Notes from a soon to be published board game designer on play testing.
In the picture - a 16th centuary endeavoring board game designer receiving critisim gracefully.
Play testers for a game designer are the last approval before airing out your dirty laundry in the hope that it's clean. If they didn't tell you about one thing that is completely wrong with your game, they didn't really play it. Hell, I can give you (at least) one bad thing about each and every game in BGG's top 100. No game, especially not that prototype you put together, is perfect. The only question is what imperfections you are willing to live with so your game will tick the right boxes.
On a personal note, I have been blessed with great play testers in my close vicinity. My play testers are published designers, aspiring designers and sharp gamers. I also have friends who are sometimes willing to test games that are your regular bunch of board gamers. I found that the former group is great for real hard core advice while the experience of the game is reflected better from the latter.
One thing I have learned is that it's a good idea to ask the play testers how the game was individually. When talking with someone for 5 minutes personally, they will really tell you what they think. It's better than talking with the 4 players that play tested the game for 20 minutes as a group. I prefer asking the play testers things as a group only after talking with them separately, so that I have ammunition from the individual conversations. Tell them you have a thick skin. Get a thick skin beforehand.
Some specific questions I found helpful, that are based on what I think makes a good game:
Did the mechanisms of the game seem clear and easy to use right at the start or did it take some playing to get right?
If you game has "dead time": Did you feel like other player's turns keep you engaged?
Time-wise is the game too long/short?
Did you feel like you were 'in the race' the whole game?
The first question is very dry, but might tell you a lot about the learning curve of the game and how accessible it is. The other 3 questions are about how the game feels. This might seem weird, but understanding if the game "works" is something you can do yourself or with a friend, but knowing how the game feels is another level. I found that level hard to reach without using play testers. Think what makes a good game for you and build your own line of questioning.
Know what you want to ask that is important to you, but let them speak their mind.
Enjoy play testing, there's nothing like a kick in the nuts on a rainy day :)
Pini