Rune Skovbo JohansenNov 4, 2018
Hi #indiedev Twitter! Any tips for how to handle playtesting of areas far into a game? I've had plenty of success testing "initial impressions" but don't have a well working approach for having playtesters go back for additional sessions. How do you all approach this?
Show threadMike LewisNov 4, 2018

@runevision If your later content is still somewhat approachable for a novice, set up cheats or savegames that drop testers directly in the late game. That way they don't need multiple sessions.

If, like most games, you have a considerable difficulty ramp, dedicated alpha/beta test groups are the way to go. Much harder to get a large cohort but usually far more dedicated players.

Show threadRune Skovbo JohansenNov 4, 2018
@Apoch Yeah, later content is not well suited for new players, which is the pickle.
Show threadRune Skovbo JohansenNov 4, 2018
@Apoch I have an alpha group but am looking for tips for running it well. I don't know how to motivate people to go back and test again when there's new updates, and to record gameplay videos instead of only leaving a few words of feedback.
Show threadRune Skovbo Johansen
@Apoch I've considered focusing on IRL testing on location, but then the issue of motivating people to come back gets even tougher as they then have to travel for it as well (even if only across town).
Nov 4, 2018 at 8:10pmWeb
Show threadMike LewisNov 4, 2018

@runevision Makes sense. I can sympathize for sure.

Can you capture metrics from a test session? We learn a lot by looking at key events and statistics, which eases the pressure on recording (and, indeed, manual objective reports in general from testers).

If you are fortunate enough to have in-engine replay tech, that's pure gold as far as data goes.

Show threadRune Skovbo JohansenNov 4, 2018
@Apoch I don't have replay tech unfortunately. Metrics is a whole other discussion. They can be nice for some things but are not a replacement for playtesting and so won't solve the problem at hand I think.