Frequently Asked Questions

Dice Peak provides structured playtesting, game analysis, rulebook review and development, iterative development support, and assistance with sell sheets and publisher presentation materials.

Services can be commissioned individually or combined into a phased development plan based on the game’s current condition and the designer’s objectives.

Depending on the project, we may provide:

• developmental playtesting;
• targeted testing of specific mechanics or known problems;
• balance and player-count testing;
• blind playtesting;
• rulebook usability testing;
• component and card interaction testing;
• retesting after design changes.

The appropriate method depends on the development stage of the game and the questions that need to be investigated.

You do not need to choose a service before contacting us.

Send us a short description of your game, its current development stage, and the problems or questions you would like to investigate. After reviewing your enquiry and the available material, we will recommend an appropriate starting point.

No. Every game has different needs.

One project may require an initial diagnostic assessment, while another may be ready for targeted playtesting, balance analysis, blind testing, or rulebook restructuring. The starting point is determined after reviewing the game’s current condition and the designer’s objectives.

Yes. A project can focus on a particular mechanic, faction, player count, scoring system, resource economy, rulebook section, card group, balance concern, or another clearly defined issue.

Targeted work is most effective when the question and the expected outcome are agreed before testing begins.

We normally require the latest version of the rulebook and every component containing rules or gameplay-related text.

Depending on the project, this may include:

• Word or PDF documents;
• card and component images;
• player aids and reference sheets;
• boards containing gameplay information;
• spreadsheets with card or component data;
• printable prototype files;
• notes from previous playtests;
• a digital implementation or physical prototype.

The exact requirements are confirmed after the initial enquiry.

No. Final artwork is not necessary for most development and playtesting services.

The prototype should be readable, functional, and sufficiently complete for the objectives of the current phase. Clear placeholder graphics and components are usually preferable to investing in final artwork before the game’s systems and rules have stabilized.

Yes, depending on the requirements of the project and the available format.

We may work with printable files, digital implementations, or physical prototypes. If a physical copy must be printed or shipped, responsibility for printing, shipping, customs charges, and related costs will be agreed before the project begins.

Usually not. Independent testing allows us to observe how the game functions without continuous guidance from the designer.

A briefing or clarification meeting may be arranged before testing when necessary. During a blind playtest, however, the testers must learn and play the game using only the supplied rulebook, components, and player aids.

There is no fixed number that applies to every game.

The number of sessions, testers, player counts, and repeated tests depends on the game’s duration, complexity, development stage, testing objectives, and available budget. These details are defined in the written proposal before work begins.

The timeframe depends on the scope of the work, the complexity and duration of the game, the number of required sessions, the condition of the supplied material, and the requested deliverables.

An estimated schedule is included in the proposal for the current development phase. If changes to the material affect that schedule, we will discuss them with the designer before continuing.

Deliverables are defined separately for every project and may include:

• a diagnostic or playtest report;
• prioritized findings;
• explanations of how identified issues affect gameplay;
• practical recommendations and possible alternatives;
• playtest observations;
• summaries of relevant data and recurring patterns;
• annotated rulebook files;
• rewritten or restructured rulebook sections;
• objectives and questions for future testing.

The exact deliverables are stated in the proposal and project agreement.

Pricing depends on the game’s complexity, playtime, player count, volume of material, testing requirements, rulebook length, number of components, expected deliverables, and estimated working time.

After the initial review, you will receive a written quotation for the current development phase. Possible future phases may also be outlined, but they are not automatically included in the current quotation.

The fee, payment method, payment schedule, and delivery conditions are defined in the project agreement before work begins.

Where the agreement specifies payment after completion and before final delivery, the client will be informed when the phase has been completed. The final report or completed files will be delivered after the agreed payment has been received.

Dividing the project into phases allows us to focus on specific problems, control the scope and cost of the work, evaluate the outcome of each stage, and adjust the development plan as the game changes.

A phase may reveal that the game needs a different next step from the one originally anticipated. For this reason, future development is treated as a flexible roadmap rather than a fixed package.

No. At the end of the current phase, we may provide a separate recommendation and quotation for the next stage of development.

You may continue working with Dice Peak, implement the recommendations independently, or pause the project. No additional paid phase begins without written approval and a new or updated agreement.

Yes. Before paid work begins, both parties sign a written agreement defining the scope, deliverables, fee, payment terms, confidentiality conditions, intellectual property rights, responsibilities, and any other relevant terms.

A separate confidentiality agreement may also be used when required by the project or requested by the designer.

The designer retains ownership and control of the game and its intellectual property.

Dice Peak does not acquire publishing rights, royalties, or ownership of the game through playtesting, analysis, rulebook work, or development support unless a separate written agreement explicitly states otherwise.

The designer remains responsible for all final creative and development decisions.

Not without permission.

Client projects, files, reports, images, and development information are treated as confidential and are not publicly displayed, shared, or used as portfolio material without prior written authorization.

Unless a longer period is agreed in writing, client-supplied game files are retained for up to 30 days after the completion and delivery of the relevant development phase. They are then deleted from our active storage systems.

If the collaboration continues, the files may be retained during the active project and deleted within 30 days after the final agreed phase has been completed.

Material submitted for an enquiry that does not proceed may also be deleted within 30 days after the enquiry has been concluded or communication has ceased.

Agreements, invoices, payment records, essential correspondence, and other administrative documents may be retained for longer where required for legal, accounting, security, or record-keeping purposes. Designers should always retain their own master copies and backups.

No. Our playtesting is conducted by human testers.

Digital tools may be used to organize observations, compare structured data, or support calculations where appropriate. Client files or confidential game material will not be submitted to external AI services without prior disclosure and written agreement.

Such tools do not replace human playtesting, direct observation, or designer judgment.

Where Dice Peak has made a material contribution to the development of a game, the project agreement may require an appropriate acknowledgment in the game’s credits.

The exact wording and placement will be agreed according to the work performed. Examples include:

Additional Game Development and Playtesting: Dice Peak Game Studio

or:

Rulebook Development and Playtesting Support: Dice Peak Game Studio

This acknowledgment does not grant Dice Peak ownership, royalties, publishing rights, or creative control over the game.

No finite testing process can guarantee perfect balance across every player group, strategy, combination, or future version of a game.

We can identify observed problems, recurring patterns, dominant or underused strategies, statistical concerns, and areas requiring additional testing. Our conclusions apply to the version, conditions, and scope examined during the agreed phase.

No review can guarantee commercial success or publisher acceptance.

We can evaluate the game’s development readiness, clarity, playability, presentation, and possible strengths or concerns. Commercial results also depend on external factors such as audience, timing, production cost, publisher strategy, distribution, marketing, and market conditions.

When the game is sufficiently developed, we can help organize and refine its presentation materials.

This may include reviewing or developing a one-page sell sheet, clarifying the central concept and player experience, presenting key mechanisms, and improving the structure and language of submission material.

This service improves presentation readiness but does not guarantee that a publisher will review, accept, or publish the game.