PnP for Play-Testing

I have been playing-testing Lanterns a lot lately, and we sent out a batch of PnP files with our latest changes for blind play-testing.

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Countdown: 81 Days: I have been playing-testing Lanterns a lot lately. We have done a lot of fine-tuning on the mechanics, the tiles, and the other components over the last two months. We have a list of people interested in testing our new games, people who expressed interest in response to Relic Expedition, to our email newsletters, or to our Facebook posts. (If you are interested, let us know!) Some are willing to test a PnP with prototype artwork, and we sent the first batch of those last week.

What’s a PnP, you ask? Chris first created Lanterns last August. Before he submitted the game to Foxtrot Games in May, he had done a lot of play-testing with people in person, as well as some tests where he was not present to watch (known as “blind testing”). He created what’s known as a “print-and-play” (“PnP” for short), a PDF that testers could print and cut out, play, and provide feedback. When he first approached Foxtrot Games about the game in April, he sent me the PnP. (There was no need for him to ship a prototype to me internationally.)

Since then, we have done a lot of iterations on the rules, tiles, and other components over the last two months. I have been sending Chris regular updates to the PnP, and he’s been printing the new versions and testing them with his groups. It’s been great for us collaborating remotely (Chris is in Toronto, I’m in Dallas), and it is great to have that already in place as we move into blind testing for the latest version. The first few testers have sent me pictures of their copies all printed out and ready to play!