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This event was canceled

(Suspended until further notice) Board Games Playtest

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Hosted By
Mark E.

Details

Welcome to our regular playtest session at Rain City Games (formerly One Stop Shop)!

Come and meet other members who are interested in designing or playing tabletop games, and enjoy playing, sharing ideas and helping to develop and inspire new games in a supportive environment.

Bring a prototype if you have one, or simply get to know some friendly new faces and join in playing prototypes brought by other members. Novice and veteran designers/playtesters, and all types of prototype are very welcome!

IMPORTANT: Please respect our excellent hosts, Rain City Games, who kindly provide us with a friendly space for playtesting. This includes clearing up on time so we are out by 9pm, and asking permission from their awesome staff before handling their games - in particular, please do not open games that are for sale. If you have games on your wishlist, buying from Rain City Games is a great way to support your friendly local game store!

Format: Try to arrive close to 6pm. We may do brief introductions before seeing what prototypes we have available to play. We will do our best to match these up with playtester preferences and include everyone as and when they arrive.

Tips for designers:

  • Give a brief pitch to explain the type of game and how long it will take (aim to find playtesters with matching preferences/time)
  • When explaining rules to playtesters, start with a simple overview before diving into details
  • Have a purpose in mind for the session (e.g. 'I want to see if my basic mechanics make for a fun game')
  • Write notes on your observations, and record feedback

Tips for playtesters:

  • Be honest and also tactful with feedback
  • When noting issues with a game, include positive comments and try to focus on helping the designer to improve their game
  • Aim to help the designer make the game you are playing better, rather than suggesting a completely different game
  • Note your thoughts/emotions during the game to help with feedback

For a more detailed list, I like this one put together by Luke Laurie on League of Game Makers: http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/how-to-playtest-part-1-set-the-stage/

Please RSVP if you are interested in attending, as numbers are limited due to table space.

Thanks for reading to the end, and let's have a great time exploring new games together!

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Vancouver Playtest
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Rain City Games
88 W Pender St Unit 1069 · Vancouver, BC