Playtesters: The Scenario Writers Guild Wants YOU!

mrbistro · #1 November 4th, 2007, 03:45 PM

After a period of inactivity several board members are reviving the Scenario Writer's Guild. The Guild's goal is to create and release solid non-tournament style maps with balanced and fun scenarios. These are the kinds of scenarios a gaming group can pick up and use for a fun weekend of 'Scaping. The Guild is currently looking to recruit playtesters who can put a scenario through its paces and provide feedback. Playtesters would need to have a terrain collection with at least 3-4 master sets, as well as a few of the terrain expansions. While the Guild will release both small and large maps, the majority of the scenarios will require more than 1 master set.

What does playtesting involve?
*Playing a map and its accompanying scenario several times.
*Providing feedback on the map (what works and what doesn't).
*Providing feedback on the scenario (what works and what doesn't).
*Providing feedback on the overall experience (did you have fun?).

If playtesting is something you have an inclination for (as well as the time), please send a PM to either mrbistro or naps420.

bunjee · #2 November 6th, 2007, 06:50 PM

I'm really hoping to see some people participate in the guild play testing. Work and helping Elstree test maps for the BoV has been a bit of time as it is combined with massive workload for my paying job.

Hmm, I think I could work out a scenario play on our monthly game days, so perhaps I will sign up. PM's forthcoming.

that guy · #3 November 6th, 2007, 07:47 PM

I would love to do it, but my son enjoys eating things he's not supposed to and poking me in the eyeball. In a few years we'll do it.

Avenger · #4 November 7th, 2007, 02:08 AM

I would love to do it, but the only available scaper is myself, so I'm guessing that that rules me out...

eveningdrive · #5 November 7th, 2007, 01:52 PM

Like the BOV, can the rest of the community also nominate their creations, or are you focusing on finding play-testers first?

mrbistro · #6 November 7th, 2007, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eveningdrive

Like the BOV, can the rest of the community also nominate their creations, or are you focusing on finding play-testers first?

Great question. Right now we really need playtesters. We have a group dedicated to creating maps & scenarios. That said, we would not be amiss if someone wanted to join and design. Being able to playtest as well would be a big asset.

Roland · #7 November 7th, 2007, 03:16 PM

I could playtest! My schedule is screwy but I always find time once or twice a week to scape

UtahScott · #8 November 7th, 2007, 05:06 PM

mrbistro,

I'm sure it'll vary by scenario, but how many players are usually necessary?
Four maximum?

Nice to see this idea being picked back up. I'm sure there are some locals around that wouldn't mind some more game time.... *hopes*

Spectre007 · #9 November 7th, 2007, 06:30 PM

I would be most interested in playtesting for you guys. I play with a group of between 3-5 players every weekend and am always looking for new maps/ideas to try out. Consider PM's sent.

mrbistro · #10 November 7th, 2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UtahScott

mrbistro,

I'm sure it'll vary by scenario, but how many players are usually necessary?
Four maximum?

Nice to see this idea being picked back up. I'm sure there are some locals around that wouldn't mind some more game time.... *hopes*

Yeah. I've seen more 2-player ideas thrown around then anything else, though multi-player will be seen. I think 4 would be a fine large number.

I don't want to add anyone who's just testing the water, so please shoot myself or naps420 a PM if you decide you want in. Thanks for the reponses folks!

Elstree · #11 November 7th, 2007, 11:26 PM

This is great, Bistro! We need a project to test and showcase some of the larger maps and other scenarios besides kill 'em all. BOV is pretty narrowly focused on a particular kind of map and scenario. I'd volunteer if my time weren't already committed to BOV.

Were you planning on having a fixed panel or a peer review system. The TNT project seems to be using a kind of hybrid system where judges are selected from a pool and assigned to review a particular custom. It seems like that system is working well for that project and I think it could work well here. That would allow some people who can't always participate to occasionally participate as their time allowed.

naps420 · #12 November 8th, 2007, 05:50 AM

The first thing we have been doing in the guild is tossing around ideas for scenarios we'd like to see projects started on. We then hold a vote to see who thinks what scenarios should be the groups next project. Currently, since we are still a small group, we have been trying to focus on working on one project at a time, with a few exceptions made so far. Once a scenario is voted and gains the support of the guild, it's on to working out the kinks of the rules and putting a map to it (if one hasn't already been made for the scenario). Once the rules have been worked out, map completed, and everyone working on the project is happy, it moves onto the play testing phase. If the play testing goes well, the scenario is done and we move onto the next new project. If the play testing comes back with some bad feedback, it's reworked and play tested again and again until it works.

At the moment, we have 2 great scenarios completed and awaiting a few more before we have them published. We had come up with the idea of releasing around 4-6 scenarios at one time (1 Large map, a couple medium maps, and a couple small maps) and trying to do this quarterly per year. This could change, depending on how the guild grows and how fast we can finish up projects.