Summative Evaluation

Posted by Jere on May 5, 2006 at 08:43 PM

Many gamers believe they understand their gaming processes, well until a problem that occurs that causes stress in their game, maybe even for it to fly apart. However, a continual evaluative process, often called summative evaluation can really help out a game. I’m currently going through this process for Tantaene Animis Caelestibus Irae, and I’ll be honest, it is not easy. Here are some of my lessons learned so far.

I am a big fan that games can be improved for the positive. In fact I believe that for any long-term game to survive I needs to be in a continual process loop.  Relying on seat-of-the-pants experience to define our gaming activity can often lead to problems, surprises, bottlenecks and unneeded stuff that are reducing the potential of the game.

The benefits of using summative evaluation to examine your gaming can include:

1. Simplification of the gaming process
2. Improved communication
3. Enhancement of the play experience.

Set the Stage

Setting the stage involves making sure everyone n the group is aware of the need to review the game and committed to actually following-through by changing your processes. This may be a tenet in your social contract already. Maybe its something you have to renegotiate. But if you don’t, or if folks aren’t all on the same page, you probably won’t get very far.

Select something you want to improve

Select one known problem area to focus on (or group of related issues). Don’t try to re-engineer your entire game at once.

Understand and map the process

Map needs to game documents to execution. Figure out how the group’s needs aren’t being met. Basically define your process as a consistent base from which to begin change; without knowing where you are at a given moment it is hard to determine how to get to your destination. A roadmap is needed to assure that you understand your real game group processes and formulate a solid basis for change.

What do you want?

You’ve figured out what you are doing. So figure out what you want and why what you are doing is not working.

Change it

Change your process so it meets its stated and perceived requirements. Basically make it work (see other sections about how this is done for individual parts of the process).

Continue to Improve the Process

You are never done. Continually work to improve your process and you’ll hopefully se your game satisfaction continue to rise.