Week 15: Beta Build + Final Playtesting

💎 Beta Build Polish

Week 15: Final Playtesting & Bug Fixing

Game Programming - CSCI 3213

Spring 2026 - Week 15

Oklahoma City University

📚 Today's Objectives

  • Present your Beta Build (nearly shippable quality)
  • Conduct final comprehensive playtesting
  • Identify remaining bugs and polish issues
  • Receive final feedback before Public Play Day
  • Create a final week polish plan
  • Prepare for public showcase
Beta Build: Game should feel complete, polished, and ready to show publicly

🎯 Beta Build Definition

Beta Quality Standards:

✅ Beta Build MUST Have:

  • All features complete and polished
  • No critical or high-priority bugs
  • Final (or near-final) art and audio
  • Smooth, stable performance
  • Polished menus and UI
  • Clear win/lose states and feedback
  • Balanced and playtested difficulty
  • Professional presentation

⚠️ Minor Issues Acceptable:

  • Low-priority bugs (edge cases)
  • Minor visual glitches
  • Small balancing tweaks needed
Beta = Nearly Shippable: You'd feel comfortable showing this to strangers

📊 Alpha vs Beta Comparison

Aspect Alpha (Week 14) Beta (Week 15 - TODAY)
Features All present All present and polished
Bugs Many known issues Critical/high bugs fixed
Art/Audio Some placeholders OK Final or near-final assets
Polish Functional, rough edges Juice, effects, transitions
Performance May have lag/drops Smooth, optimized
UI/Menus Basic functionality Polished, user-friendly
Showcase Ready? No Almost - minor tweaks only

✨ Beta Polish Checklist

Did You:

  • Visual Polish:
    • ✅ Replace all placeholder art
    • ✅ Add particle effects where appropriate
    • ✅ Screen shake, flash effects, impact feedback
    • ✅ Smooth camera movement
    • ✅ Visual feedback for all player actions
  • Audio Polish:
    • ✅ Sound effects for all major actions
    • ✅ Background music appropriate for mood
    • ✅ Audio mixing (no one sound too loud/quiet)
    • ✅ Audio options (mute, volume control)
  • UI/UX Polish:
    • ✅ Main menu with clear options
    • ✅ Pause menu functional
    • ✅ Win/lose screens with retry options
    • ✅ Loading screens or transitions
    • ✅ Tooltips or tutorial elements

🎮 Final Playtesting Goals

Today's Playtesting is Different:

This is a final validation before public showcase. We're looking for:

  • Showstopper Bugs:
    • Anything that would embarrass you in front of public
    • Crashes, soft-locks, game-breaking exploits
  • First Impressions:
    • Does it make a good first impression?
    • Would a stranger understand how to play?
  • Polish Gaps:
    • Missing juice or feedback
    • Confusing UI elements
    • Inconsistent art or audio
  • Fun Factor Validation:
    • Is it enjoyable for fresh players?
    • Do people want to replay?

🔄 Beta Playtest Session Format

25-Minute Sessions Per Game:

  1. Developer Introduction (2 min):
    • Quick elevator pitch (30 seconds)
    • Controls explanation (30 seconds)
    • Anything else tester needs to know (1 min)
  2. Hands-Off Playtesting (12 min):
    • 3-4 testers play sequentially or in parallel
    • Developer observes SILENTLY
    • Note bugs, confusion, engagement levels
    • Pretend this is Public Play Day
  3. Bug Documentation (3 min):
    • Testers report bugs found
    • Developer documents in bug tracker
  4. Structured Feedback (8 min):
    • Fill out Beta Feedback Form
    • Discussion: fun, polish, bugs, suggestions

📋 Beta Feedback Form

Rate on 1-5 Scale:

Category Question
Fun How enjoyable was the game?
Polish How polished did it feel (art, audio, effects)?
Clarity How easy was it to understand?
Balance Was the difficulty well-balanced?
Stability How stable/bug-free was it?
Showcase Ready? Ready to show to public? (Yes/No/Almost)

Open-Ended Questions:

  • What was the most fun moment?
  • What was the most frustrating moment?
  • List any bugs you encountered
  • What needs the most improvement before showcase?
  • Would you play this again? Why or why not?

🐛 Critical Bug Triage

During Playtesting, Categorize Bugs:

Priority Must Fix Before Showcase?
🔴 Showstopper YES - Fix this week (crashes, soft-locks)
🟠 Critical YES - Fix this week (major gameplay issues)
🟡 High TRY - If time allows (noticeable bugs)
🟢 Medium MAYBE - Quick fixes only
⚪ Low NO - Post-showcase (if ever)
Reality Check: You have 1 week. Focus on showstoppers and critical bugs only.

👥 Playtesting Groups

Group Assignments:

Groups of 4 - each student gets 25-minute session

Today's Schedule (~2 hours):

  • Round 1: Student A (25 min)
  • Round 2: Student B (25 min)
  • Break: 10 minutes
  • Round 3: Student C (25 min)
  • Round 4: Student D (25 min)
  • Group Debrief: 10 minutes
Treat This Like Public Play Day: Pretend testers are strangers who know nothing about your game

🧠 Developer Mindset for Playtesting

Stay Calm and Observe:

✅ DO:

  • Watch silently - resist urge to help
  • Note every moment of confusion
  • Document all bugs reported
  • Thank testers for honest feedback
  • Ask clarifying questions after they play

❌ DON'T:

  • Interrupt to explain things
  • Defend your design choices
  • Make excuses ("it's supposed to...")
  • Dismiss feedback
  • Take criticism personally
Remember: If testers don't get it, public players won't either - fix it or explain it better

🎮 Beta Playtesting Sessions Begin!

Setup:

  • Get into assigned groups
  • Have your Beta Build ready to launch
  • Prepare feedback forms (digital or print)
  • Open your bug tracker for live updates

Tester Expectations:

  • Play like you're at an indie game convention
  • Be honest but constructive
  • Report all bugs, no matter how small
  • Give specific, actionable feedback
Timer: I'll announce rotations - stick to 25-minute schedule

💬 Class Debrief

Whole Class Discussion:

Share (volunteers):

  • What showstopper bugs did you find?
  • What feedback surprised you?
  • What are you most proud of?
  • What still needs work before next week?
  • Which game are you most excited to see at Public Play Day?

Lessons from Beta Testing:

  • Fresh eyes catch bugs you've been blind to
  • First impressions can't be faked - they matter
  • Small polish adds up to big impact
  • Scope discipline pays off - finished games ship

🎯 Final Week Game Plan

Week 16 Focus: Showcase Preparation

Days 1-3 (Mon-Wed):

  • Fix all showstopper bugs
  • Fix critical bugs if possible
  • Test, test, test

Days 4-5 (Thu-Fri):

  • Final polish pass (quick wins only)
  • Prepare showcase materials (poster, description)
  • Build final executable
  • Test one more time

Public Play Day:

  • Set up your station
  • Welcome players
  • Observe and gather feedback
  • Celebrate your achievement!
Feature Freeze: No new features after today - bug fixes and polish only

🎪 Public Play Day Preparation

What You Need for Showcase:

  • Game Build:
    • Stable executable (Windows .exe preferred)
    • Tested on showcase machine
    • Controller support if applicable
  • Visual Materials:
    • Poster or screen display (game title, screenshot, controls)
    • Optional: Business cards or QR code to your game
  • Elevator Pitch:
    • 30-second explanation of your game
    • Practice explaining to non-gamers
  • Feedback Collection (Optional):
    • Comment cards or Google Form
    • QR code for downloads/feedback
Details: More information on Public Play Day logistics coming soon

📝 Final Week Tasks

Due by Public Play Day (Week 16):

  1. Final Build:
    • Showstopper bugs fixed
    • As polished as possible
    • Tested and stable
    • Submitted to Canvas + bring on USB
  2. Showcase Materials:
    • Poster (digital or print)
    • Control reference sheet
    • Elevator pitch prepared
  3. Post-Mortem Document (Due after Play Day):
    • What went well
    • What didn't go well
    • What you learned
    • Future improvements
  4. Updated GDD (Final Version):
    • Reflect actual final game
    • Include pattern explanations

🎓 You're Almost There!

Reflect on Your Journey:

From concept to playable game in 7 weeks!

  • Week 9: Just an idea and a pitch
  • Week 11: Rough but playable
  • Week 12: Core mechanic felt good
  • Week 13: One polished experience
  • Week 14: All features complete
  • Week 15: Nearly shippable quality
  • Week 16: Public showcase!

Be Proud:

  • You've built a complete game
  • You've applied professional design patterns
  • You've iterated based on feedback
  • You're ready to show the world

One week until showtime! 🎮🌟

📝 Summary

Today's Accomplishments:

  • ✅ Showcased Beta Builds
  • ✅ Conducted final playtesting
  • ✅ Identified showstopper bugs
  • ✅ Received final pre-showcase feedback
  • ✅ Created final week action plan

Final Week Focus:

  • Fix showstoppers and critical bugs
  • Final polish (quick wins only)
  • Prepare showcase materials
  • Test thoroughly
  • Build final executable

Next week: Public Play Day! See you there! 🎉