Why it is NOT a good idea to test your event games?

You should not test your games, you have to PLAY the games you have created.As an eventprof, you have little time. So, testing a game is something that is left for the last minute or worse, skipped completely. That will affect how well your event turns out. The following are some thoughts why we recommend not to test but play the games you have created.

There is a big difference between hearing and listening. Playing through a game means that the game set up for a specific event goes through at least one PDCA cycle. “Play your game” is  the most valuable piece of advice we give in time tight situations. No matter, whether it is your first event game, or you have run team-building games for years.

We take thinking  the game experiences through seriously, so in Loquiz you can use a test mode to play your full games through without charge.

But what is the fuss about? Why playing the game through is important and what are the  things to keep in mind ? The following are some thoughts and experiences about  this statement.

• Playing a game through avoids flaws in the game flow. Scavenger and its strategy can be technically excitingly puzzling, but  the  game flow is also important. The sequence of the  locations may not be so interesting when the game is played in the landscape. You will also discover that some easy game elements bring more joy than expected.
• Visit all the locations, not only the first ones. Landscape, streets, traffic, players` stamina may turn an easy game into challenging one. For example, narrow uphill streets are physically more challenging and time consuming than the game played usually on flatter locations. So, whenever you set up the game to a new place, play the full game.  Plus- the location inspires you to create quality location based questions.
• Play the full game and make sure the content of the question fits the location context. You probably don’t want a jolly creative task end up in front of the cemetery or send conservative people in front of a shady club.
• Visiting locations ensures  they are accessible.  Murphy’s law sometimes ensures you to put the location trigger on a building roof, a newly dug pond, a fresh construction site, an underground market in an old town, to the sea.  These are all examples from real games. Inaccessible locations ruin the game fun and are a safety concern.

• Play the  games others have created and let them play yours to evaluate. How well are rules briefed? Do you get excited? Do you orientate in the location well? Were tasks difficult enough? Did the team work together?
• Playing the game through takes little resources but has a high value. In most cases playing takes less than 2 hours.  Another couple of hours  for iterations. A second testing and iterations another 2 hours. So it is a 4-6 hour work-time investment. Playing your game through  is a very low-cost action compared to the  event budget and the client`s  satisfaction when the game turns out to be a success!
• Play a couple of days before the event. This means, you have time to react to flaws, consult with colleagues and apply changes. If you test only a couple of hours before the event game, then your stress level will raise.
• Let someone else play the game thorough and give a feedback. Motivate new seasonal employees, organize gold clients` representative days, ask friends and family. You will get an alternative viewpoint to improve the game or even sell extra on the way.
•  If you have gone through an experience, you will feel more confident. The game and tech that have been tested through, ease the uncertainty of the instructor running the event.

In conclusion, to get splendid game experiences for both  the facilitator and players, start from playing your games through before the event. We hope you will take time to play your games, bring on some useful iterations, run games smoothly and let people enjoy seriously fun games. Make sure to check out how you can test games for free in test mode.
Share in the comments below when and how you have benefited from playing through the game.