playtesters
Pre-release game evaluators
Playtesters are people who test games before release, looking for bugs, balance issues, and design problems.
The term applies mainly to video games and tabletop games.
Playtesters provide feedback on whether gameplay is fun, fair, and functional: The playtesters found the final boss too difficult.
Distinguished from quality assurance testers, who focus more narrowly on technical bugs.
Unpaid willing workers
- participantsThose actively involved
- early adoptersFirst users of innovations
- influencersPeople with online sway
- streamersDecorative hanging ribbons
community members · content creators · NDA · closed beta · open beta · waitlist · focus groups · demographic diversity
Standards compliance process
- iterationRepeated procedural pass
- prototypingMaking preliminary models
- debuggingError removal from programs
- balancingAchieving equal distribution
Evaluative analyses of work
- suggestionsProposed ideas or advice
- impressionsEffects on the mind
- opinionsSubjective beliefs or assessments
- commentsSpoken or written reactions
insights · reactions · responses · observations · input · recommendations · constructive criticism · pain points
Those who play electronically
- speedrunnersGamers minimizing completion time
- moddersPeople who alter software
volunteers
Unpaid willing workers
- participantsThose actively involved
- early adoptersFirst users of innovations
- influencersPeople with online sway
community members · streamers · content creators · NDA · closed beta · open beta · waitlist · focus groups · demographic diversity · selection criteria
QA
Standards compliance process
- iterationRepeated procedural pass
- prototypingMaking preliminary models
- debuggingError removal from programs
critiques
Evaluative analyses of work
- suggestionsProposed ideas or advice
- impressionsEffects on the mind
- opinionsSubjective beliefs or assessments
comments · insights · reactions · responses · observations · input · recommendations · constructive criticism · pain points · highlights
gamers
Those who play electronically
- speedrunnersGamers minimizing completion time
- moddersPeople who alter software
- board gaminggame nights, local clubs, collectors, conventions, wargamers
playtestersdevelopers
Those who create software
programmers · creators · producers · coders · content creators