Player Feedback that rules. Six playtested questions to improve playtesting.

Feedback Request

I'm a social-creative GM and designer, and I'm extremely curious. That's why I developed and refined this series of questions to help the GM (me) learn after every session, in a way that's fun, not formal.
These questions supplement "Reading the room," while you playtest, which is wonderful. Essential. Hands down the best way to learn. Listen to what players say, how they say it, and care about why and you'll go far. These questions let you read the room when the game is finished, so that you can give your players your undivided attention. Maximum listening, zero teaching or need to respond.
Let me restate that. When you get feedback, drink it in with a thirsty brain and offer no resistance, excuses, or corrections, only thanks. As a game tester, I mean. If anything, use three words from what they said with a question mark to get clarification. "Confusing and frustrating?" "Pile of what?"
I'm kidding. Follow-up questions are good, but seek negative feedback is what I'm saying. These questions are actually super positive, so listen for silences and like I said, read the room.
Oh, I openly audio-record them on my phone as notes, but I record the entire session too. I highly recommend listening back to sessions to learn more. An unobtrusive phone is fine, my players don't mind.
I've read most of these 50+ times verbatim.
End Credits:
After each session, record a recap that you can play next time to set the stage. The following questions illuminate how players experienced the game and where the story leads. And it's fun!
What lore and lessons did you learn?
Where did you go, and who did you meet there?
What was each PC's best moment?
What choice or challenge could you have done differently?
What part of play would you like to see less of next session?
What did you leave unfinished? What do you want to do next?
"What lore and lessons did you learn?" This one always invites a joke like, "We're terrible people," or, "Mothman could see how everyone would die except himself." Vibes matter.
This question creates a sense of celebration for players while I get to hear what lore sticks. Each player remembers maybe 50% of what you say (the first time), but the multiple player perspectives render a multifaceted picture of what mattered to players. Watch their faces as other players revel or are surprised because they didn't hear that lore during play. Everyone misses some things. This question teaches you (and any GM) just how much difference there is between our precious lore and what players connect with. Sometimes it's presentation, but for me, if content isn't easy to present right, it's not right for the game.
"Where did you go, and who did you meet there?" This refreshes the player's memory on the narrative to set up the next question. As above, whatever all players forget completely wasn't important. Consider cutting or revising.
"What was each PC's best moment?" For the players this is a way to celebrate each other as they reinforce what they like and hear each other out. For me, every answer is a proxy, giving me a huge flashing hint pointing to the kind of experience the player found fulfilling in this story with this character. If you're an "8 types of fun" designer, this question is gold. What rules/mechanics/content set up that moment? What could I do to make those more frequent and better?
"What choice or challenge could you have done differently?" Stolen directly from Matt Colville to let players teach themselves how much narrative freedom they had. Read the room to see what roads untraveled were appealing.
"What part of play would you like to see less of next session?" This avoids the pitfall of feedback turning respondents into A.) Cheerleaders, or B.) Critics. You're asking not, "What did you dislike?" but, "I'm doing things differently next draft, so what would you not want to double up on?" It's very non-committal. This is the place I try to get the MOST negative feedback possible. Anything you're iffy about, ask them if they want that again next session and if your intuitions are good, you'll hear, "Oh yeah, no I'd rather change it up."
Although I've only used this newest question for 3 months (maybe 12 games), I've never gotten a backseat game design answer where a player suggested a solution instead of a problem they noticed. You want to know the problem and design the solution yourself.
"What did you leave unfinished? What do you want to do next?" This is really a gourmet GM question. Magnificent. 11/10. Everyone should do this just so that the next session starts on the same page. Meanwhile as a designer, I know what part of the game drives players. It's usually the most central conflict with a peppering of PC goals, which is perfect. But every now and then, I'm shocked what was the most appealing thing, and that's the benefit of playtesting!

This has refined my game designs immeasurably, and it's part of the feedback loop that improves the GM, designer, players, and the story as an organically developing creative thing.

Any feedback welcome! How do you learn from running your game(s)?

Posted Jan 30, 2024, 3:22 AM UTC

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