What We Learned From Our First Playtests
Six players, ninety minutes each, and a notebook of surprises.
Surprise #1: nobody read the tutorial card. Everyone figured out the core loop in under two minutes by mashing buttons. The tutorial card now lives in the codex, not on the screen.
Surprise #2: the slowest moment in the game — a contemplative sequence at the end of chapter one — was unanimously the favorite part. We had been considering trimming it. We're not anymore.
Surprise #3: three of six players asked if they could replay chapter two with a different character. We had not even hinted that this was possible. It's not, yet. But maybe.