For our prototype of modded beer pong that we want to test, there are a few questions we wanted to test:
Firstly, will players elect to do the challenges or simply drink the beer? The success of the challenges is dependent on whether players are actually willing to participate. If players opt to drink instead because the challenges are bothersome or just too tedious, the game will devolve into a slower version of beer pong that takes longer to set up. One idea is to simply just emulate basic beer pong rules + challenges to see how players respond. However, the success of the challenges may also depend on the social atmosphere. If there is already a lot of drinking happening, players may be less likely to participate in the challenges.
Secondly, does the redemption challenge slow down the game too much? Beer pong can already be a slow game, depending on the skill level of the players. Adding a redemption round that brings cups back may make the game last too long. An easy test is to modify a simple beer pong game and add the redemption challenge. However, the redemption round may be too slow for players with lower skill levels. For experienced players, it can provide an exciting gameplay mechanic where they can revive themselves.
Finally, does the truth or dare/fishbowl style actually promote group intimacy? The purpose of including this element is to help players get to know each other, as beer pong is not great for facilitating conversation. If the truth or dare/fishbowl addition does not promote group intimacy, then it becomes no different from regular beer pong. A possible prototype is to test a truth or dare/fishbowl activity in a spin-the-bottle style game to see how it works and analyze the in-group dynamics. However, this may affect other aspects of gameplay such as speed, and it may be boring for groups that are already familiar with each other.
