Game Designer Workshop Episode 4: Playtesting

110731_playtesting_posterNews: Caleb’s Eclipse Phase scenario, the Devotees, is now out. Check it out!

Synopsis: Writing a new game is hard enough, but it’s only the beginning. Playtesting the game to see if it works is the second part. Seeing a group of players tear your precious game apart may be painful, but it is a necessary part of creating a better game. Caleb and I discuss our thoughts on Caleb’s recent playtesting of Red Markets.

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5 Comments

  1. There’s a parallel universe version of this game called Red Tape where you play Census Bureau employees retiring Residents (“taking Voters off the rolls” ?) so the government can take their property as to better serve Taxpayers (the living). A recharge today means paperwork tomorrow (SAN loss between sessions).

    Or a game of Haliburton-esque employees, zombies meet Glengarry Glen Ross, where the best Closers (Takers) get the best territories meaning they’ll keep winning the monthly performance prize and keep getting the best territory assignments, while the guys who don’t stand out can never get ahead.

  2. Nice to hear things are going well. I really like Ross’s idea for the new guys arrive a little beat up system. It fits very well with the themes of the game (from what I understand them to be).

  3. For your resource mechanic, you should check out the new Torchbearer RPG by the Mouse Guard people.

  4. I love hearing about this stuff. no more intelligent comment than that, but I do! I’ve said before that I don’t dig zombies, but this sounds fascinating.

    also, a Cracked article the other day totally mentioned the economics of the zombie apocalypse being completely unexplored. I thought of Hebanon!

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