Testing and Feedback

Alpha testing:

1. Game mechanics:
   • Test core mechanics such as movement, combat and exploration.
   • Evaluate the interaction between player tools (e.g. flashlights, flares) and environmental features (e.g. dynamic lighting and terrain hazards).
2. Resource balancing:
   • Test resource availability (e.g. oxygen, energy) to ensure a balanced challenge.
   • Adjust resource replenishment rates or discovery methods based on feedback.
3. Stress testing:
   • Evaluate the new human artificial intelligence’s adaptability to player strategies.
   • Ensure that environmental hazards that occur in the game work as intended and do not overwhelm the player.

Beta testing:

1. Narrative pacing:
   • Evaluate the flow of key story moments to ensure player engagement.
   • Test the coherence of the story and plot.
2. Difficulty curve:
   • Observe the player’s progress through the game and adjust the probability of resource appearances and the difficulty of the game.
   • Address sudden increases or decreases in difficulty to increase the consistency of difficulty in the game.
3. Emotional impact:
   • Test player reactions to key moments, such as major plot twists or encounters with the ‘Neo Human’.
   • Adjust dialogue or environmental storytelling to enhance player engagement.

Feedback collection:

1. Player surveys:
   • Collect insights on gameplay balance, story engagement, and emotional impact through post-session surveys.
2. Game analysis:
   • Use data to identify bottlenecks or underutilised mechanics to guide adjustments.
3. Observe player reactions:
   • Conduct real-time playtesting to observe players’ reactions to moral dilemmas, resource constraints, and plot twists.