This week, we had the exciting opportunity to attend SOTSEF and showcase our game demo. Our primary focus was to gather feedback from those who would participate in playtesting sessions. It turned out to be an eventful and enlightening experience.
We introduced attendees, mainly children, to our game, explaining in detail the idea behind it. But, of course, kids being kids, they just wanted to grab the controller and run around. They don’t seem to have much interest in Biblical stories (good job our game is aimed at 12+!) As anticipated, the controller input was an instant hit with the kids. They quickly grasped the mechanics, joyfully navigating their cube through the space. We noticed that their adults were particularly intrigued by the voice mechanic we were trying to explain to the younger players. They were eager to try it out themselves and experience the game in a different way to their children. However, the bustling environment of the science fair posed a challenge for the mechanic. The noise level from various activities and exhibits made it difficult for players' voices to be consistently heard and registered by the game. This obstacle dampened the overall experience for the adults, as they couldn't fully utilize the voice mechanic to its potential.
Nonetheless, we made note of this feedback and assured the adults that we would refine the game to optimize the voice recognition feature. We acknowledged the need to create a more controlled environment or implement noise-cancellation technology to enhance the player experience in such scenarios. We did have a microphone with a muffler, but this clearly was not enough. Eitherway, they all seemed to understand the limitations presented by the fair's bustling atmosphere.
We were also made aware of a few bugs - players found certain areas they switch off the music wihtout being anywhere near a TV, and where they could clip through walls and fall off the map. We ended up making this a challenge for the children to find because it kept happening so often, and the kids found it amusing. But this will obviously be something we will need to fix and have a greater awareness of in the future.
Despite the challenges, the science fair was inarguably a success. The childrens enjoyment of the controller input reassured us of its use in game, while the adults' positive response to the voice mechanic affirmed its potential for a more immersive gaming experience. There was also a great interest in our physical assets, so these will most likely stick with us in future showcases.
