How does the amount of detail in each assigned role impact how “into” the game each player feels?
This is important to answer because it informs how strict the roles should be vs to what degree people’s interaction with roles will be a form of creative expression, which would likely impact deployability. To test this, we would have two iterations of the game — one with detailed role descriptions and one with extremely vague ones, and watch how players interact. I predict that players will have more fun with vaguer roles, and that it will increase replayability to have the roles as such.
How does the experience of the “deceiver” affect the overall game experience?
This is important to answer because, to have an enjoyable playing experience, both in the odd-one-out role and the regular player role, so that neither party feels disengaged for a chunk of the round. To test this, we could interview each player after the playtest about their experience playing the prototype, and also note moments during that playtest where people seemed engaged and disengaged. I predict that the people will feel more engaged when they’re the person twho is the spy, as they have more actions to take and strategy in their “winnable” goal.
How many types of resources make the game exciting, but not confusing or tedious?
This is important to answer because it can be easy to lose track of cards, or to have a lack of momentum during gameplay because of an overwhelming amount options. This also affects playtime and replayability. To test this, we could run two games with a different number of resource cards and requirements, and note the duration, interaction, and learning curve of each game type. I predict that somewhere between 6-7 resource types in total would be a good amount to play with.
