QR Code Treasure Hunt at the UK Games Expo 2013

For pirates and adventurers, I have created a QR Code Treasure Hunt to run at the UK Games Expo 2013 this weekend.

Details here: www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/exponews.php#pt

The object is to find all of the treasure maps, which when scanned give clues to other locations. When you have found them you can solve a puzzle to be entered into a prize draw for a hoard of gaming goodness.

Players will need smartphones with a QR Code reader and a sense of adventure, but the game doesn't require internet or network access to play. 

Be sure to download a QR Code Reader app from the Android or Apple Store before playing.

Looking forward to seeing you all at Expo!

Playtest Zone roller banners have arrived

The roller banners for the Playtest Zone at the Uk Games Expo 2013 have arrived. And they are huge. Seems strange to see the artwork so big.

Surely this will attract attendees to come and sit down to play a game.

See you at Expo!

May Meetup 2013 Debrief

This was the last London Playtest session before the large public playtesting event at the UK Games Expo next weekend, so everyone was polishing their designs, ready to be unleashed on the general public. We welcomed 7 new attendees this month: Daniel, James, Sel, Jane, Tyrone, James and Katarin.

The May meetup saw the debut of the video countdown display on the TV in the corner of the room. It had a largely positive response from the playtesters, although some questioned the need for split-second precision ;) and this will be changed for next month. Also announcing it's arrival like chitty-chitty-bang-bang was the old style horn, which was a good way to get everyone's attention between playtesting sessions. So popular that everyone wanted a go.

During the four playtesting rounds, there was an interesting mix of 17 prototypes: a clever party game, an oil industry simulation, new rules for a fantasy wargame, some inventive new card games, mechanical dwarves and many more.

Details of the games played can be found here on a BGG geeklist: 
www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/157522/playtest-london-meetup-sunday-19th-may-2013

Here are some photos of the event:

Playtest @ UK Games Expo 2013

Calling all budding games designers and playtesters!

www.playtest.co.uk will be running a playtesting event 

at the UK Games Expo 2013 May 24th-26th.

This year's event is at a new venue, the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Birmingham and should mean more space.

Details here: http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/playtest.php

The aim of the event is to bring designers and playtesters together to play games, encourage feedback and to help create better games.

You know that boardgame idea you've had knocking about for years that could be brilliant or just might not work? Create a prototype, bring it along and have fun figuring it out. Who knows, your idea might end up in a box on a games shop's shelf! 

Do you like to play games? Do you know what makes a good game fun? Your opinions could help to develop the prototypes and perhaps lead to a playtesting credit in a published game. 

There will be a prize draw for each attendee that playtests a game and for designers who bring a game prototype. The prize will be a £30 gift voucher to spend at www.boardgameguru.co.uk 

Feel free to contact me for more details at contact 'at' playtest.co.uk

London Meetup Sunday 19th May

The May Meetup will be on Sunday 19th May from 1pm to 8pm at the Jugged Hare pub, Victoria.


This will be the last chance to trial your prototypes before the public playtest event at the UK Games Expo 2013 the following weekend.

If you've designed a game, bring it along and give it a play or just enjoy playing other people's prototypes in a friendly and constructive atmosphere. Everyone is welcome.

If you would like to bring along a new design, contact Rob Harris (Organiser) and we will add your game to the list. 

We have pre-registration to make the sessions run more smoothly. Designers are encouraged to pre-register their games to be playtested before the meetup by leaving a message on the meetup page below or contacting Rob Harris (Organiser).

You are still welcome to bring along other designs on the day, but time slots will first of all be allocated to pre-registered games.

More details: www.meetup.com/Playtest/events/100619062/

We also have a guild at Boardgamegeek.com: www.boardgamegeek.com/guild/1398

Some of the games to be playtested (TBC):

Algonquin College uses Playtest Feedback forms

Following correspondence with Gerry Paquette, Professor of Game Development at Algonquin College, Ottawa, Canada, the faculty has been given permission to use the Playtest feedback forms to help students evaluate their own game designs.

A popular part of the Game design course is to build paper prototypes and then improve these through blind playtesting, using the Playtest forms.

The Designer's Feedback Form and the Playtester's Feedback Form are available for free download from the Playtest website here.

April Meetup 2013 Debrief

Treating the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon as a morning warm-up, 24 uber-fit playtesters cast aside their silver foil sheets and got down to some serious playtesting. We welcomed 5 new attendees this month: Chris, John-Paul, Kim, Nik and Shaun.

After some games chat and food/ drink orders at the bar, everyone was ready for the first playtesting round. Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties the video countdown was not ready for this month, so each 90 minute round was tracked old-school with a stopwatch and a loud voice.

During the four playtesting rounds, there was an eclectic mix of 23 prototypes: an epic romp around the Solar System, a newsroom simulation, a computer hacking dice game, a game about goblin in-fighting and many more.

Details of the games played can be found here on a BGG geeklist: 
www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/156283/playtest-london-meetup-sunday-21st-april-2013

Here are some photos of the event: