Playtest Group Applications (Ends October 25th, 2014)

[Carriker]

As part of my ongoing efforts to improve our game design process for both A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying and the Chronicle System, I’ve decided to put together a team of playtesters who can reliably receive the material we send, play through the material and then offer valuable and constructive feedback.

It is important that this is actually played, rather than merely read through, as part of the purpose is to ascertain how enjoyable the play is, rather than merely a conceptual “balance.”

To qualify as one of our groups, there must be at least three people in a playtest group, all of whom must sign NDAs. One person in the group will act as the Contact Person for that group with me directly, and I’ll be providing materials to those individuals directly. At least one person in the group must be willing to do a write-up within a specific deadline period, an after-report that is sent to me. This report should include their thoughts, but also those of the rest of their group. More than one person may write such after-reports, of course - the more information we get, the better the products.

In addition to a sneak peek at upcoming material, Playtesters will receive credit in the books they contribute feedback on, as well as the occasional freebie from your grateful developer. I’ll also be planning on putting together a single game at GenCon every year for the sole attendance of our playtest teams, to give us some time to hang out and game a little together.

If you are interested, please copy and paste the following questions into an email, answer them and then send it to carriker@greenronin.com by no later than October 25th. I’ll be selecting groups over this coming week, and should get everyone their NDAs by the end of October.

Application
Contact Person Name & Email:
List the Players in the Group, including their Emails:
How Often can your Group meet to playtest new material?

[intrstcrv]

Re: Playtest Group Applications (Ends October 25th, 2014)

So I have a regular group, and we can all sign the NDA, but we often get a new player or two for the occasional session, usually as an introduction to the system. Will they have to sign it as well? I don't think they would need a copy of the test rules, but just to play in the game where test rules are being used? Almost every time our new players just have the quickstart rules and a pre-made character and nothing else. I try and to introduce as many new players as possible to the game.

Basically does every single player in the game where playtest rules are being used have to be verified by you first?

Even if the answer is Yes, I'm still totally stoked to apply.

[Carriker]

Re: Playtest Group Applications (Ends October 25th, 2014)

Basically does every single player in the game where playtest rules are being used have to be verified by you first?

Basically because the nature of playtesting new material involves exposing the players not just to rules on the Narrator's side of the screen, but making character options available to PCs as well, it is necessary that everyone be under NDA. We'd also kind of need the group to not be continually adding folks to it, if for no other reason than because it's just me keeping up with the logistics and that sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare.

If you can establish a sort of "regular testing group" who can kick the tires on mechanics as we send stuff, that might work best. Besides, because of the nature of playtesting, it's probably better not to turn your normal campaign into a playtesting one - some material might fit into your chronicle nicely, but others might need you to create specific characters of some sort to test new player rules or what-have-you.

Thanks for the interest!