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Playtesting blueprint for game studio managers
This piece provides a phase-by-phase guide on playtesting for managers.
Arthur Mostovoy
August 6, 2024
8 Min Read
Photo via Axville on Unsplash.
1. Planning Phase for Playtesting
At times having a meticulous plan is the key to success. You need this step to set the stage for effective and efficient testing, making sure that every aspect of the game is thoroughly evaluated. Here are the main components of the testing stages.
Setting Objectives
The goals you set with playtesting have to be precise and accurate and tailored to the specifics and aspects of your game. Here are some ideas to start you off:
Identifying Game Blockers - focus on finding any critical issues that prevent game progression and evaluate how solvable they are.
Evaluate Emotional Response – measure how players feel about different game elements to be sure that the game creates the intended emotional impact.
Bug Detection and Logging - find, identify and document bugs that impact gameplay, performance, or stability.
Study Game Mechanics - assess the functionality and engagement level of core game mechanics.
User Experience (UX) / Usability Testing - how intuitive and accessible is the game’s interface and overall user experience?
Analyzing Level Design and Progression - review how the game's level design affects player progression and challenge balancing.
Defining Data Collection Methods and Measurement Techniques
We conduct these tests to get actionable and applicable insights, which require effective and robust data collection methods. Before you start this step, however, you need to find methods that will work for you:
Data Collection Methods: You can use a mix of surveys, logs, video recordings, direct observations, structured interviews, in-game analytics, and bug tracking software to gather data that you will be able to use.
Data Measurement Techniques: There is a wide range of techniques to measure the data, such as estimating progression through different zones and levels, successfully defeating boss enemies or passing encounters, solving puzzles. Also there are Likert scales, event frequency counts, error rates, user task success rates, and emotional response scales to measure the impact and effectiveness of different game elements. The main thing is to choose the one that is a perfect fit for your product.
Resource Allocation
Correctly allocating available resources is all about ensuring that all necessary materials and personnel are well provided for the task:
Forming Teams: Compile a cross-functional team from project management, QA, and technical support to oversee the playtesting. This way you can cover all bases.
Budgeting: Leave enough funds for testing resources, including hardware, software, and tester compensation, so that your testing process can be smooth and uninterrupted.
Scheduling
With testing you need to stay on track and give yourself limits. You can outline specific dates and durations for each testing session to make sure they align with key project milestones and do not overlap with critical development phases. Also you have to plan in advance because after the playtest is concluded you might still have to address some issues before the release.
Who’s involved:
Clarify the roles and responsibilities of various team members involved in the playtesting process:
Project Managers/Game Producers: define the main objectives and where an additional input form playtesters is needed the most
Lead Designers/Developers: look out for issues being reported related to your area within the game, conduct interviews to get valuable and structured insight directly.
Quality Assurance (QA) Leads: train playtesters to follow the internal process and being able to use the console, get the necessary builds, manage save games, solve minor technical issues
IT / Tech Support / DevOps: provide pre-configured hardware and software, tackle technical and networking issues, automate routine tasks
This way playtesting becomes both strategic and systematic because your planning is structured, which ultimately leads to more efficient outcomes.
2. Recruiting the Right Playtesters
Of course, you need just the right team to do this task. Recruiting the right playtesters is critical for getting relevant feedback. Select only the most suitable candidates to participate in playtesting.
Advertising: Develop targeted advertisements that clearly specify the type of testers required. Use platforms that are frequented by gamers, such as gaming forums, social media platforms, and community boards, to reach a diverse pool of potential testers.
Setting Requirements: Establish specific criteria for testers to meet, such as age, gaming experience, and familiarity with the game’s genre. This ensures that the group of testers is well-suited to provide insightful feedback relevant to the target audience.
Interviews and Selection: Conduct a structured selection process that includes reviewing applications and conducting interviews. This rigorous approach helps evaluate each candidate's suitability based on the predefined requirements and ensures that only the most fitting individuals are chosen for playtesting.
Who's Involved:
Playtest Coordinator: screening the applications and conducting interviews to make sure the group fits
HR/Recruitment/Publishing Team: Handles the logistical aspects of the recruitment process, advertising the playtest opportunities.
QA Team Members: Play a crucial role in defining the desired profiles of testers and participate actively in the interview process to help select the best candidates for the playtesting needs.
Again, since our goal is relevant and valuable feedback, getting the right playsters becomes just as important a key to the success of this process.
3. Management of the Playtesting Process
Effective management of the playtesting process is really needed to make sure that the testing runs smoothly and yields valuable insights. This phase involves a few important actions to make:
Assistance and Onboarding: Provide comprehensive orientation for all testers, explaining the testing protocol, the use of tools, and the overall objectives of the playtest. This ensures that testers are well-prepared and understand their roles and the importance of their contributions.
Setting Up the Testing Environment: Provide the necessary pre-configured hardware, consoles and networking / server environment for the playtests to happen seamlessly and the playtesters to have the necessary equipment
Monitoring and Support: Actively monitor the progress of the playtesting and provide ongoing support to address any issues that arise:
Conduct interviews for a deep dive into specific feedback points to explore them further and potentially incorporate changes into the game
Establish a clear and efficient system for bug reporting and maintain open lines of communication with the QA team.
Document and address any game blockers, finding ways to bypass them if necessary to continue testing.
Ensure that testers complete all necessary forms and maintain logs for accurate tracking of their feedback and any issues encountered.
Who's Involved:
Dev Teams and their Leads: They observe how playtesters progress through the game and see where their relevant areas of the game can be further improved, and whether the progression aligns with the design of it
Playtest Managers: Oversee the entire playtesting operation, ensuring that it is executed smoothly and adheres to the established schedule.
Technical Support Staff: Responsible for setting up and maintaining the testing environment, addressing any technical issues that testers encounter.
QA Analysts: Monitor the collection of data, the reporting of bugs, and the feedback from testers to ensure that all aspects of the game are comprehensively covered and documented.
The way you manage the testing process will be reflected in the results, and how integral your data is is how you know you will get effective and relevant insights at the end. Collect all data and address the issues.
4. Analysis and Reporting Phase
This step turns the raw data from playtests into great insights that you can use and that directly impact game development. Here’s how it's usually handled in specific steps:
Gameplay Data Analysis: Try out game-specific analytics tools to examine player behavior patterns and game interactions. Focus on areas such as level completion rates, player death locations, and usage of game features to see where you can adjust.
Playtesters Feedback Compilation: Gather and categorize player feedback from surveys and interviews, but in a systematic way. You can also use sentiment analysis to see and reflect on player emotions and reactions to different game elements.
Bug and Issue Tracking: Use specialized software to track and prioritize bugs and issues that are getting reported during playtesting. This lets your devs deal with the most prioritized problems that could impact gameplay experience.
Performance Metrics Review: You can also analyze performance data such as load times, frame rates, and system stability across different hardware setups to make sure your game actually meets performance benchmarks.
Reporting and Decision Making: The last step – documentation. Create detailed reports that highlight key findings from the data analysis. These reports should include visual aids like graphs and heat maps to illustrate points clearly. Use them in strategic meetings where project leads and developers decide on the next steps based on the playtest results.
Who's Involved:
Data Analysts: They focus on quantitative data from gameplay and system performance to provide statistical reports.
QA Team synthesizes qualitative feedback from testers and coordinates with data analysts to make sure all data points are considered.
Lead Developers and Designers review the compiled reports to make informed decisions on needed changes or improvements to the game design and mechanics.
By using this you can actually make sure that every aspect of the playtesting data is not lost and used for the good of refining and enhancing the game. It helps you make the game much more enjoyable to your players, while you also create a more stable result ready for a release.
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