Cycle1 Play testing Report

Student Name: Wai Man Ho

Student Number: n9659340

Play testing Session Goals

Goal 1:

See if the game is fun to play and engagement of player whether want to play again

What to measure

Player’s response to the actual game play

How to test

An interview will be done after each session. Questions will be asked to the tester what they feel about the game play.

How to Analyse

Compare the response from various testers and see if they all agree each other to have the same degree of fun and engagement. Found out why if there is difference in it.

 

Goal 2:

Check if the difficulty level and challenge of the game is appropriate for average gamers.

What to measure

Ability to avoid game over if the gamer want to play

How to test

Just observe how long the tester can play the game without losing it by asking him to do the best he can.

How to Analyse

Record the length or duration of the game play for each tester. Consider the tester’s background and the past game play experience; work out if they are consistent with each other.

 

Goal 3:

Does the PX getting from the game play meet the design goal of the game?

What to measure

The PX of player after finished the game

How to test

Without telling the original intended PX of the game, ask the tester what they think it is and see if they match each other.

How to Analyse

Detect any hidden emotions that the tester has after the game play. See if they can tell the truth of their feeling openly without afraid of being shame or shy.

 

Playtest Setting Up

Testers will play the game individually without seeing the other tester to play. Each session ends if the game is over. Tester will be asked to think out loud and work out the solution by them if they get caught in the game play. An interview will be done after each session ends.

Resources: PC for game play, interview questions, notepad & pen to take notes

Who are the Participants

Target Audience who has never played this game before

Notes Taken of Player 1 during play testing

• “Enemies are very hard to see against the background.”
• “Shooting without any meaning.”
• “No goal or ending to this game.”
• “Different enemies should have different speed and abilities/weapons.”
• “How to end this game?”
• Observed: The tester has scored more than 100 enemies killed and the “Enemy Killed” count goes blank on the screen. Must be a bug that the UI element is not wide enough to handle three digits of number.

Interview of Player 1 after play testing

1. Do you find this game fun to play?

No.

2. Will you play it again?

No.

3. Is the game too easy or too hard for you?

Too easy.

4. Which part of the game you like most?

The nice Galaxy Space background keeps scrolling can give dynamic feeling.

5. Which part of the game you don’t like?

The game has no storyline, goal of game is not clear.

6. Can you take a short break and relax during the game play? (checking PX goal)

Yes.

7. Any suggestions of improvement on this game?

Should add more obstacles such as slow floating Asteroids or fast moving Comets and Meteors, which could hurt player if he hit any of them and therefore to increase the difficulty of game.

Improvement Work after first play testing

The game design cycles should have a number of iterations before it reaches the final development stage. Changes are carried out right after the first play testing has done:

• Added goals to the game – Now the player will able to win the game if he has killed a certain number of enemies.
• There is now a “Game Win” screen as the rewards to player if he wins the game.
• Fix the bug that has discovered during play testing: Widen the “Enemy Killed” UI element so that it can handle three digits number.

Notes Taken of Player 2 during play testing

• “Can I actual kill the enemies?”
• Observed: The tester has found cannot kill the enemies with just one shot and find uncomfortable.
• “It is interesting that I need to lure it around the screen in order to kill it!”
• Observed: The tester can play the game right away and control the main character without any problems.

Interview of Player 2 after play testing

1. Do you find this game fun to play?

Just a little bit.

2. Will you play it again?

No.

3. Is the game too easy or too hard for you?

Too easy.

4. Which part of the game you like most?

The way you need to lure the enemies around the screen so that you can fire at them is interesting.

5. Which part of the game you don’t like?

The enemies has no health bar to indicate how many shoots they have taken and health remain.

6. Can you take a short break and relax during the game play? (checking PX goal)

Yes. You don’t need to shoot the floating items and not getting kill while stay out of their way momentary.

7. Any suggestions of improvement on this game?

If health bar for each enemy is too demanding, at least changing colours or size of their body to indicate the health status would be good.

Summary of further possible development after Play testing

• Add obstacles such as slow floating Asteroids or fast moving Comets and Meteors, which could hurt player if he hit any of them and therefore to increase the difficulty of game.
• Changing colours or size of the enemy’s body as well as for Main Character to indicate his health status.
• Different enemies should have different speed and abilities/weapons to increase the variety of challenge in the game.
• Added more sound effects to the game will appeal the player.

Conclusion of the Play Testing

It is very good that the final game has served the initial PX design goal: Take your own time and pace, no pressure on the player (which is unlike most of the SHMUP game style).  However, further work can be done on how to make the player more relax and enjoy the game: Things such as soft background music, the “hitting” sound effects can be used to compose a nice song, “looks and feel” of NPC and Main Character can be go for a more joyful design such as butterfly/flower/fairy than those monster types that we are using now.