Beginner to Pro: Learning Playtest Feedback for Core Loops

Beginner to Pro: Learning Playtest Feedback for Core Loops

Our game, “Aether Forged,” was supposed to be a groundbreaking fantasy crafting RPG. We envisioned players seamlessly gathering resources, forging epic gear, and then testing their creations against formidable foes. The core loop was clear: explore, gather, craft, battle, repeat. We poured years into it. Then, we released it. The silence was deafening, followed by a trickle of feedback that felt more like a slow, painful death. Aether Forged failed, and here’s why our early playtest feedback, or rather our misinterpretation of it, killed our game.

The Early Missteps: Ignoring the Core Loop’s Whispers

We started playtesting with friends and family, then moved to a small group of online enthusiasts. The feedback rolled in, but we made critical mistakes from the outset.

Mistake 1: Confirmation Bias – Hearing What We Wanted

Our earliest testers said things like, “The crafting system is really deep!” or “I love the lore!” We latched onto these positive remarks, seeing them as validation of our core vision. We interpreted “deep” as engaging, not as potentially overwhelming. We heard “love the lore” and invested more time in expanding narrative elements, neglecting fundamental gameplay issues. We wanted to believe we were on the right track, and our brains selectively highlighted feedback that reinforced that belief. This is a common pitfall in tracking game development progress; without a structured approach, you risk letting your biases dictate your interpretations.

Mistake 2: Feature Creep – The Endless To-Do List

Players often suggested new features: “What if there were mountable dragons?” “Could we have a guild system?” We dutifully added these to our backlog. The list grew exponentially, distracting us from the core loop’s weaknesses. We focused on adding new layers to a foundation that was already crumbling. The initial “deep crafting” feedback, for example, really meant “complex and confusing” for many, but we piled on more features instead of simplifying. Our game development log became a graveyard of half-implemented ideas, not a blueprint for refinement.

Mistake 3: Misinterpreting Silence – The Unspoken Truth

Perhaps the most damning feedback was the silence. Players would spend hours in the crafting menu, then drop the game entirely. We thought they were just “getting into the crafting.” In reality, they were struggling, frustrated, and quietly disengaging. No one explicitly said, “This crafting is boring.” Instead, they simply stopped playing. Player silence, especially when coupled with low retention, is often a loud alarm bell, signaling a fundamental issue with the core loop’s enjoyment or clarity.

The Postmortem: What We Should Have Done

After the dust settled, we meticulously went back through our playtest notes, our game development log, and the scant public feedback. We realized we needed a systematic approach to triage and prioritize.

Step 1: Identify the Core Loop (And Stick To It)

Before any playtest, clearly define your game’s core loop. For Aether Forged, it was “explore -> gather -> craft -> battle -> repeat.” Every piece of feedback should be filtered through this lens. Does it enhance, break, or distract from this core loop?

Step 2: Look for Patterns, Not Singular Comments

Instead of fixating on individual suggestions, look for recurring themes. If three different players, without prompting, mention “crafting feels like a spreadsheet,” that’s a pattern indicating an objective issue, not a subjective preference. It’s not about one person wanting a different UI; it’s about the fundamental interaction being tedious.

Step 3: Differentiate Subjective Preferences from Objective Issues

“I wish the combat was turn-based” is a subjective preference. “I don’t understand how critical hits work” is an objective issue. Prioritize fixing objective issues that impede understanding or progress. Subjective preferences can be noted for later, but don’t derail your core development. Our “deep crafting” feedback was subjective praise masking an objective usability problem.

Step 4: Prioritize Feedback by Impact on the Core Loop

Imagine a matrix. On one axis, the impact on your core loop (high/medium/low). On the other, the effort to implement (high/medium/low). Focus on high-impact, low-effort changes first. These are often the quickest wins for refining the core experience. Fixing the unintuitive crafting interface would have been a high-impact, medium-effort change for us. Instead, we worked on mountable dragons.

Step 5: Ask Targeted Questions About the Core Loop

Don’t just observe; actively question. “What was the most confusing part of crafting?” “Did the battle feel fair?” “Did you feel rewarded after defeating an enemy?” Specific questions yield specific, actionable answers. We learned this too late. Had we asked these questions, we might have uncovered the core loop’s weaknesses much earlier.

Step 6: Iterate, Then Re-Test the Core Loop

Make changes, no matter how small, and then re-test with a fresh set of eyes. Did your changes alleviate the core issues? Don’t move on to new features until the core loop feels solid, intuitive, and fun. This iterative process is crucial for effective game development.

Step 7: Systematically Track and Reflect

This is where we failed the most. We had scattered notes, vague memories, and no central repository for our insights. To truly refine your core loop and build a successful game, you need a systematic way to track game development progress. Every playtest, every piece of feedback, every design decision should be logged. This allows you to identify trends, revisit past assumptions, and learn from both successes and failures.

A well-maintained game dev journal is indispensable for this process. It helps you keep a comprehensive game development log, allowing you to see patterns in feedback, track your iterative changes, and reflect on your progress. For any aspiring developer, a structured approach to recording your journey is key to turning beginner mistakes into professional triumphs. Start documenting your process today with a dedicated tool like our game dev journal. It’s the difference between a forgotten project and a launched game.