What Do Prototypes Prototype?

Team 3 is creating a social deduction Jenga game. The exact mechanics haven’t been hashed out yet, but there will be a team who is trying to remove x number of pieces from a Jenga tower and someone whose role is to sabotage that group. Additionally, the team will receive extra challenges/handicaps.  

How many Jenga pieces should the team remove in total in order to win?

1. The game needs to be balanced where winning is a challenge rather than a trivial task. Winning must also feel within reach and worthwhile to keep pursuing.
2. An implementation prototype would test this, where regular games of Jenga are played. Then we can track how many pieces can be pulled on average before the tower collapses, to determine what would feel challenging. 
3. A quick Google search says that 27-36 pulls is the average, so in a group of 4, there could be 8 rounds total. 

Will closer proximity lead to greater connection and engagement?

1. In Jenga, the people who are waiting for their turn might zone out. Moreover, since this is supposed to be a social game, players should somehow feel connected to each other. One way to combat this is to keep players close together.
2. A look and feel prototype would test this, where we have different groups of conversations. One group is spread apart and people speak at a normal volume. Another group is very close together and people speak in a whispered tone. We can then compare which group feels more connected after.
3. My guess is that the tighter group who have to whisper will feel more connected, because with everyone whispering, people have to pay extra attention to listen to each other. Additionally, the distance within a group might make people feel more separated and not as engaged. With the chaos of a falling Jenga tower, it also might feel more cathartic to be able to then break the whisper and shout. 

Would players prefer to keep the same handicap throughout the game, or have a different one each round?

1. Since this is the main challenge we are adding to Jenga, it is important to see how players will react to it. Some challenges might be harder than others, so it’s important that players don’t feel discouraged from playing the game because of their challenge.
2. A look and feel prototype could test this. In different games of Jenga, players will either have one challenge for the entire game, or they will be given a different one each round. Then players can rate which experience they enjoyed more. 
3. My guess is that players will want to have a different challenge each round, because it adds more variability throughout the game, and players get to try different techniques.