Disappointment and Game Design

 Disappointment and Game Design

I had every intention of bringing a prototype of what I'm tentatively calling "Critters" to CabinCon. I've done two "sort-of-play-tests" - one with Chad and one with Roger - just to test game mechanics, and honestly, I think it's a game! I need to flesh out some stuff (Spell cards and game end triggers) and expand other stuff (Encounter and Component cards), but there were some interesting choices to be made and I enjoyed what we played. Plus, in the wake of those tests, some new mechanics and ideas emerged that make the game that much more interesting. Chad and I each had our homework cut out and Roger was good enough to offer to take care of some prototype production for it once I sent him some stuff.

In short: all good stuff! Sure, there's a lot of testing still to be done and I'm sure there will be a lot of changes made. Possibly even structural changes. I'll know better when we've got a complete prototype and more formal (so to speak) play-test sessions.

So why can't I take Critters to CabinCon for our first official play-test?

Quite simply because I got caught up in other tasks that felt more pressing. Was that an accurate task assessment? Man, I don't know; did my Oni of Hate need to be painted before CabinCon? Probably not as much as I needed to finish up a paper and some reading for school. But that's still how I prioritized. As a result, I can bring an incomplete prototype that we can muddle through, but that doesn't seem worthwhile. And it's frustrating to navigate encounters via reading documents on my computer rather than off of drawn cards, as is the plan for the actual game.

I didn't do the work Chad and Roger both needed me to do in order to complete their own work. Neither of them hassled me about it because they know I'm busy, but I'm still disappointed. My prioritization means I don't get to play-test Critters while in NC with some good friends who happen to be gamers and could offer some useful feedback. More than that, on a personal level, it was very satisfying to get a game design to a level where I felt kinda proud to share it.

Hence my disappointment. But just remember that we all have setbacks. Some of them are outside of our control and others are self-inflicted. In my case, it's a little of both. Don't let either cause of setbacks get you down. It's easier said than done. I'm really disappointed I can't run my design past the group before Stonemaier Design Day. But put in perspective, it's not really that major a setback. And the other things I decided to prioritize over the prototype were also important. So if this is so important to me, I just need to budget my time better in the future.

Whatever setback has disappointed you in your personal or professional endeavors? I'm sorry it happened. But afford yourself some grace, try to maintain perspective, and know that you've got people cheering for you to succeed! In the meantime, I'm hoping that the next time I post about game design, I've got a functional prototype and in the midst of playtesting!