1. Playtesting
Prepared for Gamification Europe
2018
By An Coppens
www.gamificationnation.com
©All rights reserved

2. Iterative
game
&
gamification
design

3. • Age, gender
• Work profile
• Prior knowledge of
the topic (is it
necessary?)
• Any gaming profile
input
Know your player

4. First decision: collaborative
versus competitive

5. Inspiration

6. First test: does
the game work?

7. Second test: Is it
fit for purpose?

8. Third test: Is it
balanced?

9. Fourth test: Is it
fun to play?

10. Components of a good playtest
• Play testers
– Inside and outside of target audience
– Some with game design experience
– Regular gamers
• Feedback forms
• Notepads
• Debriefs

11. 20 or so tests
later:
Client test

12. Observe without interfering
• Can they play with just instructions?
• Does everyone look engaged?
• Do people opt-out?
• Does the game cause reflection and discussion?
• Is the game too easy, too hard, too simple, too
complex?
• What is (not) essential to the game?
• Do the win-conditions work?

13. Questions to ask
1. Did you feel the game was too long?
2. Did you feel the game was too easy?
3. Did you feel you needed more/less
players to enjoy the game more?
4. Were the instructions clear?
5. What was your favourite part?
6. What was your least favourite part?
7. Were there enough cards in the "X"
deck to allow variability?
8. Could you see the game getting stale
after 20 plays?
9. (Questions about specific mechanics)

14. Be ruthless in taking away the
unnecessary

15. How often should you playtest?
Some schools of thought believe:
• 100 times after your last rule change
• 1000 times
• Until it’s ready…
• We had a hard deadline and then after that
until good enough to hit objectives

16. Results
• More confidence in bringing up the topic
with clients thanks to retention of scenarios
that played out in the game
• Good discussion and reflection
• Fun experience
• Let’s make more scenarios… 

17. @GamificationNat
www.gamificationnation.com

18. Pre-order online