Learn about Games Research? Quest Accepted!

‘Games Research 101’ began with communicating the crucial role games research plays in the development process. While many of the audience members had run playtests in the past, we demonstrated how games research goes well beyond playtests and how a range of methods can help studios avoid disaster and create amazing games.

After a crash course on the fundamentals of putting together a research plan, attendees, ranging from developers, educators, and students, broke up into groups and tackled a research brief. Ranging from trying to decide which ideas to invest in to identifying the source and behaviour of toxic communities, our facilitators enabled attendees to think critically about what kinds of questions they should ask, what methods to use, and who they’d recruit as participants.

At the end, groups presented their research plans to the audience followed by a Q&A. During the following networking hour, someone brought their game to be playtested! It’s called YOYO PUNK and it’s a multiplayer fast-paced platformer where you take players down with your trusty yoyo! Be sure to wishlist their game on Steam.

Stay tuned for future collaborations with GDL, or find out more about our Playtesting and Games Research services.