Playtesting, Plano Boxes, and Clear Tape

When should you start playtesting?

I come across this question all the time in blogs on gaming. From my perspective, as soon as possible! When you start making a game it becomes like a little baby that you're growing. You get attached to elements that by the time you've finished making your game, will be gone...I promise you! In fact, making a board game is an exercise in non-attachment. Things that you thought would be fun upon conception, turn out to be horrible...and ideas that you wrote off initially, turn out to be the best parts of your game. In short, you can't know just how fun or boring a game element is until you try it!

Getting Organized:

 I keep all of my playtesting supplies in Plano Boxes to make setup as easy as possible. Without an actual board game box and inserts, it helps to be able to get out your components quickly and to keep them organized in betweens plays. Walmart has the one pictured on the right for <4 bucks. Craft boxes also work well...

How Many Times Should You Playtest?

In the midst of my playtesting, I searched the internet for the answer. How many times SHOULD I aim for? Here is a sampling of what people say:

-100 times
-1000 times
-Blind playtesting matters the most
-At conventions with strangers
-100 times after your last rule change
-42
-Until it is the most amazing game ever
-There is no such thing as too much testing
-However many times it takes to get it right
-All, all the times
-Until you get consistent, positive responses
-Depends on the complexity of the game
-Infinity


I got a little overwhelmed looking at all of the advice until I realized that designing a board game is a creative venture and so is the art of play testing. In truth, I ended play testing when I had played the game several times and hadn't made any changes and was happy with the results. Do I know the exact number? NO. Did I end up taking the advice of the many bloggers, sort of. I feel like there is no correct answer. And feeling like the game is never done is an official game designers syndrome that is a real thing.