Have you ever looked at a question and thought "ugh this is going to take forever to answer" (like the one below)?
Yes, I had to put off answering the previous question for when I'd have time to answer this one.
Can you give a quick introduction to your playtesters (as many of them as possible)? Things like: how you first met them, what they do, their playstyle, what they're most likely to complain about, etc.
This is just people who seem like they might currently be playtesting, if there was something for them to playtest. Or at least making some comments. Not counting the one online-only playtester who I don't really know, don't remember how they got there even, but man they do say things sometimes (it's X-tra; hi X-tra).
- Sir Martin - I met him in 1994, playing Magic. He recently wrote me a program for generating card images, which is such a time-saver. He likes engine-building; he's most likely to complain about something not being engine-building. He's also a fan of psychology. He wants to try new games. He isn't afraid to speak his mind and try to kill things he doesn't like. He hates things that work with weird categories of things, like Patron.
- Sir Destry - I met him in 1997, at the Wacky Romantic Pyrate Salon. The 90s, amirite? He likes trying the exotic strategy and going hard for it and seeing what happens. He doesn't tend to complain about stuff.
- Dr. White - At a game store in 2011. He's always the test for, will a game be too slow with slow players. He thinks things through. And crushes you. He's up for any Donald X. stuff, willing to play light or heavy stuff. He doesn't like powerful cards; he was the lone voice speaking against Silk Merchant. He does enjoy breaking whatever I've blown it on; he will find it and abuse it to the max. Actually a doctor (a psychiatrist).
- Dr. Dibson - Same store, probably also 2011. He likes to play the same game a lot, really learn that game. Not actually a doctor. He's very positive but will say what he doesn't like sometimes.
- LastFootnote - Recruited for Prince testing, just prior to Adventures. He was vocal at these forums and that's something I was looking for. He took on making card images for playtesters who use Dominion-size cards (I have Magic-size cards), and did tons of playtesting, and ended up being credited as "head playtester" in a lot of rulebooks (and to this day). He's especially pro-casual-player-stuff. Wants to have a good time.
- Mic Qsenoch - For Adventures I looked at who seemed to be a good player and also who was posting. I got a few people who aren't still playtesting (including jsh357 and Adam Horton), plus Mic. He's the big defender of nasty attacks. You could go watch a year of videos of him playing the daily on TGG. Watch them at 1.5 speed, that's my advice.
- Ben & Steveie - Well I don't feel like checking rulebooks to see when these names show up. After the Adventures crowd but otherwise somewhat far back. They were just people I'd seen online including here. They were willing to test non-Dominion stuff and also Dominion. They type reports and have been helpful, but they don't so much chat on the discord.
- Ingix - Somehow the person I've known 3rd-longest here; I met him around 1998, as a fellow "rules guru" for Magic. We argued about what the 6th edition rules should be. Now he argues about what the Dominion rules should be. He's not a playtester in the sense of playing games, but talks through rules stuff, comments on the rulebook, and proofreads.
- JNails - At one point I was going to playtest on dominion.games, and invited player after player from the discord community. That worked for a bit, then there was a leak and it all collapsed, and most of the new playtesters were uh not retained. JNails seemed trustworthy and super-productive though. Sometimes plays a lot of games with DZ. Hates attacks.
- tracer - I know him from these places, but actually played a bunch with him IRL a few years ago. He's allergic to citric acid; now your life doesn't seem so bad. He will build an engine no matter what. In multiplayer he just builds the engine anyway no matter how much the board says to just buy some Golds. A significant voice for a few recent expansions; the voice of the expert player who wants to be drawing every turn. So for example he helped kill some of the Duration Loots; you couldn't play them every turn you see. These days he has a video a day reviewing a card for a minute.
- markus - Not so much a playing playtester, and doesn't pipe up much, but well there's his name in the list, he must be doing something. He did all the stats stuff you see on dombot, and recently compiled lists of interactions for me for the upcoming campaigns on TGG.
- kieranmillar - Another maker of videos, a long series looking in-depth at cards from the first several expansions. I think I found him that way. He playtested a bunch during the pandemic period. Friendly and verbose.
- Cave-o-sapien - You know him as the dombot guy, but he's played several of my games now; he'll be in the credits for Moon Colony Bloodbath and Pacific, hopefully both out this year. He's very chatty. Also has decent taste in music. Cares about flavor.
- DZ - What is there to say about DZ, that wasn't said better in the police dossier? I still remember the day I met DZ. That was the day I fulfilled my lifelong ambition to follow someone into a revolving door but come out ahead of them. DZ is like something you're trying to remember that everyone else wants you to forget. He's what the pig said to the apple. He's the stars painted on the ceiling of Dominion. He likes long walks on the beach, wonky cards, and having the game beat you up.
