Playtesting is the heart of game design. Ideas flow thick and fast for many designers, but it is only by getting them on the table in front of players that we see what we have created.

Playtesting is the process by which designers turn ideas into experiences.

This book describes:

- The purpose of playtesting
- Types of playtests
- Protecting your idea
- How many playtests are necessary
- Documenting playtests
- Forms of playtester feedback

... and then goes on to describe 100 questions you should ask during the playtesting process, with a detailed rationale for each of them.

Purchase on Amazon.com

Purchase on Amazon.co.uk

In this journal, award winning board game designer Adam Porter provides a multitude of reflective tools to help you develop as a tabletop game designer. This is not a playtesting journal. That is to say, the journal is not focused on one specific game or project. It is focused on you. You are the project.

The journal is broken down into logs, with prompts to guide your reflections.

You will be guided to reflect on:
- Your own definition of success
- Your gaming preferences and those of the market
- Games you have played and what you learned from them
- The people who support you in game design
- How you support other designers
- Your design ethos
- Your goals and ambitions

Purchase on Amazon.com

Purchase on Amazon.co.uk

- The Hook Generator - to help you create concepts which will catch attention
- The DARE Model - to help you prioritise your ideas
- The Ladder Model - to help you determine how engaging your game is
- The Idea : Execution Matrix - to help you determine how likely your game is to achieve commercial success
- Player Journey Maps - to help you identify the pain points in your games

These tools are all based off of models and matrices developed and discussed on the Adam in Wales Youtube Channel. If you would like more information about any of these topics, there is a huge amount of information within that channel.