Battle Blox - the game I playtest in bars

Background.

I created Battle Blox for an analog game assignment given to me during one of my classes at Savannah College of Art and Design. My intent was to play into the strengths of the board game medium: tactile appeal and social dynamics. After a great deal of testing with the kids, having it at my wedding reception, and other more family-oriented testing barrages, I started taking it to the next level by appearing at the local bar and exposing it to folks who’ve been drinking.

The following playtesting occurred last night.

Crowd profile.

The demographic was typical of a Midwestern bar: mostly male, between thirty and fifty. These guys were hesitant to admit games are fun, but were genuinely bored with the three televisions and jukebox. In contrast, the players I finished out the night with were all somewhere around thirty and included one female.

Laying it all out.

Under what was quite possibly the brightest light, I spilled my game out onto a table. Then, the same thing occurred again. People get interested, begin trickling over to me, and just casually start playing with the blocks. It must be some kind of magnetic nostalgia from childhood that causes people to just begin stacking. Wonderfully enough, this fits perfectly with the gameplay.

Findings.

I had originally been second-guessing my choice to include both huge, bulky pieces and light, thin pieces, but it turns out this is a fun aspect. Players find creative ways to wedge the little pieces into every nook and cranny, and getting a huge piece late in the game is definitely a nasty twist, but it never guarantees failure. Each time I do this I’m continually impressed by people’s creativity and skill.

Unlike many digital games, you can play Battle Blox against the person who made it and win. I have been teased for this, of course, but it’s interesting. A newcomer to the game can beat the maker! I can constantly play against people who have never touched my game before… and frequently lose. It’s an interesting factor that has come to my attention.

Conclusion.

These have been quite rewarding experiments. There’s a genuinely magical feeling you get when you make something and people are having a great time enjoying it in exactly the ways you had hoped they would. I’m looking forward to continuing to make games for as long as I live!

Links.