Playtesting

The Mana Forge Digest

Magic design involves exploratory, vision, and set design stages followed by playtesting to refine new sets.

Key points

• Exploratory Design: Broad exploration of potential designs
• Vision Design: Creates basic structure for the set
• Set Design: Builds the actual game mechanics
• Playtesting: Refines gameplay through player feedback

What you get

• Understanding design process from concept to execution
• Learning about different stages and their roles in Magic development
• Gaining insight into how sets are refined based on playtest results

Why it matters

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Magic design process, highlighting each stage's importance and impact.

Details

Exploratory Design involves extensive research to determine what type of house (set) you want, including style, size, materials, location, and any new techniques or paperwork needed.

Vision Design is like drawing blueprints for the set, establishing major mechanics, themes, and overall mood. It's a proof-of-concept stage that sets the tone for the entire design process.

Set Design is where actual game elements are created based on the blueprint provided by Vision Design. This phase involves adapting to any unforeseen challenges or requirements during construction.

Good to know

• Playtesting occurs at various stages of development, not just final
• The exploratory stage can take place before set design begins

Read the original on Wizards (https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/making-magic/playtesting) • Source: Wizards of the Coast