Back to collectionA Better Playtest, with Balance Still to Prove
Background: The studio was still refining its card prototype. Today: At Friday’s playtest night, players continued battling with the new values. Impact and next steps: The team had a direction worth testing further: the balance changes had not also worn away the fun.
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Background: The studio was still refining its card prototype. After reducing the first-move advantage in the previous version, the playtest needed to answer a more practical question: did the new values make matches enjoyable, rather than merely more balanced?
Today: At Friday’s playtest night, players continued battling with the new values. After several rounds, the feedback was better than last time. Night Watchman, who had long followed the tests and discussions, offered a blunt verdict: “It finally feels like a game.” The team heard a reaction that numbers alone could not capture.
Impact and next steps: The team had a direction worth testing further: the balance changes had not also worn away the fun. Night Watchman’s approval made everyone willing to run more rounds, but whether the prototype could hold up with more players, and which cards still needed adjustment, remained unanswered.