Playtested entries?

[Nephilim]

I was wondering whether any of the entrants have managed to actually playtest any of their entries. It's an odd beast, this 24-Hour RPG competition, since unless you write a game that lends itself to solitaire play, you can't playtest your game before releasing it. It's not just the abbreviated timeframe that does it, either - the rules pretty much preclude playtesting, because you can't get help from anyone.

So I'm wondering whether anyone has managed to playtest their game after the fact, and what you found.

[Rob Lang]

I haven't but I am tempted to throw my player group at it. Not only do I think their pure evil might enjoy it but also because because I used a dice pool mechanic and it really does need tuning. I have no idea whether it is actually possible to pass a skill check! Beyond eyeballing the numbers, there was no science to it, I didn't have time.

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

I've tested some of my longer games, but the 24s don't get as much attention afterward. However, I'm hoping to change that trend with "Of G-Men and Supermen". Partially because I want to re-use the mechanics for another game (based on the webcomic Misfile), and also because I'm wondering about the combat mechanics.

For that matter, I've got a whole list of changes, and my three page journal of my progress over the 24 hours. I could turn this into a teaching tool about the steps of the revision process if I had a better work ethic...

Of course, one of my friends is moving today, so I really don't have a local game group around here to do anything with, so testing isn't really convenient.

[Rob Lang]

Neph, are you going to playtest yours?

[Dyson Logos]

I've run the sample adventure in Geodesic Gnomes twice now, for two different groups.

It's been very successful overall. The things that came out of the playtests:

1. Need more Talents to provide more variety for the characters.
2. Need more examples of the equipment system to help new players figure out what they want and what equipment can do.

For the second I'm thinking of a short supplement called GnomeTech.

[Chainsaw Aardvark]

I suppose you could do an addition for those in the wilderness called "Gnome on the Range"

Now the more serious follow up question is, how many of us are going to revise these games, and then what should we do with them? I'm quite impressed that there is already a second edition of Big Hearts in Big Country. (However, I would have preferred without the yellowed paper background.)

[tadk]

i did not have time to do anything resembling playtesting

Revising
I think I will be revising mine, as well as fleshing out the system a bit
Still processing what my own home system will be

[Dyson Logos]

After a few more updates, "Geodesic Gnomes - High Tech Low Life" should see a revised edition fleshed out to around 60 to 80 pages at which point I'll make a print edition available through LuLu.

(Oh, and a printer-friendly edition of the 24 hour version of the rules for downloading for free that won't have the grey background on the page)

[tygertyger]

[Nephilim]