Nice Thinking: ”Player Personas”

In this episode the boys are back in Minneapolis, but they are still thinking about their time with Ellen in Duluth, or Roboluth ;), so they are using this episode to talk about how to write a good set of instructions and a rule book for tabletop games in general and more specifically for Robston.

Instructions

What is Roboston?

Roboston is a tabletop game that the the Nice Games Club came up with during an podcast Game Jam Episode. For anyone new to the podcast, we recommend starting two episodes back (at 362), for some background on the game. For those of you who wish for a full memory restoration, here is the full episode list:

The original Nice Game Jam where Roboston was concieved

Roboston! (Live at 2D Con 2020)

A follow up episode 197 continues the devlopment because they were so excited about Roboston

Roboston! (part 2)

The club worked on the game over winter break in 2020-21, episode 207 summarizes what they worked on.

"It’s March tomorrow."

We again visited Roboston over our 2023-24 winter break, and talk about in in episode 337

"The Roboston Sessions"

Mark and Steven visit Ellen in Duluth where they play a bunch of Roboston

"Apply your context, thusly."

Rulebook is

More than a script for “the teach”

Verbal and visual (and, increasingly, multimedia)

Define your Players

Steve Bromley

Game User Research

Define your Players

User persona is the UX term, Player persona is used in games

Things to add to the FAQs

Does the value affected by the repeater also get multiplied if you’re adding a part?

Does the value for a new part always have to come from the torso?

Can you send the robot without having arms/legs/heads?

How many dice should I try to go for in this check?

Player Personas

1. Roboston new players

Box inventory list

Anatomical diagram of a robot

Game setup diagram (game as a whole, what’s in your hand)

Reference cards (player actions, game phases, etc.)

2. Roboston experienced players

Table of contents

Stats for nerds

Index (?)

FAQ section

3. Inexperienced tabletop game players

Invitation to play, sense of fun

Build trust with the player as the rulebook progresses

4. Experienced tabletop game players

Resource, reference

Allow them to get right to the core, fast