Playtesting, Playtesters...An Absymal Failure

[KeithBVaughn]

To the Group,

I'm just sharing an experience and experiment that I just did.

On one of the Yahoo boards I found a group of miniatures that looked interesting to me called Dead Earth miniatures. The miniatures didn't have any game system connected to them and I thought the name was interesting and inspiring. I took a concept in a game system I had made up and created a background for a far future earth where mankind has gone extinct and his successors: the Imperials dominate earth now. The game was short; 32-vertical, half pages and easy to download from the site (~3 megs.) I got a few thank-you's, but I've yet to receive any feedback or suggestions-in spite of leaving my email address in the game and a request on the board for them.

Ironically, the best feedback I got was from two game shop owners I am friends with in the local area. I gave them copies and they turned over those copies to gamers they knew to have experience. I did get feedback. (One negative, one positive LOL) It's seems to be my biggest hurdle to get people to playtest instead of just grabbing a "free" game and tucking it into their game library.

Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do to get past it?

Thanks in Advance,
Keith.

[BabbageCliologic]

To the Group,

I'm just sharing an experience and experiment that I just did.

On one of the Yahoo boards I found a group of miniatures that looked interesting to me called Dead Earth miniatures. The miniatures didn't have any game system connected to them and I thought the name was interesting and inspiring. I took a concept in a game system I had made up and created a background for a far future earth where mankind has gone extinct and his successors: the Imperials dominate earth now. The game was short; 32-vertical, half pages and easy to download from the site (~3 megs.) I got a few thank-you's, but I've yet to receive any feedback or suggestions-in spite of leaving my email address in the game and a request on the board for them.

Ironically, the best feedback I got was from two game shop owners I am friends with in the local area. I gave them copies and they turned over those copies to gamers they knew to have experience. I did get feedback. (One negative, one positive LOL) It's seems to be my biggest hurdle to get people to playtest instead of just grabbing a "free" game and tucking it into their game library.

Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do to get past it?

Thanks in Advance,
Keith.

Have you actually run a game at your local game shop? Having the author run something usually engenders responses from playtesters.

My suggestion would be to run the game and then post the results on a forum.

I know that I collect free games to see what they are like. I read a lot of game stuff and then don't always respond to it, either to the author (if email is provided) or to a forum.

By the way, where is this write-up, as I would be interested (but don't know if I'd have the opportunity to give input - just being truthful).

/BC

[AdAstraGames]

I have found that the best way to get playtest reports is to charge a nominal fee (more than $10, less than $20) for it.

This gives you some compensation for your efforts in getting the game to playtestable form.

It also means that someone who has the game is interested enough in the concept to pay for it.  If they don't like it, they're much likelier to tell you what they think is wrong with it, because, dammit, they PAID for it.