When creating various prototypes, our team might want to consider the following questions:
1. Will players feel creatively engaged by the writing prompts?
- Importance: This actually might be less of a test of if the general game idea works, but is definitely integral to iterating on the mechanics of the game, since the success of the game hinges on whether the players feel inspired to be fun and creative. As the essay “What Games Are/Aren’t” mentioned, if a player feels boredom, the game design has failed.
- Prototype idea: We might create a low-fi (online document) or paper prototype with a list of potential prompts.
- Prediction: Players might enjoy more emotionally evocative or vulnerable prompts (maybe a bit like We’re Not Really Strangers) or prompts designed to spark controversy, fun, sarcasm, or jokes (a little bit like Cards Against Humanity.)
2. Is guessing who wrote what fun and socially engaging, or does it create anxiety or disengagement?
- Importance: Unlike the testing of prompts, this is a central part of the game mechanics. Guessing who wrote what might be fun and foster bonding, but it could might backfire if the players feel self-conscious (anonymity might allow some to be more open / creative.)
- Prototype idea: A low-fi demo of the game using notecards or sticky notes, where each player submits a response to a prompt, with the guesser role rotating. (Maybe contrast with a round where the submitter is only revealed if the card is chosen?)
- Prediction: Most players might find the guessing fun, but more reserved people might feel uncomfortable. The group itself might also have an impact (might be more comfortable playing with close friends.)
3. Does having a judge select a favorite response drive the purpose of the game (competition aesthetic), or does it lead to frustration or imbalance?
- Importance: It might be important to consider that some people have distinct sense of humor, so it might be frustrating if the same people win repeatedly. Also, since the cards are being created by players, is it easy for the judge also to guess which player wrote which card, and if so, would favoritism / closer bonds consciously or unconsciously spoil the game?
- Prototype idea: Again, a low-fi demo with sticky notes or notecards, tracking the winners.
- Prediction: The rotating roles (judge and guesser) might make the game more fair, and if played within a friend group, humor styles should not usually clash, but if certain players never get chosen, they might feel overlooked and disengage.
4. How long should each round last to keep the game fast-paced but allow for thoughtful responses?
- Importance: Writing takes a while, and players also might have different paces of writing. However, too short of a time limit might also stress players out, whereas because it’s player-created / a generative game, if left to their own devices, some players might also take very long to think of what to write (whereas even indecisive players ultimately make some decision in Cards Against Humanity.)
- Prototype idea: Low-fi prototype of game with varying time limits for responses (e.g., 30 seconds, a minute, two minutes, etc.)
- Prediction: I predict that a minute might be the sweet spot for most players (two minutes is too long, and less than a minute might be too short.)
5. Would the game be more effective in teams?
- Importance: If the goal of the game is to foster connection within a group of people, it might feel more individual if players compete amongst themselves.
- Prototype idea: Two versions of low-fi prototypes, one where the game is played with 2 competing teams, the other with the objective for each individual to get the most points for themselves.
- Prediction: The team-based version might foster more connection, whereas the individual version might be more enjoyable overall and lead to more creativity.
