Playtesting
The focus this week has been on deploying a working, testable prototype of the kindworks experience for use by the Boy Scouts of America. Through client connections to a BSA Troop, the team hopes to obtain useful feedback, and answers to the following questions:
- Will 10-year-olds play the game?
- Can the game model be adapted to a small, contained community (such as a family, school, organization)?
- Can the game be played without any electronic components?
So as to adapt the experience to be playable without reliance on technology, kindworks has developed a protocol for a one-week experiment:
- Distribute Gear Cards to BSA Troop via our client
- Gear Cards feature simplified design containing only blank space to record good deed stories by hand.
- Scouts are instructed to treat their home as the main hub for the game – they will aim to do a good deed and place Gear Cards on their refrigerator in an attempt to get their families involved.
- Family members can visit website to print new Gear Cards or use blank paper as a substitute, and add these Gear Cards to the refrigerator.
- Parents or guardians relay feedback to client, who relays it to the team.
- Feedback requested pertains to number of deeds performed by the family, types of deeds performed, and players’ reception to participating in the game.
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Market Research
Surveying is currently being performed to assess which aesthetics and slogans are most popular. An array of slogan options presented on prototype Gear Cards has been shown around the ETC building, and an online survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L9PWLTF requesting feedback on slogan, gear shape, and font, has been distributed. Feedback thus far indicates that a rigid gear tooth is preferable to a rounded tooth, and the slogan “What kind of tomorrow will you build?” is an early favorite.
Raising Awareness, Merchandising
The team is also endeavoring to establish working test bases through Facebook and Twitter, getting the ball rolling by including kindworks Gear Cards and stories in status updates, as well as promoting the project pages at every opportunity.
In coordination with this effort is an initiative to produce kindworks-themed merchandise through zazzle. T-shirts and phone cases featuring the project logo, Facebook and Twitter profiles, Gear Card, and QR code have been ordered, and buttons, bags, bumper stickers are possibilities as well.
Nuts & Bolts
The development of the Web site is coming along – below are screenshots from the beta version of the kindworks site:
Additionally, the team has been showcasing the project to various ETC tour groups:
Building Towards Tomorrow
By this time next week, the team expects to have expanded its Facebook and Twitter presence, and hopes to have received some feedback from the playtest. Producing the project’s promotional videos is also on the radar, and the team will be moving ahead on art, coding, and documentation.