Devlog 7

This week in class was very hands-on, which is why I think this will be one of the best weeks yet. I have been waiting for the chance to be given the reigns to make my own game and now I finally got it! We were assigned into groups of four and given the task of making our very own travel-themed card game. I will admit that there were some difficulties at the very beginning during the brainstorming process. We pitched many different ideas including a TWD-themed card game and many more outlandish ideas. However, all we had to do was trust the same process that thousands of other successful games have used. Chapter 10: Decision Making- “The following five aspects help you understand the context of a choice: Before, Communication, Action, Consequences, and Feedback.” Remembering these steps made the ultimate decision a million times easier. We ended up creating a game called Gotta Go! It is a game based on somebody trying their best to leave in the morning for the airport, but bad things keep happening that keep them at home, still packing. The bad things that happen can range from a spilled laundry hamper, broken suitcase wheel or zipper, or your child pooping in their diaper! Next came the playtesting of the game. We were in what was called the internal point of playtesting, meaning it was only me and my group playing our game. Chapter 11: Playtesting Your Game- “As a designer, anytime a question arises about the game’s design, a playtest should help find a suitable answer.” As we expected, there were many questions about our game and some of the rules implemented. For instance, we decided that our game was too quick and easy to win. Furthermore, we devised a plan to make it so that the game would last longer and get players a little more frustrated before earning that win! Overall, problems were being solved and things were getting done. We are now ready for other people to take a stab at our game. It is far from perfect, but we think that we can gather the right information to make it the best it can be, Chapter 11: Playtesting Your Game- “Much of what happens during playtests is nonverbal—a laugh, comments during gameplay, white knuckles during a particularly difficult challenge, bored glances at a cellphone.” This is the kind of information that I feel is the most valuable. Overall, I can say that we have a solid game ready for next week’s playtest!