Re: [AD] US Playtest of Dungeon Now Starting

From: David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>

Date: Sun, 01 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Kerry Harrison <madhouse-usa@play-by-mail.com> writes:
> most of the real playtesting at the moment involves the monster tribe
> positions (in a separate location from where the adventurers are).

Do you mean that there will be players paying to play in the finished
parts of the game world, and simultaneously the other parts of the game
will be playtested?  By the same people?  Or by someone else?  I'm not
sure I get it yet.

If they are in a separate location, how are the two connected?  It
sounds like you might as well have two entirely separate games in that
case: the finished adventurer game and the unfinished monster game.

> What we consider a playtest is bit different than what you consider a
> playtest.

My definition of a playtest is: (1) players play the game, according to
the same rules and mechanisms that will be used in the finished game,
and (2) those rules and mechanisms are adjusted in response to the
feedback that those testers give.  I don't think it can be a playtest if
both (1) and (2) don't apply.

The usual bargain is that players play for free in exchange for their
feedback.  Of course, there's nothing to say that's the only possible
model.  It's also not clear (to me) whether "the game is still in
playtest" means that the players who sign up to play are in fact
playtesters, or just that they are one part of a game other parts of
which are still being playtested (see above).

> Guess we're just a little touched in the head.

I guess that depends on how many people do want to pay.  If a lot, maybe
I'll offer to let people pay $4/hour to paint my house (they can "have
quite a bit of input into the finished version ...").

David desJardins

References

[AD] US Playtest of Dungeon Now Starting
"Kerry Harrison" <madhouse-usa@play-by-mail.com>
Sun, 01 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000
Re: [AD] US Playtest of Dungeon Now Starting
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Sun, 01 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000
Re: [AD] US Playtest of Dungeon Now Starting
"Kerry Harrison" <madhouse-usa@play-by-mail.com>
Sun, 01 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

[AD] US Playtest of Dungeon Now Starting
"Kerry Harrison" <madhouse-usa@play-by-mail.com>
Sun, 01 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000
Re: [AD] US Playtest of Dungeon Now Starting
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Sun, 01 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000
Re: [AD] US Playtest of Dungeon Now Starting
"Kerry Harrison" <madhouse-usa@play-by-mail.com>
Sun, 01 Nov 1998 00:00:00 +0000