My team is thinking about creating a mod on Mario Kart where players switch karts at random intervals.
What platform is it the most fun to play the game?
This is important because we are deciding between having the players play the physical game on controllers and switch in person, or play it digitally and have the game automatically switch karts. We want to ensure that we pick the platform that is easy to implement and also be the most enjoyable for players by encouraging communication and more camaraderie.
We will likely try out two versions of the game. One version will be completely online and have players switch karts automatically while the other version will use existing controllers and have them swap manually.
My prediction is that the manual swapping may be more fun and cause some unexpected gameplay that encourages the players to speak up to their opponents. However, I feel that this does not change the game enough to make it fun after a couple of plays.
Will players understand and follow the rules to the game?
This is important when implementing the game in-person because the kart switching mechanic relies on everyone fairly adhering to the kart switching. It also requires them to keep track of some timer or other advanced mechanics that may be confusing and affect the gameplay.
We will likely workshop different timers and rules for the analog game and have players test each one, gauging how easy it was for them to follow the rules, switch in an efficient manner, and also how long it took to learn how to use the given timers.
I think that the rules will be easy to follow but paying attention to the timer aspect may be difficult, especially if all of the players are so intently focused on playing the game that they miss the timer going off in random intervals.
Does the random cart switching mechanic promote or hinder fair competition among players of varying skill levels?
This is an important question to answer because ensuring a fair and enjoyable experience for all players regardless of skill level is needed for player retention and replayability.
To prototype, we will need to have playtesting sessions with participants of different skill levels and see how the random cart switching mechanic impacts their performance/observe any skill imbalances.
My prediction is that skilled players will find ways to adapt more quickly to cart switches, and develop strategies that widen the skill gap, such as pacing or intentionally stopping the kart to become last if they predict that they are going to switch.
