Game design buddy?

I'm also in England, but down South (in Oxfordshire), I'm afraid. I also like the idea of an occasional Skype or Google Hangout meeting to talk shop and discuss problems, as I don't have much in the way of local contacts to work with.

However, I have got to a couple of playtesting meetups (I have to get all the way to London for these) which I have found really useful. I gather they organise meetups in Leeds, if that is of any use to you. Take a look at their website for more information: http://www.meetup.com/Playtest/

Agreed, even if you work alone, having other people to talk to can be a huge help. I think a virtual "show and tell" session could be pretty handy if a handful of are up for it.

I'd say a Google Hangout could be a good way to progress as it is a reasonable framework for basic videoconferencing that works pretty well for most people (assuming you have a Google account).

What do you think?

Cheers,
Rob

Might be interested in Google hangouts or Skype meetings for talking about game design.

Hey I'm in Oxfordshire as well. Do you know about Oxford on Board and Thirsty Meeples in Oxford? They would be good places for meeting for IRL discussion/testing of games.

I don't make it to the Meetup UK regular meetings, they're too far from me. But I did playtest one of my games with them at the UK Games Expo last year and intend to do so again this year.

Yes, I was out playtesting my RPG system with my RP group :P

Likewise, that was my first big public playtest too. It was a demanding weekend. I ran one playtest with Playtest UK, took part in playtesting a couple of other people's games, then the next day I sat in the open gaming area all afternoon just inviting people to join my game for a round. Met a load of other designers and got a lot of good feedback on my prototype. I'm hoping the prototype I take with me this year will be the final one.

You're probably right, but I'm a fairly trusting person. After at least some text-based chat in a place that kinda slightly filters people a little bit I can usually decide who to share my email address with. :)

Hi guys,
Have you also considered something like tabletop simulator? You can build your prototype in it then meet up to play test it online & discuss stuff. It is a bit clunkier than playing on a table but you can use a mic to chat while everything is playing out.

I am in a group that uses Slack (the team-focused social software) to coordinate playtesting with other designers on Tabletop Simulator. You're not in it by another name are you?

I've ported my game to TTS, and found it quite useful for prototyping. Finding enough players online at the right time is tricky though. There is also a tendency for people to join thinking everyone will play their game, but without the matching willingness to play other people's games. Those folk usually go quiet after a while, but a core group have shown true interest in sharing efforts.

I'm also on the east coast of Australia... So time zones could work well for a change. Send me a message if you are interested.

I'm in Texas (so not even close), but I really enjoy helping other people out and bouncing ideas around.