[A Thought] On Paying Playtesters to Playtest your game

[Andy Kitkowski]

This is a topic/idea that I often see floating around here and RPGNet.

You're almost finished (or in the middle of) designing your game. You troll around for feedback, but maybe it's because you're not known, or just don't have many aquaintences online, but you just can't seem to get a lot of decent feedback (or Actual Playtesting) for your game.

Pay for playtesters!  I think it's a solid idea, and a great way for people to look through and play your game. Offering $3-6 dollars for someone to submit some solid feedback on your game doesn't sound so bad at all.

Anyway, the specific thought I just had was this: To get people to commit to reviewing your game in 1) A timely manner and 2) in a way that suits your needs, I was thinking something like this may work (and outline it to potential playtesters):

1) You ask that someone gives you $5 over Paypal.  This confirms that they're committed to the idea of playtesting your game. Nothing says "I'm in- You can count on me" than CA$H. Paypal serves nicely here.

2) Give them a very specific, multi-page feedback form that covers both the experience of reading through the materials and results of a playtest session. Be very specific in the kind of answers you're looking for.

3) When the playtest form is returned, so is the Reservation Money, plus the promised extrra cash (I figure anywhere from $3 for a small supplement with minimul feedback to $10 for a thick game with lots of reading and questions to fill out is fair).  Throw in a discount on the final product.

Hopefully, this will get people who are solidly committed to the idea of the game enough incentive to jump in there in a timely manner and give you solid feedback.

Just a brainfart.  Too much coffee, perhaps.

Thoughts?

[jdagna]

It should help... although, I tried offering $50 to a key group of playtesters on my core book and wound up getting so little back from them that I didn't need to pay them (I did give them a comp book for what I did get).  I've certainly had much better responses from groups who hand't been offered anything at all (not even a comp book).

A smaller payment would certainly be fine if you're expecting less actual feedback from people, but I think anything less than $20 and people are going to do it (or not) based on whether they want to, not based on the money.

Naturally, your mileage may vary.

[DevP]

Thinking economically, I can see money mattering. I mean, people are giving up some amount of time to play, and it costs them time to learn/try new things, and time=money, esp. since they're risk-averse about gambling their time on an untried game. But, money can compensate for the gambled time, and it's still a fun time (and a subsidized fun time!).

Also, this is also a case where the effects of in-kind rewards (comp books, foods, etc.) will create diferent behavior than money. I'm guessing, just roughly, that actual money will command a more reliable response than in-kind stuff (which makes it feel like a "friendly favor to another gamer", which would encourage more fudging or flakiness).

(Idea to append to the above: it would be great to offer to good playtesters either X cash, or 2X discount (or comp) for the actual product.)

Unfortunately, this is just another money input, which can be hard for some of us.

It would be great to piggy back this on some other market system with reputation, like eBay, so you could track which game-developers are honest about paying you for good feedback, and rewarding good playtesters for good feedback. (eBay could work, no? Play groups going on eBay letting folks bid for how much they're paid for a 3-game contract, and posting on RPG.net or such to announce that they're available.)

But, finally, a reality-check: unless many people try this, you won't really have a "market" in playtesting, meaning that the results you get will just be sort of wierd, if not skewed terribly.

[Solly Brown]

Speaking from my own position I would be quite willing to read and appraise another indie publishers work (from the view of a gamer, not a publisher) if he were to reciprocate and do the same for me.

Unfortunately I haven't the time or have my regular gaming buddies to thrash the living daylights out of a game, but testing the basic dynamics of the game such as character creation and combat I could do.  

I agree that many posts on the forge don't get a lot of feedback. The e -publishers form on rpgnow is good place for professional advice.  

Jonathan Ridd
Dog Town:Crime Wave - Pure Punk Roleplaying
www.coldbloodedgames.com

[daMoose_Neo]

Thats been the general, accepted and directed approach here on Forge - I'll read yours if you read mine. For just the reasons you pointed out, it doesn't happen, thus we have Andy's idea.
Course too, if you're one of the types spending so much time with a regular group, could it really hurt to say "Lets not kill that dragon tonight. Why don't we check something else out, just this once, and see what it does?"

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

My perception is very different. As far as I can tell, "I'll read yours if you'll read mine" is quite common here among Forge users. It's probably slower than most people would like, but it happens more often and more thoroughly than Andy's post suggests to me.

Best,
Ron

[Wilper]

Perhaps you have come to a later stage in the development, but I have gotten solid feedback for free.

I have brought my game to a local con a few times, and also brought an adventure and some pre generated characters.  I let some complete strangers play, and once they learn that it is my own game that they are playing they gladly sit around after the game and discuss the rules and setting and come with suggestions.

[grimnr]

I two have had problems getting feedback for my game, and if I had the money i probly would pay someone to playtest it: That being said I am more than willing to test any game for any amount of money <grin>