In this next round of iterations, we playtested with 3 different people, and our notes on what was brought up and the changes made are below:
Playtest 4 with Butch (11/14)
[Image of Butch playing our prototype.]
From our notes during our 4th playtest with Butch, we found that the dens needed more clear affordances for what is the player’s den vs. other dens, as well as whether they are in the den or not. There was also some frustration about predators spawning too close to the den, making it unclear what the safe area was. Another note was that the mechanics don’t have long-term consequences which help build opportunity for strategy.
Our takeaways from this test were that we need to adjust the spawn logic so that there is a radius of safety around the player’s den and predators can’t spawn too close and camp. This makes it easier for the player to use the den as it’s meant to be used. We also decided to prototype resource regeneration and depletion as well to explore more options for player decisions that will roll over into other seasons. We also decided to implement a more complex den inventory that creates more opportunities for the player to interact with the system and improve the rat’s survival beyond running around.
Playtest 5 with Amelia (11/14)
[Image of Amelia playing our prototype.]
During our 5th playtest with Amelia, a designer who does not spend much time playing games, we noticed there were also some clarity issues as they weren’t sure what the fog of war was, or which animals were threats or food, as well as how to use items, though they eventually enjoyed the game once the features clicked.
From this, we learned that we needed an onboarding tutorial to teach the player and teach them all the different controls and the behaviors of animals and food. This was especially important as we added new features like eating and digging.
Playtest 6 with Abram (11/15)
[Image of Abram playing our prototype.]
During the 6th playtest with Abram, a person who expressed experience and enjoyment of RTS systems games, they noted that the water was confusing, predator positions were a bit unpredictable, winter should seem like a bigger threat, and wanted more interaction pressure from predators.
With this playtest, we decided to implement the water as a barrier that animals can’t travel over, making how animals move a bit more predictable. We also decided to implement more season-specific events where the grass and food gets used up as time goes on and winter has less food overall.
Playtesting Questions:
- How well did the tutorial or onboarding explain the mechanics?
- Do you feel like you’re able to influence and interact with the system?
- Did any choices feel like they could have long-term consequences?
- Did the den inventory feel useful or worth interacting with?
- What moments felt the most strategic or meaningful?
- What’s one thing you wish the game let you do more of?
- What kinds of things did you wish you could store, track, or manage in the den?
- Were there moments where you felt lost or unsure what to do next?
