Short Description of the Game

Fake News is a satirical simulation game where players assume the role of a new hire at a newspaper publishing company. The central objective is to rise through the ranks, gaining reputation and notoriety in a fast-paced media world. The player must review, fact-check, approve, or deny articles based on their validity, all while navigating a complex environment where the lines between truth and fiction are blurred. 

Pre-Playtest Preparations

Forms/Tools Used in Playtesting:

·      Role Assignment: Each team member was assigned a specific role to ensure smooth playtesting.

·      Feedback Questionnaire: We used Google Forms to collect structured feedback on various aspects of the gameplay experience, including difficulty, engagement, and mechanics.

·      Observation log: Throughout the playtesting session, we kept a detailed log to track player behavior, decision-making, and any issues encountered during gameplay. This also involved documenting both verbal or non-verbal feedback, such as confusion, enjoyment, frustration, or excitement. Additionally, we observed how the game responded to player input, noting any bugs, glitches, or elements requiring adjustment. We carefully noted the time taken for certain actions and identified areas where players may either get stuck or move through too quickly. Finally, we recorded any specific feedback provided by players regarding their overall experience.

Scripts/Prompts Used During Playtesting:

·      Welcome Script: “Hi! Welcome to Fake News. In this satirical simulation game, you will play as a new hire at a newspaper, working your way up in a fast-paced media world. Your job is to review, fact-check, and decide whether these articles are real or fake. Watch out for misinformation, and at the end, it’ll show you how you did!”

Playtest Roles:

·      Parker (Facilitator): Guided play tester, ensured smooth session flow, and provided assistance if needed.

·      Christina (Note-Taker/Observer): Took detailed notes on player interactions, behaviors, and comments.

 ·      Behnaz (Note-Taker/Observer): Took detailed notes on player interactions, behaviors, and comments.

 ·      Alen (Technician): Handled technical issues, such as ensuring the game loaded correctly.

Details of Each Playtesting Session

Group/Demographic of Playtesters:

Session 1:

·      Demographic: Students from UofT aged 18-22, moderate familiarity with simulation games.

·      Group Size: 9 participants.

Session 2:

·      Demographic: People from family members aged 16-22, moderate familiarity with simulation games.

·      Group Size: 5 participants.

Set-up, approach to playtesting:

·      Sessions were held in a controlled environment with two laptops running the game.

·      Each session began with a 3-minute introduction, followed by 10-30 minutes of gameplay.

·      Facilitator provided clarification if needed, but minimal interference was encouraged to observe natural gameplay.

·      Playtesters completed a feedback form after gameplay and participated in a 5-minute discussion.

Analysis of data and issues identified

1.     Positive Feedback:

·      The narrative was engaging and aligned well with the fake news theme.

·      The gameplay mechanic of fact-checking was smooth and interesting, allowing players to think critically and engage with the articles simultaneously.

·      Great visual feature designs

·      Great background music

·      Convenient to play with two laptops, and it’s unique and interesting to play.

·      Like the introduction page

·      Articles are fun to look into

2.     Issues Identified:

·      Enhance the UI Design

·      Add more colours to the game

·      Make the background noise slightly louder

·      Add some entertaining effects to the game

·      Players can’t tell how many articles they’ll need to review

Changes made to game builds

1.     Add a story at the beginning would make the game more entertaining 

2.     UI enhancements such as when scrolling to the next page or the next article, some transitions or effects can be added.

3.     Display the number of articles during the gameplay by adding a label in the top right/left corner. This would add intensity to the game, creating a more entertaining and impactful experience for players.

4.     Add a feedback system, such as implementing a pop-up system that explains the immediate consequences of player decisions.

5.     Add key points under each article paragraph. This way, it will be easier for players to see the bigger image of the game.

6.  A reputation system was added to the game

Appendices

 Questions:

1.     Did the game show the message it wanted to convey?

• Not at all 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Yes definitely

2.     How easy was it for you to identify whether an article is real or fake?

• Too hard 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Very easy

3.     How engaging was the game?

• Not engaging at all 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Fully engaging

4.     What should we add to make the game more engaging?

5.     Were there any bugs or lagging during the game? yes/no

6.     Write down any bugs that you encounter during the game if any

7.     What do you think about the background music?

• Hate it 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Right choice

8.     Was the game easy to play? Did you understand the rules of the game at the beginning?

• Not at all 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Yes completely

9.     What is your favorite part of the game?

10.  What is your least favorite part of the game?

11.   Any other ideas or feedback would be appreciated.

12.   Rate the articles themes

• Don’t like it 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Love it

13.   How would you rate the difficulty of the transition between the game and Google?

• Too difficult 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  So easy

The observations:

Almost 85.7%(12/14) of the playtesters did not use videos on Google to verify the articles

Only 7.1% of the playtesters struggled to find the right sources to fact check the articles

Almost 70% of the playtesters were shocked after seeing the article’s results (which is a positive feedback as the main purpose of the game was conveyed.)

The time it took players to complete the game:

The playtest results for Fake News reveal both merits and deficiencies. Readers gave the themes of the article the highest score (7), indicating a strong story structure and connection to the game’s core. The game’s message also received a high score of (6), suggesting the game was clear about what it was trying to convey. Engagement level (5) was medium-high, which indicates players were reasonably engaged, but immersion could be better. But the hybrid model, which combines Google, got a good score (2), indicating ease in its execution. Additionally, background music and elements’ adequacy both received a low score (4), indicating that there is space where improvements in audio and visual detail might enhance the player experience. Going forward, we’ll be simplifying the hybrid system more and working on the music and interface as a way to make a smoother, more enjoyable game.