The IFComp 2021 Test Swap Thread

I have a fully-written entry but I’m not entirely sure how to get testers for it. Also, I started trying to rewrite the first chapter from second-person present tense to third-person past tense and I’m not entirely sure that’s better, but there’s a month and a half left, so…

…but I think I’m mainly not sure how to find beta readers.

Are you doing a parser game? Tutorials are always tricky.

Just creating a new post requesting betatesters. Introduce your game and tell us about authoring system used. I will probably be interested, as some other guys.

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Um…MoyTW did that. About a month ago. Request for early beta readers for IFComp 2021 game: Untitled Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Game

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Are you doing a parser game? Tutorials are always tricky.

Yeah. It seems like a little tutorial help on guessing the right verb is necessary in parsers.

Not if they’re clued. :wink:

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Agreed!

Part of the parser fun is scanning the text for verbs that might get a favorable response.

Even more fun is if that verb doesn’t do anything but still gets a response.

Yeah I guess my question was, like, what do you do if nobody seems interested? Should I periodically post in the thread, is bumping it fine? Is it okay to DM randos and ask them if they’d like to test my game? Is there an art to soliciting random people on the internet?

If this were, like, a busier, more writing-focused forum I’d probably go with asking people to trade crits, but it looks like most of the stuff here is parser-based, which is not really my strength? I should probably just do that anyways. I had some people IRL read it but asking your friends to critique your work is not great usually, since they have a vested interest in being Too Nice.

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Just ask again until someone responds, probably. (In fact, I am now responding, so send it over to me and I’ll have a look at it!)

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I think bumping is fine (looks like your post hit right in the middle of ParserComp, which might have meant folks had less bandwidth to do testing – re-upping now might get a better response), and I do think doing testing-trades is often a good approach, even if you’re mostly seeing requests from folks doing parser games and you feel like you’re not an expert there. Speaking as someone who writes parser games, I’m acutely aware that the IFComp audience includes lots of folks who primarily play choice-based stuff, so getting someone less steeped in parser convention to review can actually be super helpful!

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Yeah, I’d bump the thread. A more specific pitch might be good, in case people don’t know about the poem. You are still trying to “sell” your game, even if you’re just looking for critique.

Dunno. I’m sort of surprised you didn’t get offers, usually people get three or four pretty quickly so I think some of us are like, “yeah, someone else will probably get this” and maybe you just hit a bad time?

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This time Parsercomp is over but still there are developing on the games. Furthermore IFcomp is starting and developers are full time working in their own games. Perhaps this is the reason there are only few guys available.

I have learned first hand that the longer you wait closer to the Comp, the harder it is to get testers. Anyone with actual testing skills who will transcript multiple times and try to finish it is either busy on their own game or already testing others, and “randos” usually might play the game partially one time.

The other thing is many IF players would rather wait for the completed game and don’t want to see it before the Comp begins.

You might have some luck posting a thread asking for other prospective IFComp entrants who are up for a mutual testing-swap - if they will test your game in return for you testing theirs also. People may be more willing to do that as good testing often requires several hours of time and work, and the less one-sided it is, the better.

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I can see, in most cases, a lack of feedback between tester and developer, sometimes it happened to me that I have send 2,3…4 transcripts with no response.
Last month I have been doing a spanish alfatest sending 43 transcripts. When author received one, he send me the transcript archive adding his answers and commentaries so I could revise his reviewed transcript.
43 transcripts in around 3 weeks. The archive named advent_0.0.1 become advent_0.0.2 and after advent_0.0.3
Next archive will be for betatest use and will be called advent_0.1

This is a smart procceeding method.

Yeah, trading crits is always more productive than having Some Rando do it, since both of you have incentive to actually deliver. Also, apparently the answer is “how do you get people to read your thing” is to post in the chat thread, haha.

I’d be down to make a thread about test swaps but it seems kinda redundant to have a new thread, would you be averse to just changing this title to like, “The IFComp 2021 Test Swap Thread” or something @HanonO?

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I was about to bump my own “looking for testers” thread, but maybe I won’t need to :slight_smile:

I’m very much interested in swapping testing; I can test any game that runs in a browser/on Windows. However, I’m pretty bad at parser games - but I don’t know, maybe it’s actually a good thing in this case? I’m certainly likely to do stupid things/run into problems experienced parser players won’t.

Right now, I’m finishing implementing feedback from my “first wave” tests and I should be able to both send out a new build of my game and start testing yours in a couple of days - probably around Wednesday.

My game, 4x4 Archipelago, is described in detail in the original thread: Looking for testers for a procedural fantasy RPG

As the game is pretty unusual, and I think the procedural/Twine/rpg combo may scare away people, I can add some screenshots to the original thread to show what the gameplay looks like - I don’t think it would violate the IfComp “no published works” rule?

I don’t believe screenshots would violate the publishing rule - only playable code.

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My short Twine game about cyborg gladiators is ready for playtesting, if anyone is interested in a swap. I think I’m more qualified to give good feedback on choice-based games than parser games but I will give either a go. Send me a message if interested.

I thought I’d poke this thread–I’ve gotten some good ideas I appreciate, but I’d like more. I have a couple short works I’m submitting.

I may be better at parser games, but I’m willing to give choice a shot. Also, if you have that one part of the game you know needs testing, I’d be glad to give a detailed look. I know how it can be adding a feature late and hoping it gets enough testing looks.

Sending you a PM.

For the thread, I’m looking to swap for one more person to play through my game for technical completeness purposes, just to make sure that I didn’t mess something up when I compiled it (it turns out that choicescript has some compilation intricacies that the hosting site takes care of, who knew)? PM me if interested!

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