How to adjust a prototype after weeks of playtesting
When we create a card game at Culture Games, there's a phase that, while not as flashy as illustrations or catchy titles, is absolutely vital: prototype testing.
For weeks, sometimes months, we play, repeat, observe, and get frustrated. Then we laugh. And we adjust again. Because the goal is clear: to achieve a solid, fun, and coherent playable experience with the story we want to tell.
Here's how we evaluate and adjust our prototypes after weeks of real tests with real people (some even eager to win).
1. Listen more than we talk
In each playtest, the most important thing is not to explain, but to observe.
Where do they get stuck?
Do they laugh?
Do they understand what's happening without having to reread?
We record ourselves, take notes, and ask for honest feedback (even the painful kind). We learned to differentiate between "this is difficult" and "this is not well explained."
2. Detect patterns of frustration (and enjoyment)
If several people get stuck at the same point, that point isn't "for smart people": it's confusing.
And if in every game there's a moment when everyone gets tense, laughs, or accuses each other... that's gold. We highlight it and enhance it.
In the case of TRAICIÓN: El Último Voto, we discovered that a puzzle (no spoilers) generated more anger than excitement. We completely redesigned it. On the other hand, a card we thought was secondary caused genuine dramatic twists. We made it the protagonist.
3. Measure the flow and narrative rhythm
A cultural game not only teaches or entertains: it tells a story.
If the narrative is interrupted by a poorly integrated mechanic, we adjust it.
We adjust the difficulty, the order of card appearance, and balance the "ups and downs" of emotions.
We want the player to feel immersed in a legend, not reading a technical specification.
4. Simplify without infantilizing
Reducing rules, clarifying objectives, or making a decision more intuitive isn't making it "for kids." It's doing it well.
Each adjustment asks:
Does this add tension or just complicate things?
Can it be explained in one sentence?
Good gameplay is like good graphic design: when it's done well, you don't even notice it.
5. Validate with different profiles
Expert gamers, grandparents who have never touched a modern game, teachers, 10-year-olds, couples of friends, busy parents... Everyone tests.
Because if the game works with different audiences, it truly works.
And after testing?
A final round: with the cards already laid out, with the simulated box, everything in order.
That's where we check if everything we learned from testing has transformed into a well-rounded game.
Sometimes a lot needs to be redone. Other times, a small twist is enough. But in all cases, testing is what turns a good idea into a memorable game.
