3 Breaks That Reveal Game Design Flaws You Should Try
3 Breaks That Reveal Game Design Flaws You Should Try
As a solo developer, you pour countless hours into your game. This dedication is admirable, yet it often leads to a common pitfall: getting too close to your creation. The daily grind can obscure critical design flaws, making it difficult to spot unbalanced mechanics, confusing interfaces, or frustrating player experiences. Fortunately, intentionally stepping away can illuminate these hidden issues.
This article introduces three specific, actionable “break” methods designed to reveal game design flaws you might otherwise miss. These aren’t just random pauses; they are structured techniques to gain fresh perspective and identify areas for improvement in your game development log.
The Fresh Eyes Walk
You’ve been staring at the same lines of code, the same art assets, the same level design for hours. Your brain is accustomed to every pixel and every logic gate. This familiarity is a double-edged sword: it allows for rapid iteration but simultaneously blinds you to obvious problems.
The “fresh eyes walk” is simple: step away from your screen, go for a walk, and consciously try to clear your mind of your game for a set period, perhaps 30 minutes to an hour. During this time, actively avoid thinking about your project. Instead, focus on your surroundings, observe details, and let your mind wander. This mental reset allows your subconscious to process information without the immediate pressure of problem-solving. When you return to your computer, immediately launch your game and play it as if it’s the first time you’ve ever seen it. Don’t touch the editor; just play. Pay attention to your immediate reactions. Is the objective clear? Do the controls feel intuitive? Does the progression make sense? Jot down every single question or moment of hesitation you experience. This unfiltered initial impression is invaluable for identifying overlooked user experience issues and clarifying mechanics.
The Stranger Playtest Prep
Testing your own game often means you already know the “solution” to every puzzle or the “best” way to tackle every challenge. You unconsciously navigate around design flaws because you’re the one who created them. This internal knowledge biases your playtesting.
The “stranger playtest prep” involves setting up your game as if you’re preparing for someone entirely new to play it. This means pretending you have to explain nothing. Are the on-screen prompts sufficient? Is the tutorial truly self-explanatory? Can a player understand the core loop without verbal guidance? This exercise forces you to consider the player’s perspective from a position of complete ignorance. It’s not about having a stranger play; it’s about adopting the mindset of a stranger. Set up a dedicated playtesting build, ensure all necessary information is embedded within the game itself, and then step through it as if you were observing a first-time player struggling. Document every point where you realize a stranger would likely get stuck or confused. This method highlights unclear instructions, missing feedback, or unnecessarily complex systems that you, as the creator, have internalized.
The Negative Space Observation
Often, developers focus intensely on what they’ve built, meticulously refining existing features. However, significant design flaws can reside in the “negative space” – what isn’t there, or what isn’t explicitly communicated. This includes missing feedback, unfulfilled player expectations, or an absence of necessary context.
The “negative space observation” requires you to play your game with a specific critical lens: what is not happening that should be? For instance, after a player takes damage, is there clear visual or audio feedback? When they complete an objective, is there a satisfying reward or confirmation? Is there a sense of progression even when no new mechanics are introduced? Look for silences, voids, or moments where the player is left wondering “what now?” or "did that do anything?". This break is about actively searching for omissions rather than imperfections in existing elements. It reveals where the game fails to provide necessary information, emotional payoff, or direction, often exposing subtle but impactful experience gaps.
Integrating Breaks and Journaling for Ongoing Improvement
These structured breaks are not one-off solutions. Their true power lies in their consistent application and the diligent tracking of your observations. After each “break,” immediately jot down your insights. What did you notice during the fresh eyes walk? What potential confusions did the stranger playtest prep reveal? Where were the moments of negative space during your observation?
Maintaining a dedicated game dev journal is crucial for this process. It provides a structured way to capture these valuable insights, track recurring issues, and document the improvements you implement. Think of it as your personal game development log, a record of your design evolution and problem-solving journey. By regularly documenting these findings, you can see patterns emerge, prioritize fixes, and measure your progress over time. This systematic approach to tracking your game development progress transforms anecdotal observations into actionable data.
Starting a game dev journal can feel like another task, but it quickly becomes an indispensable part of your workflow. It’s not just about listing bugs; it’s about reflecting on design choices, player experience, and your own creative process. For a structured way to capture these valuable insights and truly elevate your design process, consider starting your game development journey today with our dev journaling tool. It’s designed to help you organize your creative process, track game development progress, and stay consistent with your devlogs, ensuring that every break you take contributes meaningfully to a better game.