Potential Game Idea: Word Rush (a word association, team-based dueling game)
Question 1: How quickly are players able to understand the rules of the game? In other words, how long does it take for players to start playing?
- This is an important question to answer because it creates a first impression. Furthermore, if players are playing the game for the first time in a social setting, it is more than likely that players will not spend much time learning the game before deciding to play or do something else.
- To answer this question, we will create an instruction manual alongside our game prototype, and ask players to talk through what they are thinking as they read the rules. Our goal would be to identify points of confusion in the instruction manual.
- As Word Rush is a fairly simple game requiring very little game set-up, my prediction is that the game will get started in under 5 minutes from the time players start reading the instruction manual.
Question 2: How well are players able to think of words that combine two unrelated categories? How much time should they be given?
- This is an important question to answer because the game assumes that players find it fun to challenge themselves to think of a word combining 2 unrelated categories before their opponent. If players struggle with this challenge
- We will paper prototype categories onto note cards and simulate the game by asking people to pick 2 cards at random and give us a word/phrase that fits both categories. We will time how long it takes them to give us an answer and evaluate the quality of the answer.
- I think users should be given 30-60 seconds to think of an answer. If neither party is able to think of an answer in this timeframe, then the game is too hard.
Question 3: How many rounds is an appropriate amount for an average party game? At what point do people want to stop playing?
- This is an important question to answer because games that last too long/short can diminish the potential for fun. Games that run too long can be boring and can take the challenge out of the game. But if the game is too short, then players may miss the point of the game with only some players having an opportunity to engage in a “word rush” while others don’t have the chance to participate at all.
- We will paper prototype the entire game and have players play the game. After each player has flipped a card three times, we will stop the game and poll the group with everyone closing their eyes. We will say “Raise your hand if you want to end the round and stop the game” and “Raise your hand if you want to continue playing”. We will record the average number of “rounds” in order to determine when game play should stop.
- I predict that people will want to stop playing after everyone has done a word duel 3 times. After this, I think the idea of coming up with word associations will no longer be fun.
