itch.io Community » Tabletop Gaming » General » Theory

Games you just... HAVE to write.

A topic by Tyrannoeil created May 11, 2019 Views: 1,498 Replies: 3

Viewing posts 1 to 3

I don't know if it happens to other (would-be) game designers but the other day I got struck by an idea SO good and strong it just begged to become a game. However, it's a very very sad game about grief and death which is a subject that will most likely lead to bleed (and maybe even worst) for the players. Don't worry! I will make sure to put all the emotional support tools in place within the text of the game to try to avoid that.

But that's where I get to a my dilemma: As we all know, to ensure the game you write is a good game you have to playtest it again and again... However, I don't know I will be able to deal with the emotional load of playtesting it to shred.

So have you ever had a game that "pained" you but that you HAD to write/play/playtest?

Tyrannoeil aka the French Beholder

Like Reply

nickwedig4 years ago(+3)

I only write games because I HAVE to. I don't know any other way to make a game.

For the emotional bleed issue, I think you should playtest as much as you reasonably can. If that means only one playtest, then do one playtest. Ideally, get other people t playtest for you (though that's pretty hard by itself.) Or playtest, wait a few months and then playtest again once you're emotionally removed from the first game.

(If you can't do any playtests, I'd want the text to make that clear, and suggest you shouldn't charge for the game until you've playtested it some. But that's a different discussion thread.)

Like Reply

ErikTheBearik4 years ago

Agreed, with the caveat that I start writing games because I have to, it's the only way to get them out of my brain. I finish writing games because I force myself to.

Like Reply

Halfling Caravan Games4 years ago(+1)

I have a stack of ideas that my brain is chewing through slowly.

Like Reply