Sign up for Your Playtest and Feedback Group
Please sign up for a Playtest and Feedback group under People using the listed time zones. You may choose to play with your group from the previous class or a new group, but your group size should be a maximum of 4. Make sure you have joined a group so that the instructors know who is responsible for playtesting and peer reviewing.
In Transformative Game Design 2, your playtests will focus upon your skills at facilitation and implementation for transformative impacts, rather than than the design of the game itself.
You will each engage in the following steps during this course:
1) Game Selection: In preparation for your Session 0, individually choose three (3) games from the below list that you are interested in facilitating for the group.
2) Playtest 1 — Session 0: Engage in a Session 0, in which you will collectively decide which member of the group is running which scenario. In this Session 0, each facilitators will take turns using the Consent in Gaming checklist for each game, with each participant listing their various boundaries (including the facilitator). Note that you can choose to create one large checklist for all games or separate checklists for each game (time consuming, but recommended, as each game has different purposes/themes). Players can also choose to veto certain games no questions asked, i.e. X-Card. Make sure to establish safety practices, including any guidelines and mechanics.
If agreement cannot be reached on games to playtest, please contact the instructors.
3) Playtest 2: Implementation of a Game for Transformative Impacts: Each participant will facilitate a game from the list for their playtest group, guiding the group through all the stages. The facilitator should hack the game, identifying a specific transformative impact and/or learning objective they want to emphasize. The facilitator should add or change existing workshops and debriefs to focus upon the desired transformative impact. The facilitator can also hack the time estimates in the game according to the following guidelines.
Each playtest should last no longer than 2 hours: 45 min-1.5 hours for workshop, play, and debriefing (depending on the game), and 15-30 minutes on player feedback on facilitation/implementation.
Thus, Playtest 2 should last no longer than 4 hours, not including breaks, i.e. 2 students will be able to facilitate during this session.
4) Playtest 3: Implementation of a Game for Transformative Impacts: Same instructions as Playtest 2.
List of Games for Playtest Facilitation:
- Arons, J. Michael. 2021. “Be Witch.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Barnett, Tracy. 2014. “HERE LIES ______.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Cazeneuve, Axiel. 2020. “Talk to Me.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Cooper, Tracy. 2021. “Great Unknown.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Note: This game involves secrecy, but should be hacked for transparency, as all players have access to the scenario.
- Devine, Tim. 2019. “Julia’s Lost Treasure.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Holkar, Mo. 2018. “Fake News.” Alexandria.dk.
- Lucas, Casey. 2020. “All We Have Is Us.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Nix, Dylan. “Charging of the Light-Bearer.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Reininghaus, Gerrit. 2020. “The Batcave.” Golden Cobra Challenge.
- Content advisory: Information about bats, images of bats
- Wood, Laura. 2020. “A Single Step.” Golden Cobra Challenge.