Game: We Didn't Playtest This at All

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Sorcyress — 2008-12-01T08:35:17+00:00

PhilReed wrote:
Roliander wrote:
If they had titled the game, "These Components Suck" you would have been fine with that aspect and complained about the balance issues....

I so wanna steal that title and design a game around the idea.

Isn't that just what Cheapass games was before they sold out, and got non-cheapass?

Also, if "These Components Suck" doesn't include at least one origami rock, I will be sad.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

PhilReed — 2008-11-25T09:22:15+00:00

Roliander wrote:
If they had titled the game, "These Components Suck" you would have been fine with that aspect and complained about the balance issues....

I so wanna steal that title and design a game around the idea.

Image

Nebagram — 2008-10-30T23:48:10+00:00

The Dragon card, with possibly the greatest reference in board game history printed at the bottom.

Thread: We've Playtested It and It Plays Just Fine!

Cactusgod — 2008-08-11T08:10:00+00:00

So, I was searching BGG for some fun little games that multiple people can play and enjoy at a low cost. Luckily, this game showed up on the "Hot Games" list on the website. I read the review and purchased this immediately, and I can report happily that we were not disappointed.

Gameplay

In Playtest, you shuffle a deck containing 52 cards. Each player draws 2 cards and then one card on each turn. Some are repeats, and some simply change a few of the words on the cards (which changes the meaning). For instance, one card says "You Win." Under that title, there will be various conditions that must be met in order for you to win, such as "You win if everyone who is still in the game is wearing something blue(visible)."

Cards like this really contribute to the game's random and quick nature.

Length

The game lasts anywhere from 10 seconds on up. Generally a game shouldn't take any longer than 5 minutes, but it can occur every once and while. It's a great filler when you're waiting for a new game to begin or something like that.

Quality

The cards are of a pretty good quality, similar to cards you'd receive in various board games but perhaps a bit thinner. The game is packaged in a little box (similar to various card games deck boxes) and the cards fit into your generic penny sleeves if you'd like to keep them safe. However, as usual, once sleeved the cards are a bit tougher to put into the box.

Chaos Packs

The chaos pack adds some random cards in a separate pile, one of which gets pulled in the beginning of the game, and that cards effect lasts until the end.

The chaos pack adds a bit of variety to the game, but not as much as one would originally hope for. However, due to the nature of the cards I believe that the chaos pack does it's job relatively well. It's not as number/draw intensive as some of the other card games out there that produce their versions of "chaos packs" (I'll call them that for the sake of understanding.) I feel with more expansions and additions of cards, the chaos packs will become better as well.

Overall

Overall, my group and I were thoroughly impressed by Playtest. It is certainly a fun little game to play whenever you feel like a laugh and it will definitely be played for years to come. We're really looking forward to the addition of more cards and packs to further the absurdity and glee that comes from playing random cards on friends.

Rating :8.5/10

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Cactusgod — 2008-08-08T07:43:59+00:00

angelkurisu wrote:
Cactusgod wrote:
Well, I just ordered it moments ago. I always wanted a ridiculous little game that would be fun to play a few rounds whenever you're waiting for something or bored. Luckily this popped up on the always great BGG "Hot Games" list. Well done guys ;p. I'll let you know what I think of it at a later date but it sounds fun.

'a ridiculous little game'?

You know, I have to take offense at your wording here. A ridiculous little game...

We're the ridiculous little game.

Hahaha no offense meant. THE ridiculous game, and that's what makes it the coolest. Love the concept. Can't wait for it to arrive.

Thread: Re: Are these all the cards?

angelkurisu — 2008-08-07T14:25:40+00:00

Bombs are the only true 100% repeating cards. Each does, however, have its own unique flavor text. Other repeat cards are variations. There are several different conditions for "You Win" cards, for instance, each has its own card.

Thread: Re: Are these all the cards?

BigBur — 2008-08-05T17:17:49+00:00

angelkurisu wrote:
The base deck contains 52 different cards. The chaos pack comes with 15 cards that form a separate deck -- they're universal rules, and you play with one of them in effect per game.

The game is best with 5-8 players, and shines as a time-killer for a few minutes, or as a casual game while eating or waiting for something.

Wait, so there are 52 completely different cards in the deck? Or do some repeat, like battle or bomb?

Thread: Re: Are these all the cards?

angelkurisu — 2008-08-05T16:49:32+00:00

The base deck contains 52 different cards. The chaos pack comes with 15 cards that form a separate deck -- they're universal rules, and you play with one of them in effect per game.

The game is best with 5-8 players, and shines as a time-killer for a few minutes, or as a casual game while eating or waiting for something.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

angelkurisu — 2008-08-05T16:43:25+00:00

BigBur wrote:

Hey Deniz, those cards were in fact printed on cardstock on an inkjet and cut apart by hand. I know this because I was the one who punched them out

What app did you use to print them out on an inkjet printer? Basic stuff, or is there a magical card creating program out there?

I laid them out in Photoshop, which is probably not the best tool for the job, but it's the program I know best. For beta runs such as that, I put 8 cards to a 8.5x11 sheet of cardstock, and used a hand die-cut tool that made perfect rounded corner 2.5x3.5" cards. It's useful, but labor intensive

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

BigBur — 2008-08-05T16:38:22+00:00

Hey Deniz, those cards were in fact printed on cardstock on an inkjet and cut apart by hand. I know this because I was the one who punched them out

What app did you use to print them out on an inkjet printer? Basic stuff, or is there a magical card creating program out there?

Thread: Are these all the cards?

BigBur — 2008-08-05T16:34:05+00:00

Just out of curiosity (and besides the dragon and kitten stampede), are the pictures that are here on the geek all the cards within the base game? I'm sure they aren't, but how many more exist?

Also, what does everyone know about the chaos deck? I'm really tempted to buy all of this randommossity and silliness, but I don't feel like ordering something like this for $12 or dollars...

Any opinions/suggestions/knowledge? Thanks?

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

angelkurisu — 2008-08-05T14:09:09+00:00

Cactusgod wrote:
Well, I just ordered it moments ago. I always wanted a ridiculous little game that would be fun to play a few rounds whenever you're waiting for something or bored. Luckily this popped up on the always great BGG "Hot Games" list. Well done guys ;p. I'll let you know what I think of it at a later date but it sounds fun.

'a ridiculous little game'?

You know, I have to take offense at your wording here. A ridiculous little game...

We're the ridiculous little game.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

someotherguy — 2008-08-05T06:57:17+00:00

I think everyone who reviews a game on this site, AND likes Fluxx, should mention that right in the first line of their reviews. Thanks for saving me the time.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Zimeon — 2008-08-04T09:56:53+00:00

I think I probably got the inkjet/cardstock version myself. But honestly, I don't mind that much. The game works until I spill some liquid on the cards.

But five minutes? How do you manage to have a game last five minutes? Most of our games are done within 20 seconds. Once we played some ten games of six people, and when we started the fourth game, one of the guys said "I don't care if I win or lose, I just want to get to play ONE CARD at least!". He had lost all three games without having had the chance to do anything.

And that's epic. I love this game. Can't wait to get the expansion.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Cactusgod — 2008-08-03T08:00:27+00:00

Well, I just ordered it moments ago. I always wanted a ridiculous little game that would be fun to play a few rounds whenever you're waiting for something or bored. Luckily this popped up on the always great BGG "Hot Games" list. Well done guys ;p. I'll let you know what I think of it at a later date but it sounds fun.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

evilgit — 2008-08-02T17:55:21+00:00

Great review. And nice idea for a game. But I also thought it was going to be a geeklist of games that really suck.

My old gaming group used a giant chart we made to determine the start player. We sat down one day and came up with 100 ways to determine start player. Then we rolled d100 and referenced the chart. Some entries included Youngest Player, Longest Beard, Hungriest Player, Last Player to Be Kissed, Spelling Bee, Who can stand on one leg the longest, and Best Booty Dance. The latter usually consisted of one fool doing a booty dance and every one else conceding. Often determining start player lasted longer than the actual game.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

FerretOfTindalos — 2008-08-02T01:45:41+00:00

KentuckyKid wrote:

I suggest that instead of "Playtest", we denote it by its acronym: WDPTAA, and then pronounce it like it's spelled. Kind of like the sound you make when spitting.

You utter "Wood Pita" whenever you spit?

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Masquerouge — 2008-08-01T20:27:31+00:00

dragonblaster wrote:
If it's as fast as you say, it may be a great game to play as a randomizer to find out who goes first in the next real game played.

Note: I said real for lack of a better word. The publisher of this comment recognizes WDPTTAA is a real game.

You might want to use Start Player: A Kinda Collectible Card Game, then. Same general idea, but you're guaranteed you'll have to draw only one card

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

angelkurisu — 2008-08-01T18:53:38+00:00

dbucak wrote:
I haven't played my copy of this, but I was pretty disappointed with the quality of the cards. They look like they were inkjet printed on cardstock and cut apart by hand. Even considering that it costs $8, I expected better.

Hey Deniz, those cards were in fact printed on cardstock on an inkjet and cut apart by hand. I know this because I was the one who punched them out

You have a beta copy, and should've received a copy of the final game in the mail when it was released last year. Apologies for you slipping through the cracks of our bookkeeping! I'll shoot you a private message, but am posting this here in case anyone else is in the same boat. If you are, send me a geekmail or contact us through our website.

bazik123 wrote:
what's not clear to me after this review - are there ANY decisions?

There are decisions. One of the most important decisions is "Should we play this game?" By answering yes, you've increased your chances of winning dramatically.

Seriously though, there are minor decisions in the game(Which card to play, mostly), though it is not exactly a strategy fest. It's quick, light, and not meant to be a game you play for hours. It's a silly filler, and excellent for sealing up that 5-10 minute gap while you wait for the other group of people in your gaming group to show up, or finish that game of Power Grid that's dragging just a couple minute too long.

Gyges wrote:
Great review. The title is most apt.

Gnomekin wrote:
Playtest is actually a lot more like getting a hold of someone else’s copy of 1000 Blank White Cards. In fact, I honestly believe that’s how Asmadi developed the game.

The actual genesis of Playtest (and that is how the designer abbreviates it as well, by the by) is far funnier and far nerdier. I'll let the designer reveal it if he wants.

Once upon a time, we were sitting at our weekly Friday night gaming group at MIT, waiting for the next game to start. We were talking about game balance, or some such, and I was like "I'm just going to make a card game with cards that say 'You Win', or 'You Lose' on it, and call it We Didn't Playtest This at All". Everyone was of course amused, and didn't think much of it for the rest of the night. The next week, I showed up with a prototype deck of the game, including excellent cards such as "You win if you are currently in possession of an orange", and "Draw Eight Cards, then discard all of them". Everyone liked it! So, after a little refining, we put together the beta version that I mentioned in the previous post. After that was successful enough, we decided to create a real version on actual cards. True to its name, the set of cards that went to print were never actually playtested, though they were proofread. And that is the story of Playtest!

Edit: I almost forgot one of the key aspects in naming the game originally! We were talking about silly GeekLists, and I talked of making a game with a ridiculous title for just that purpose. Happily, Playtest has found its way into several such lists

In an excellent turn of events, we released our first expansion, the Chaos Pack today. It is up on our website along with our other games at http://asmadigames.com/

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

KentuckyKid — 2008-08-01T16:35:32+00:00

Nice review of a game that sounds, to me, horrid.

I suggest that instead of "Playtest", we denote it by its acronym: WDPTAA, and then pronounce it like it's spelled. Kind of like the sound you make when spitting.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Gnomekin — 2008-08-01T14:35:44+00:00

bazik123 wrote:
what's not clear to me after this review - are there ANY decisions?

Well, you do have a hand of three cards so you get to pick which of those three cards you play.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

bazik123 — 2008-08-01T14:20:30+00:00

what's not clear to me after this review - are there ANY decisions?

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

bazik123 — 2008-08-01T14:19:11+00:00

dragonblaster wrote:
elcomadreja2 wrote:
The problem with that is that more than one person can win, and this outcome is about as common as one person winning.

Looks like the makers of WDPTTAA need to make an expansion that assures one winner. The expansion of course should not be play tested.

but the base game assures one winner. of course they didn't playtest it so perhaps the game doesn't alwys play out as it should

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Innocent Bystander — 2008-08-01T12:46:18+00:00

dbucak wrote:
I haven't played my copy of this, but I was pretty disappointed with the quality of the cards. They look like they were inkjet printed on cardstock and cut apart by hand. Even considering that it costs $8, I expected better.

I think you may have been sent a preview copy of their sequel "We didn't quality control this at all"

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

monkeyrobot — 2008-08-01T11:01:34+00:00

Gyges wrote:
The actual genesis of Playtest (and that is how the designer abbreviates it as well, by the by) is far funnier and far nerdier. I'll let the designer reveal it if he wants.

Yes please, do that!

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

monkeyrobot — 2008-08-01T10:59:32+00:00

Great review. It was really fun to read it all, but the best of it was, IMHO, the title.

Congratulations

I'll try to buy the game, too.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Roliander — 2008-08-01T04:49:41+00:00

dbucak wrote:
I haven't played my copy of this, but I was pretty disappointed with the quality of the cards. They look like they were inkjet printed on cardstock and cut apart by hand. Even considering that it costs $8, I expected better.

If they had titled the game, "These Components Suck" you would have been fine with that aspect and complained about the balance issues....

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

cannoneer — 2008-08-01T04:17:58+00:00

I hope they come out with a new game of the weight and strategic depth of, say, puerto rico, and call it "But we DID playtest THIS"

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

jimmcmahon — 2008-08-01T03:08:29+00:00

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Gnomekin — 2008-08-01T01:33:02+00:00

dbucak wrote:
I haven't played my copy of this, but I was pretty disappointed with the quality of the cards. They look like they were inkjet printed on cardstock and cut apart by hand. Even considering that it costs $8, I expected better.

I believe there have been at least two editions. The pictures look different than the copy I have. My edition isn't great but it is better than that.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

dbucak — 2008-07-31T23:32:10+00:00

I haven't played my copy of this, but I was pretty disappointed with the quality of the cards. They look like they were inkjet printed on cardstock and cut apart by hand. Even considering that it costs $8, I expected better.

Edit:
The publishers are sending me a copy of the new edition with better cards, so I'm happy.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

dragonblaster — 2008-07-31T22:32:57+00:00

elcomadreja2 wrote:
The problem with that is that more than one person can win, and this outcome is about as common as one person winning.

Looks like the makers of WDPTTAA need to make an expansion that assures one winner. The expansion of course should not be play tested.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

elcomadreja2 — 2008-07-31T22:14:52+00:00

dragonblaster wrote:
If it's as fast as you say, it may be a great game to play as a randomizer to find out who goes first in the next real game played.

The problem with that is that more than one person can win, and this outcome is about as common as one person winning.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Gyges — 2008-07-31T21:37:41+00:00

wmshub wrote:
MasterGeek wrote:
Awesome review. This could definitely be a really fun filler.My reaction: "Awesome review. This'll be fun for probably 2 plays if you're lucky, so I'll pass."

I'm over 10 plays in, enjoy it every time, and I'm rather unlucky.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

tirelli — 2008-07-31T20:37:03+00:00

dragonblaster wrote:
If it's as fast as you say, it may be a great game to play as a randomizer to find out who goes first in the next real game played.

You nailed! I want one!

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Denise — 2008-07-31T19:52:40+00:00

MScrivner wrote:
To me it sounds less like FLUXX and more like the ending deck from 1000 Blank White Cards.

I don't see a cost for this game anywhere on the site... is it cheaper than a pack of 3x5 cards?

No, it's $8. You can get it direct from the publisher http://asmadigames.com

I'm getting a copy - as often as I have to come up with short, funny, party games for small groups of the preteen crowd, this sounds like a hit. Not so much for serious gaming, but fine for the kids, and as cheap as it is, I won't even mind if the kids mess up the cards!

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

dragonblaster — 2008-07-31T19:33:56+00:00

If it's as fast as you say, it may be a great game to play as a randomizer to find out who goes first in the next real game played.

Note: I said real for lack of a better word. The publisher of this comment recognizes WDPTTAA is a real game.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

MScrivner — 2008-07-31T19:21:06+00:00

To me it sounds less like FLUXX and more like the ending deck from 1000 Blank White Cards.

I don't see a cost for this game anywhere on the site... is it cheaper than a pack of 3x5 cards?

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

wmshub — 2008-07-31T19:00:47+00:00

MasterGeek wrote:
Awesome review. This could definitely be a really fun filler.My reaction: "Awesome review. This'll be fun for probably 2 plays if you're lucky, so I'll pass."

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

MasterGeek — 2008-07-31T18:32:28+00:00

Awesome review. This could definitely be a really fun filler.

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

TheCollector — 2008-07-31T17:46:55+00:00

When I read your fark-style headline I thought you were talking about fluxx!

Thread: Re: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Gyges — 2008-07-31T17:21:01+00:00

Great review. The title is most apt.

Gnomekin wrote:
Playtest is actually a lot more like getting a hold of someone else’s copy of 1000 Blank White Cards. In fact, I honestly believe that’s how Asmadi developed the game.

The actual genesis of Playtest (and that is how the designer abbreviates it as well, by the by) is far funnier and far nerdier. I'll let the designer reveal it if he wants.

Thread: What? Wait! WHAT?!

Gnomekin — 2008-07-31T15:50:20+00:00

Over the years, I have played a lot of strange little filler games and a lot of silly card cards. I happen to be a big fan of Fluxx, as well a lover of Advanced Civilization. However, We Didn’t Playtest This At All might take the cake for the lightest, most random game I have ever played.

If you want a game that requires almost no time to play and takes almost no thought whatsoever, a game you could play while standing in line at the movies, this is the game that you have been looking for.

Playtest (since I am not going to type out We Didn’t Playtest This At All over and over again, even if I could just use cut and paste) consists of a slender deck of cards. The cards are plain, slightly thin, white cards. They don’t have any illustrations, although some of the ‘extra special’ cards have stars on their backs which means people will know when you get them. The cards also have cute little comments on the bottom, which I think are actually pretty funny.

The game plays from two to around eight. Honestly, the upper number is a little fuzzy. I am sure you could cram more people into the game if you really felt like it. You shuffle the deck, deal out two cards to each player and you’re ready to go. On your turn, you draw a card and you play a card. That’s it. The game ends when someone wins, everyone but one person loses, everyone loses or when everyone wins. Yes, those are all possibilities.

Unlike Fluxx, Playtest does not have formal categories like rules or goals. The cards are all over the place. There are cards like “You win if you’re the only one wearing blue” or “Draw extra cards” or “An opponent gets eaten by a dragon and loses” or “You lose. Really.” There’s a whole deck full of this stuff. Trust me, I’m not even giving you a real taste.

Yeah, if you take the time, you could chart out how the cards work and categorize them but it’s really not that kind of game. If you’re planning on doing that, just stop. If you’re seriously thinking about that, you are not this game’s demographic. Just stop before you hurt yourself.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, Playtest doesn’t have a theme per se. You have arrows and kittens and dragons and black holes, as well as games of Rock, Paper, Scissors thrown in. What Playtest really feels like, and the funny little quotes help, is having a conversation at a gaming convention.

As a Looney Labs fan and a guy who has played a lot of Fluxx, I have to address the inevitable comparison between the two games. They’re honestly not as much alike as they look. Fluxx, with its different categories of cards and built in balances to its goals, is actually a much more balanced and structured game. Playtest is actually a lot more like getting a hold of someone else’s copy of 1000 Blank White Cards. In fact, I honestly believe that’s how Asmadi developed the game.

So, with all that said and done, what’s the game like and what do I think of it? Playtest is fast, wild and random. Sweet Cthulhu, is it fast wild and random! A game can easily last less than two minutes. I’ve seen games end before I even had a chance to play. Yes, that can happen with the right combination of cards in Fluxx but there are a lot of one card plays that can win you Playtest. The game bounces all over the place.

Now, do I have a problem with that? If I had a problem with that, why on Earth would I have bought a game called “We Didn’t Playtest This At All”? It’s a silly, random game! That’s the point! For a game to play while waiting at a restaurant or waiting in line at a convention or stuck at an airport terminal, Playtest is perfect. If unstructured silliness sounds good to you, this game will be good to you.

Image

rseater — 2008-06-05T19:33:58+00:00

more cards from this bizarre game

Image

rseater — 2008-06-05T19:32:36+00:00

Star cards have different backs and are clearly superior to other cards. Clearly.

Image

rseater — 2008-06-05T19:31:54+00:00

Randomisity -- the back of the box

Image

rseater — 2008-06-05T19:30:41+00:00

Cake or Death?

Thread: Concise review

paulidale — 2008-02-14T00:01:33+00:00

In a sentence, this game is fun, lots of fun. If you like the idea of Fluxx but feel that it gets bogged down at times, this is the game for you.

This is a great light filler game. The shortest game we've played consisted of dealing out the cards (two to each player), determining that my wife goes first, via a die roll, followed by her revealing a you win but only if you're female card. The longest would have gone about five minutes - maybe a little longer we weren't timing it.

The game play consists of drawing one card (making your hand size three) and playing one card. None of the senseless silliness of Fluxx where both of these can change within a single turn - often multiple times. This means the game keeps going at a fast pace the whole time and nobody gets left out for long. There are a few counter cards but they don't disrupt the flow of play significantly.

As for the components, the cards. They come in a plastic card case and are made of thin cardboard (almost paper) and are printed on one side only. Basic but functional. They come in two colours: blue and white. The colour makes no difference for the most part - there are but a few cards that refer to colour. The rules are printed on one card (which isn't used in play) and are very simple and mildly humourous.

As for recommended ages, all three of my children (aged 11, 10 and 8) love this one. The former two are good readers and the latter is about average but I think that younger children would cope providing that they can read. Likewise the adults who have played it enjoy it too.

In summary, a fast fun filler game with a high degree of randomness.

- Pauli

Thread: Re: Perhaps Playtesting Is Overrated.

angelkurisu — 2007-10-31T03:46:06+00:00

cferejohn: You're right! It WAS a thousand white cards.

And then I wrote on 52. 56? 64! (I need to stop adding cards to the game, perhaps.)

It is a very silly game, but it's structured enough to be fun and replayable, in my opinion.

Thread: Re: Perhaps Playtesting Is Overrated.

Yollege — 2007-10-30T19:13:08+00:00

To start the game, deal two cards to each player. Decide in a random fashion who plays first.

Use Start Player: A Kinda Collectible Card Game to decide, and you can get 2 different games played in 5 minutes .

Thread: Re: Perhaps Playtesting Is Overrated.

Gyges — 2007-10-30T18:08:46+00:00

cferejohn wrote:
It sounds a lot like 1000 blank white cards...

http://boardgamegeek.com/game/4550

It is passingly similar, as are most card games that are premised on relative free form wackiness. I just prefer this one. But then again, I hate to draw, and turn to games designed by others to enjoy some of their creativity. Playtest allows me to do just that.

Thread: Re: Perhaps Playtesting Is Overrated.

cferejohn — 2007-10-30T17:49:40+00:00

It sounds a lot like 1000 blank white cards...

http://boardgamegeek.com/game/4550

Thread: Perhaps Playtesting Is Overrated.

Gyges — 2007-10-30T14:17:40+00:00

[Note: this review is of the Beta edition. Some changes have been made to the final production version.]

Disclosure: I am a friend of the designer.
Counter-disclosure: But I am also a Kantian. Kantians don't shill.*

Rules and Stuff

Most reviews begin with a summary of the rules. Much like this game itself, this review shall buck the trend, and present the rules in their entirety:

"The objective of this game is to win. If you lose, you have not won, and are out of the game. If you are the last player playing, you've won! You'll notice some of the cards are blue. This is because they are blue cards.
To start the game, deal two cards to each player. Decide in a random fashion who plays first.
On your turn, draw one cards, and play one card. Follow the instructions on the cards. Enjoy!"

Well, then, a lot depends on the cards. Here are two taken at random:

They

Read this card aloud!

'Any player saying the words 'they', 'their', or 'theirs' immediately loses, starting now."

Good luck

No, I said there, not their!
Haha. Too bad!

Cruel, no? Not compared to:

Arrowed!

Choose an opponent. Expert marksman archers come out of nowhere and shoot them with arrows! They lose.

'Looks like they got the point!'
'...'
'Yeah, I know. I'm a horrible person.'

Fear not. There are defensive cards that can prevent one being arrowed, or eaten by a dragon, or consumed by a black hole. There are also cards that allow you to immediately win, and cards that reverse that win into a loss. There is also the much-feared...

Fnord

This card does nothing.

...or does it?

Lest you think this game is all nastiness, there is the much reassuring

Banana

Play this on the table in front of you.

You now have a banana.

It could be useful, once there's an expansion.

The last card I will quote is emblematic because there will be much rock-paper-scissor -ing during the game. Take for example

Battle!

On 3, everyone throws either Rock, Paper, or Scissors.
Hide this card until everyone throws.

Anyone who threw the same as you loses.

It's always a good idea to announce what you're throwing in advance to psych out your opponent.

Evaluation

I am a heavy Eurogamer, and I'll be up front and say that I don't enjoy Fluxx--to which this game is occasionally compared. I adore We Didn't Playtest This at All (simply "Playtest" for short), for a variety of reasons:
-It ends. And quickly. Even with 8+ players, a game lasts all of five minutes. This makes it an ideal filler game, as even quick fillers (like For Sale) take that long to so much as explain the rules. "Playtest", by contrast, allows you to quickly end any game when new people arrive and/or people have made up their minds on what to play. Compared to other "let's play this until more people arrive" games (such as Fluxx, Bang!, et al), "Playtest" wins hands down.
-It's fun. It takes many, many plays to have even seen all of the cards played, let alone become familiar with them. So, the clever flavour text and amusing game effects don't get old. I've played this dozens of times, I'd wager, and I still love it.
-It appeals to gamers with the in-jokes and awesome title (BEST GAME NAME EVAR), and it appeals to non-gamers because it's so short and amusing.

Are there problems? Of course.
-Player elimination is an unfortunate element, but hey, the game will be over a minute or two after you're kicked out.
-You have few choices during the game, as it is awfully random. It is better to have few choices during five minutes, though, than to have no choices during two hours--not that I'll name names, but everyone knows a game or two like that.

In short, I heartily recommend We Didn't Playtest This at All. It is available for sale when Asmadi Games shows up at cons and from their website http://games.asmadi.net/.

* Look it up if you need to, I'll wait. Or Dave Kahnt could tell you. He's a great guy--look for the dude with the gnome. Actually, if you're interested, I could give a Kantian explanation of how to alter a game a priori, and why that doesn't constitute playtesting.

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angelkurisu — 2007-08-06T16:25:51+00:00

Game box and rules, plus a couple of cards from the game.

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Gyges — 2007-07-27T14:55:36+00:00

A sampling of some of the cards in the game, from the ever-popular banana to the infamous bomb.