Thursday 27th

With the playtest coming up next week it was time to outline the structure of what would essentially be the vertical slice of the vertical slice. I proposed the design for first “level”, whereby we introduce the story through narrative dialogue followed by the resource management mechanic (drag and drop survivors into camps), and then the required resources to progress. This playtest will act as a bare bones taster for the rest of the demo.

This ensures we have some of the narrative, although no branching narrative just yet, and the mechanics of the resource management. It’s important that the gameplay and goal of the game is clear, we may discuss the possibility of adding on-screen instructions/tips if time permits it but for now we will use Lily’s character as the main guide and work on making everything on the screen as clear and as obvious as possible.

The upcoming playtest is crucial to gather valuable insights to enhance the game’s development and change anything early on.

Formulating research questions for playtest

• Were there any game mechanics that you found confusing or difficult to understand?
• Did you feel that the game’s progression was balanced and fair?
• How intuitive did you find the menu navigation and overall user interface?
• From what you have gathered in the playtest, how engaging did you find the game’s storyline?
• How well did the art style in its current state complement the game’s theme and atmosphere?
• Did the visual design elements aid in understanding game mechanics and objectives?
• What aspects of the game did you enjoy the most?
• What aspects did you find the most frustrating or least enjoyable?
• Would you consider playing this game again when it is further on in development? Why or why not?

To make sure I’ve collected a comphrensive set of data I’ll also consider quantitative metrics, such as tracking measurable data like time taken to complete tasks, number of errors, or frequency of specific actions. Additionally I’ll take into account qualitative insights, meaning I will note any of the players’ verbal feedback, body language, and emotional responses during gameplay.

Results and findings from the playtest can be found here.