DevLog 9: Challenges / Solutions / PlayTesting

Developing "Lost In Zania" presented several challenges, particularly in creating a seamless integration of the various unique mechanics. Balancing the trust and dialogue systems, ensuring the non-combat gameplay remained engaging, and crafting a detailed, culturally rich environment required meticulous planning and execution. Iterative testing and feedback were crucial in refining these elements, ensuring they contributed to a cohesive and immersive experience.

Playtesting

I wanted to ensure that my game concept is understood and is comprehensible to people at a basic level. This includes goals, objectives, gameplay, dialogue, free-roaming, and a general understanding of the story throughout their play time. I conducted this playtesting process without much intervention from the external testers, as we have in previous years, to analyse if my game is easily playable or if they can

navigate it without help. This aimed to identify areas for improvement, such as the most common tricky regions, controls, mechanics, UI, and the causes of testers getting stuck, which will help me enhance the game based on play tester feedback and ensure a smooth gameplay experience.

I wrote down their general feelings, initial thoughts, gut reactions, and what made them excited, confused, surprised, or overwhelmed regarding gameplay, mechanics, controls, and UI. Thereafter, I asked questions about the game and wrote them down in the testing document.

Beta:

During the beta, the game was not yet in the condition I wanted it to be, mainly regarding the environment and building level. At this time, I had yet to begin working on the entire restaurant layout. Even though the gameplay and game design were nearly completed, the assets were not placed where they should be, making for an incomplete playing experience.

However, I was not entirely worried about not having the building. For the beta, my aim was to complete the game mechanics and ensure that they were working properly with no issues.

The feedback I received mainly focused on character dialogue and UI. Players felt that the dialogue UI had too much going on regarding personalised themes for each character. Some players thought they were distracting and needed to be reversed or reduced.

Pre Launch:

At this stage of the game, I was primarily focused on the mission structure, which involves the sequence and objectives of the game, and the texturing of the restaurant building, which includes adding visual details and textures to the building's surfaces. I also ensured that the elevator and the character were functioning normally. I was cutting content and adjusting.

During the playtest I conducted, players found it difficult to locate some of the clues. I stated the indications to make the exploration experience much easier. I had to quickly create text assets for all the rooms, which allowed players to have a smooth exploration experience.