Testing, testing...

Greetings folks,

The past month here at ESOB HQ has been spent showing off our few in-house copies of the game to dozens of our friends and family. The softly public version 2 of the game has crept into coffee shops, boba shops, film festivals, and the cozy tables across Southern California. Thank you to everyone who have given us feedback as we fine tune towards a copy that is Kickstarter ready!

Our biggest hurdle now is to get a proper rule set out since we can’t physically be at every game night explaining all of the nuances of the game (as much as we would like to!) We want to test and turn our dozens of eyes and hands into hundreds in the coming months so we can better assess, address, and reorient our approach to launch.

Accessibility is a component I can’t ignore as a creative lead for the game. We are rebalancing the game’s mechanics in our heads with every playthrough. Equally important is the balance of playability and complexity. How do we preserve the depth of the game while also breaking down barriers of entry? Other examples of questions I think about as a designer are:

• What level of reading comprehension is needed to enjoy and understand the game?

• What is the tone?

• What groups might be sensitive or averse to the content?

• What type of people would understand the game more quickly than others?

• What supplemental materials can be feasibly provided to support new players?

All these questions matter from the presentation, the art direction, the marketing, and the play of the game. Testing will get us to not only better answers but better questions!

As we expand into more and more communities, we hope that ESOB can positively create accessible and shareable experiences.

Hope to test with you soon!

• Justin