Week 11: First Playable + Peer Playtesting

🎮 First Playable Demo

Week 11: Peer Playtesting Session

Game Programming - CSCI 3213

Spring 2026 - Week 11

Oklahoma City University

📚 Today's Objectives

  • Demo your First Playable build to peers
  • Experience peer playtesting sessions
  • Give and receive constructive feedback
  • Identify what's working vs. what needs improvement
  • Practice explaining your game's design intent
  • Update your development plan based on feedback
First Playable: A rough but functional version where the core game loop can be experienced

🎯 First Playable Definition

What Should Be Working:

  • ✅ Basic player controls implemented
  • ✅ Core game loop is functional (can play the game)
  • ✅ Primary mechanic works (even if rough)
  • ✅ Simple win/loss or objective completion
  • ✅ Runs without crashing

What Can Still Be Missing:

  • ⚠️ Polish and visual effects
  • ⚠️ Final art assets (placeholders OK)
  • ⚠️ Sound effects and music
  • ⚠️ UI/menus (minimal is fine)
  • ⚠️ Advanced features or secondary mechanics
  • ⚠️ Bug-free perfection
Key Point: Focus on "Can someone play my game?" not "Is my game perfect?"

🔄 Playtesting Rotation

Session Structure (15 minutes per game):

  1. Setup (2 min):
    • Developer builds and launches game
    • Brief explanation of controls (only)
    • Don't explain strategies or goals yet!
  2. Silent Play (5 min):
    • Playtesters play without guidance
    • Developer observes and takes notes
    • No hints or help from developer!
  3. Guided Play (3 min):
    • Developer can now explain intent
    • Playtesters continue playing
    • Test specific features or scenarios
  4. Feedback Discussion (5 min):
    • What was fun? What was frustrating?
    • Did the game make sense?
    • Suggestions for improvement

👨‍💻 Your Role as Developer

During Silent Play - DO:

  • ✅ Watch how players interact with your game
  • ✅ Note where they get confused
  • ✅ Observe which features they discover vs. miss
  • ✅ Take detailed notes on their behavior
  • ✅ Notice their emotional reactions

During Silent Play - DON'T:

  • ❌ Interrupt to explain things
  • ❌ Give hints or guidance
  • ❌ Defend your design choices
  • ❌ Take feedback personally
  • ❌ Explain "it's not done yet" repeatedly
Golden Rule: If players don't understand something, that's valuable data - not a player failure!

🎮 Your Role as Playtester

DO:

  • ✅ Play honestly - try to understand the game
  • ✅ Think aloud - verbalize your thoughts
  • ✅ Point out confusing moments
  • ✅ Mention what feels fun or satisfying
  • ✅ Be specific in feedback ("Jump felt floaty")
  • ✅ Suggest solutions, not just problems

DON'T:

  • ❌ Be mean or dismissive
  • ❌ Compare unfavorably to AAA games
  • ❌ Focus only on art/polish issues
  • ❌ Give vague feedback ("it's fine")
  • ❌ Demand major scope changes
Remember: Your goal is to help improve the game, not criticize the developer

💬 Effective Feedback Framework

Use the "I Like, I Wish, I Wonder" Format:

I Like...

Positive aspects that work well

  • "I like how the jump feels responsive"
  • "I like the risk/reward of the dash mechanic"

I Wish...

Constructive criticism with suggestions

  • "I wish the enemies had more visual warning before attacking"
  • "I wish I could retry faster after dying"

I Wonder...

Questions and ideas for exploration

  • "I wonder what would happen if you could combine power-ups"
  • "I wonder if a tutorial level would help"

⚠️ Common First Playable Issues

Issues to Watch For:

Issue Solution
Players don't understand controls Add simple on-screen control hints
Core mechanic isn't fun yet Iterate on feel (speed, timing, feedback)
Players don't know the objective Add clear goal indicators or tutorial
Difficulty too high/low Adjust enemy count, health, or timings
Game loop isn't engaging Re-evaluate core mechanic or add variety
Too many bugs Focus on stability before next milestone
Priority: Fix understanding and fun issues before adding more features

📋 Developer Observation Checklist

While Watching Playtesters, Note:

  • Time to First Action:
    • How long before they figure out the controls?
  • Discovery:
    • What features do they find immediately?
    • What features do they miss completely?
  • Friction Points:
    • Where do they get stuck or frustrated?
    • What causes them to die/fail?
  • Engagement:
    • Are they smiling? Focused? Bored?
    • Do they want to replay or quit?
  • Unexpected Behavior:
    • Did they play the game differently than you intended?
    • Did they find exploits or cheese strategies?

👥 Playtesting Groups

Group Assignments:

You will rotate through 3 playtesting groups of 3-4 students each.

Rotation Schedule:

  • Round 1 (15 min): Developer A, Testers B, C, D
  • Round 2 (15 min): Developer B, Testers C, D, A
  • Round 3 (15 min): Developer C, Testers D, A, B
  • Round 4 (15 min): Developer D, Testers A, B, C
Between Rounds: 5-minute break to reset, switch stations, and prepare

📝 Documenting Feedback

Create a Feedback Log:

Template (add to your GDD or separate doc):

=== First Playable Feedback - Week 11 ===

Playtester: [Name]
Date: [Date]

What Worked:
- [Positive feedback]
- [What they enjoyed]

What Didn't Work:
- [Confusion points]
- [Frustrations]

Suggested Changes:
- [Specific suggestions]
- [Ideas to explore]

Observed Behavior:
- [What you noticed while watching]

Action Items:
1. [Fix X by Week 12]
2. [Improve Y for Core Mechanic Demo]
Use This: Review your feedback log when planning your next week's work

🤔 Post-Playtest Reflection

After Playtesting, Ask Yourself:

  1. Did players understand the core mechanic?
    • If no: How can I make it clearer?
  2. Was the game fun for them?
    • If no: What part felt un-fun? Can I fix it?
  3. Did they play the way I intended?
    • If no: Is that a problem or an opportunity?
  4. What feedback appeared across multiple testers?
    • Common feedback = high priority to address
  5. What feedback should I ignore?
    • Not all feedback is actionable or aligned with your vision
Trust Patterns: If 3+ people say the same thing, it's probably true

🎯 Prioritizing Feedback

Priority Matrix:

Priority Type of Feedback Action
🔴 Critical Players can't understand core mechanic Fix immediately (this week)
🔴 Critical Game crashes or has game-breaking bugs Fix immediately (this week)
🟡 High Core mechanic isn't fun Iterate by Week 12
🟡 High Players get stuck or frustrated Address by Week 12
🟢 Medium Feature requests or nice-to-haves Consider if time allows
🟢 Medium Visual polish or sound Save for Beta (Week 15)
⚪ Low Subjective preferences Consider but don't prioritize

💻 Playtesting Sessions Begin!

Next 60-75 Minutes:

  • Break into assigned groups
  • Complete 4 rounds of playtesting
  • Take detailed notes as developer
  • Give thoughtful feedback as tester

Setup Requirements:

  • Have your game ready to run quickly
  • Prepare a brief (30-second) control explanation
  • Bring notebook or laptop for notes
  • Be ready to share your screen/build
Timer: I'll announce when to rotate groups - stay on schedule!

📊 After Playtesting Debrief

Last 15 Minutes - Group Discussion:

Share with the class (volunteers):

  • What surprised you most during playtesting?
  • What feedback was most valuable?
  • What are you changing based on today?
  • What are you keeping as-is despite feedback?

Lessons Learned:

  • External perspective reveals blind spots
  • Players don't think like developers
  • Observing > Explaining
  • Iteration is the key to great games

🎯 Week 12 Goals: Core Mechanic Demo

What to Focus On:

  • Polish your primary game mechanic
  • Fix critical bugs identified today
  • Improve clarity (controls, objectives)
  • Add basic game feel improvements (juice)
  • Ensure mechanic is fun and engaging

Core Mechanic Demo = First Playable + Polish:

  • Same core game, but refined
  • Focus on one mechanic working really well
  • Add feedback (particles, sound, screen shake)
  • Playable from start to finish without issues
Remember: Better to have one amazing mechanic than five mediocre ones

📝 Homework & Deliverables

Due by Next Class (Week 12):

  1. Feedback Log (Submit to Canvas):
    • Summary of all feedback received
    • Your observations from playtesting
    • Action items with priorities
  2. Updated Build:
    • Address critical feedback
    • Polish core mechanic
    • Commit to GitHub with notes
  3. Reflection (1 paragraph):
    • What did you learn from playtesting?
    • What are you changing and why?
Office Hours: Available for design discussions and technical help

📝 Summary

Today's Accomplishments:

  • ✅ Demoed First Playable builds
  • ✅ Experienced peer playtesting
  • ✅ Gathered valuable feedback
  • ✅ Practiced giving constructive criticism
  • ✅ Identified priority improvements

Key Takeaways:

  • Playtesting reveals what you can't see
  • Players are always right about feelings, not always about solutions
  • Iteration > Perfection
  • Common feedback = high priority

Great work today! Keep iterating! 🚀