Hot take: I had to choose between a game night with my regular group or a rare chance to playtest a new legacy game.

I picked the playtest, and it was a disaster because the designer hadn't even printed player aids. Spent 45 minutes just trying to figure out the turn order. Has anyone else regretted skipping their main group for a shiny new thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

wren3011mo ago

Been there for sure. My regular group is solid but I got invited to a prototype night last year. The game itself was a mess, but I ended up meeting two people there who are now in my main rotation. Sometimes the new thing flops, but you can still find good people in the wreckage. It made me less scared to try a random event again.

jackson.wesley1mo ago

Honestly, that sounds like a rough playtest. Still, chasing the new thing is half the fun of the hobby, right?

wendy_clark1mo ago

Oh man, I totally get the pull of the prototype. But here's something I've been wondering. Why do we act like playtesting is always some huge favor to designers? Nobody talks about how the designer actually owes you a decent experience just as much as you owe them your time. You gave up a guaranteed good night for their project, and they couldn't even print a basic reference sheet? That's not on you, that's on them being unprepared. Playtests aren't charity, they're a two way street where both sides should be showing up ready. Maybe the real lesson is to ask for a preview of the rules before you commit next time.