Playtest reports from prototype level 1

OK - got it working to a point. Now going to publish what i've done and post it to my website for playtesting.

I'm currently going through a hate cycle with the game - I jut don't have the time or the know-how to make it do what I want it to do. The good news is, even with the simple format, people seems to be enjoying it. I have to say, even as I'm playing it, I am as well (most of the time). I still haven't worked out if it's worth hanging out and conserving energy and risk having all of the oranges die at the same time, or better to go on an eating spree...

Playtester 1: Richard (30yrs)
Spotted bug in stinkbomb bonus timeline

• "as for the game it has the potential to be v addictive then v annoying"
• Identified objective of the game: eat the fruit and fart on birds
• Strategies in the game: don't get eaten or killed
• Said he picked up how to play quickly and didn't find anything confusing
• Said the keyboard controllers were pretty good
• Said the game play was "alright considering the simplicity of the game"
• Missing from the game: "yes, at some point make the farmer have a ciggy, so then if you fart near him, you vapourise him for 30 secs while he's on fire"
• Had fun playing the game while it was working
• Got high score 1800ish

Playtester 2: Racquel (30ish yrs)
Also found the stink bomb bonus timeline error

• Not a big computer game player but gave it a go
• "Got all the way to the end of the row and let off a couple of stink bombs - that was fun :-)"
• Felt the error was her fault as she's useless at computer games" Didn't understand how the break in the line of trees came about
  

Playtester 3: Vera
"Very cute! It's cool! Mind you.. I'm not very good at playing game so my stink bug got exploded before I figure out to move...=)"

Playtester 3: Amar (8yrs)
Seemed to enjoy the game most out of all testers. His mum tells me it kept him awake past bedtime! And that was just level 1! Particularly liked the name of the game. Perhaps this is the target market? Here are some quotes:

• “ I liked being able to move easily around with the arrow keys”.

• “The music was really good and I liked eating the oranges and the idea of the spray was cool.”

• “The birds made it difficult to get a high score because you lose lives and then the game was over. Three lives would be better.”

• “Earning 2 thousand points to earn another life is quite hard.”

Tester's notes

• Everyone seemed to like the stinkbombs and again, the music seems to have hit the right note
• Everyone also seemed to bomb out quite quickly, but I think that's unfamiliarity with the game. I think once you had a bit of practice with it and started to get to know where the birds were coming from, it would be easier to master. I'm wary of changing anything re bonus lives at this point.
• I can't tell you how pleased I am to have people respond well to the game - particularly Amar, who i think is most like a target market I can identify. His mother is in another of my classes and when she saw what I was developing, she said it was the exact kind of thing he liked playing - I'm glad I gave her the website address now!
• All up a good confidence booster re the game play, but no substantial development ideas to come from this playtest session. Now on to the next stage...