Core Skills Analysis
Coding and Game Development
Will, a 14-year-old game creator, asked his older brother to test the video game he had made and share user experience (UX) feedback. He learned to treat playtesting as part of game development: another player’s experience can reveal how the game feels to use and where its design may benefit from adjustment. Will received the feedback positively and planned to incorporate much of it, demonstrating an iterative approach in which a developer uses feedback to guide revisions. The activity also showed openness to collaboration and attention to the player’s perspective.
Tips
Tips Turn Will’s next revision into a small, purposeful playtesting cycle: ask his brother to try the updated game and describe which parts of the experience felt clear, confusing, or enjoyable. Have Will keep a simple before-and-after design log that records each suggestion, his decision, and the change he makes. He could then invite a second tester and compare feedback to identify recurring UX themes, followed by a short presentation explaining how player input shaped his design.
Book Recommendations
- The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell: A widely used guide to evaluating game design from multiple perspectives, including the player’s experience.
- Game Programming Patterns by Robert Nystrom: An accessible reference to common programming approaches used in games; useful as Will continues developing and revising his project.
- Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design by Scott Rogers: A practical introduction to game design that discusses how design choices affect players and gameplay.
Learning Standards
- Virginia SOL ES.1.a — Asking questions and defining problems: Playtesting and seeking UX feedback supported identifying design questions to address.
- Virginia SOL ES.1.f — Constructing explanations and designing solutions: Will planned to use tester feedback to inform game revisions.
- Virginia SOL ES.1.h — Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information: He obtained feedback from his brother, received it constructively, and considered how to apply it.
- Virginia SOL 9.C.1.A — Participate in and contribute to collaborative discussions: The activity involved Will and his brother exchanging feedback about the game’s user experience.
Try This Next
- UX playtest worksheet: Record a tester’s observations, favorite moments, and points of confusion.
- Revision tracker: List each suggestion, Will’s decision, and the change made to the game.
- Player journey sketch: Draw the steps a tester takes through the game and annotate their reactions.