loved watching people get really creative with their lies. Some of the stories were absolutely wild, and seeing the reactions of the group as they tried to guess was hilarious.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
No

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 an “audience” mechanic where an observer could vote secretly on whether they think someone is lying before the reveal. It would give the spectators a chance to feel involved in the guessing without taking over the turn.

What should be improved with the next version?
Maybe add some mini-games or challenges between rounds, something quick and lighthearted, to keep the energy up.

Describe the game in 3 words
Deceptive, social, fun.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
I found it tough when I tried to lie and everyone guessed wrong, but I didn’t get to enjoy the reward of convincing them! The penalty cards can sometimes feel like a little too much if you get a lot of them.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
I loved the challenge of trying to tell a believable lie. It felt great when no one could tell that I was lying, and I managed to trick everyone into guessing wrong.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I really wanted to tell some over-the-top, ridiculous lies, but I felt like I had to balance that with more believable stories to keep the game interesting.

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 “double lie” mechanic where you can tell two lies in one round for a higher reward, but also higher risk. Maybe it would add a bit more strategy for the liars.

What should be improved with the next version?
I think the penalty cards should be less disruptive, especially if you get multiple wrong guesses. Maybe they could just add a little more humor without taking you out of the game too much.

Describe the game in 3 words
Sneaky, fun, unpredictable.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played?
The hardest part for me was when I thought someone was lying, and I guessed wrong. It felt like I couldn’t trust my instincts after that. Some players are so convincing that I kept second-guessing myself.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played?
It was hilarious when someone totally fooled me with a crazy lie, and I guessed wrong! The moment I realized they were lying, I couldn’t stop laughing.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
I wanted to be able to challenge other people’s answers more directly. Maybe if there was a “dare” mechanic, I could have asked someone to prove their story in some way, like showing a photo or doing something related to the story.

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 it so that when you guess wrong, you don’t just pick up a penalty card—you also lose a “Truth Token” or some other resource that affects your overall score. This would give the guessing more consequence.

What should be improved with the next version?
I think the game needs some way to reset or refresh the atmosphere after a few rounds. It got a little repetitive guessing and lying over and over again. Maybe rotating roles or having mini-challenges in between could spice it up.

Describe the game in 3 words
Mysterious, engaging, social.

Was it fun?

I had so much fun playing this game, the game play is fun and calming, I also love the entire theme. I felt like I was most definitely the target audience since I am obsessed with the creepy earthy feel of the game.

What were the player interactions?

My favorite interaction was when you would roll an investigation card, you could roll again to frame it on another player.

How long did it take to learn?

Barely took me 5 minutes, it was very easy to catch onto

Would you play it again?

Absolutely

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure.

The beginning, you have a dead body that you need to make sure goes through the elements to decompose, and not get caught by investgators

You eventually gain suspicion through your rolls, or you continuously see bugs and the weather decompose your body through time

In the end, your bodies eventually decay fully, and the amount of points you lost through suspicion are lost, and you determine a winner!

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game?

I think the most competitive aspect was framing others if you roll a second glass. It is super fun and keeps people on their toes

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?

Rules/Photos:

Game When Setup:

Details of Game Pieces:

Simple Design Iterations:

• Green, pink and yellow ping pong balls
• Simple flame design on the hoops, along with a backboard

Process photos:

• Hot glue to hold down hoops
• Paper taped down with numbers on spinner

Overview of changes made:

• Most of the changes have to do with alterations in the rules, whether it is the addition of better explanations or more examples. I’d say that there are still rule changes to be made, but steady changes have been made to accommodate issues. A specific example of a rule change was a third play example, as well as a more-thorough explanation of how to end the game. There are specifications on the bounces a player can make as well.
• At first, I had plain white ping pong balls that I used for the basketballs. One day I was out shopping for basic necessities, when I noticed they had neon-colored versions. With a touch of color, the game has a better sense of style, with an established color theme. Alternatively, players are easily distinguished based on what color they choose.

Overview of changes to make:

• One of the main changes to the game includes the spinner. Through the playtesting, players admitted that the game was a little too linear. So how could I make things more interesting? The spinner will have point modifiers based on luck. Along with how many attempts a player has at scoring, they will have a second number determining the point modification. This will encourage players to focus in order to receive the point bonus, making the playing experience more tense. Furthermore, if a player were to get in a massive point lead, other players will have a good potential to make it back.
• Along with the spinner, a direct change to the board would be the implementation of another, harder hoop to score in. The hoop would be taller, skinnier, and the margin for the ball would make it a high risk/high reward scenario.
• I’d say an additional small change to make would have to do with touching up the design. As of now, the design is a little plain. Of course, the game is not in its final stages, but this is something that I still need to lookout for.
• The final iteration of the game would have to do with the rules, since it is very scuffed at the moment. Many things aren’t explained too well, and I think there is potential for a better playing experience. The rules are constantly being updated for the sake of the players. Criticism has helped implement necessary changes.

Thoughts and lessons learned during the playtest:

• One important thing to consider during my game making is the balance of luck and skill, as well as difficulty in playing. For example, I need to make sure that the game isn’t too hard, allowing players to enjoy scoring points. At the same time, I need to implement factors that make the game tricky, making it considered to be skillful.
• Sometimes, luck and skill are tricky to intertwine, so I had to make luck compliment skill. With what you earn as luck, use it to your advantage. What’s tricky about this notion is that if it were more luck-heavy, players would feel less satisfied knowing they put minimum effort into the playing experience while winning. Players might also find it unfair to be beaten by a lucky player who has been doing bare minimum. With the correlation of skill, players now have ways to earn bonuses based on what they are good at doing.

Was it fun?

Yes i enjoyed playing this game

What were the player interactions?

we had to roll the dice and move that many spaces on the game board. Which ever color and number you rolled had a bidding label attached to it: open auction, private auction, silent/ secret auction. Each player had the opportunity to bid on the item that was played and the highest won it with the secret actual value attached.

How long did it take to learn?

It didn’t take long to catch on

Would you play it again?

Yes I would play this again

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game?

The collaborative aspect is trying to have people bid on your private auction item. The competition aspect was trying to outbid another player to win the item.