Questioning a Gamers Needs

[Morgan_Scott82]

For my upcoming game I'm hoping to put together a questionaire to help me delineate what my players want from the game, so I can better model the game after their wants and try for the most enjoyable experience possible. I'm aiming for something along the lines of a Threefold model, GNS theory, Big Model, Bartle Quotient amalgam. While I could come up with something myself I think it will be both more fun and more useful to seek the communities input about what types of questions should be asked and how they should be evaluated. So, what do you think I should ask?

[JaronK]

Ask them what their idea game would be?

JaronK

[Gerrtt]

I would definitely ask them how important they feel that magic should be. Other good questions include how much dungeon crawling they like, how much they like non-combat encounters (traps, social settings, etc), whether or not they like really hard puzzles, what types of monsters they would like to see you use against them, and whether or not they like big NPCs showing up and being a part of the group.

The use of a good 5-point Likert Scale would be nice to help you gauge their degree of importance on these matters.

[Morgan_Scott82]

Well I was thinking something more obtuse and potentially more descriptive, one that would use questions to force feedback that would be meaningful, and make players consider their position on all aspects of the game not just those they find ideal. I feel a blanket: "What would you define as the ideal roleplaying experience?" would elicit partially useful responses in the areas of the game each player found enjoyable, whereas a battery of questions would elicit responses on areas of the game they enjoy and those they dislike and possibly rank them on a graduate scale. Something like this:

Traps are a meaningful addition to a dungeon, not an annoying delay

Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

This would allow me to know that Player A really loves encountering traps, while players B and C don't really have an opinion and player D is somewhat against them. With a battery of this type of question you could rank the priorities of a party as a whole and then craft your adventures accordingly. I think there might be more utility in this approach than in the blanket "What do you want out of the game"

[Gerrtt]

Yes, what you are suggesting is a Likert Scale. It's a great way to gauge how important different players think different aspects of the game are. Obviously, you need to word your questions properly. To figure out how important magic/magic items are to the players experience you could put: I can't fuction without magic items (S. Agree, Agree, Neutral, etc.). I think that if you are going to do a survey for them, this is the best way to do it. I would go ahead and leave a blank for them to fill in, in case you miss something that they think is important. While this isn't something you do in legitimate scientific research, it's a good idea for what you are doing.

[Morgan_Scott82]

Yes, what you are suggesting is a Likert Scale. It's a great way to gauge how important different players think different aspects of the game are. Obviously, you need to word your questions properly. To figure out how important magic/magic items are to the players experience you could put: I can't fuction without magic items (S. Agree, Agree, Neutral, etc.). I think that if you are going to do a survey for them, this is the best way to do it. I would go ahead and leave a blank for them to fill in, in case you miss something that they think is important. While this isn't something you do in legitimate scientific research, it's a good idea for what you are doing.

Exactly, now if anybody has any thoughts on potentially illuminating questions I would love to hear them and I think we can help one another brainstorm up a meaningful player questionaire.

So far I've thougth up the following in addition to the example about traps I posted above, all ranked on the same strongly agree through strongly disagree spectrum:

The solution to a problem should involve more than rolling dice

Fighters outshine wizards at levels 1 through 5, while wizards outshine fighters at levels 15-20, this is an appropriate form of game balance.

There should be a clear delineation between player and character capabilities.

I would rather have fewer more challenging encounters than more less challenging encounters

Finding Treasure and better equipment for my character is one of the things I enjoy most about RPGs

Anybody have other suggestions, I'm sure there's plenty else out there but I'm not thinking of them at the moment.

[Telonius]

I'd suggest adding the "What is your ideal RP experience?" at the end of the questionnaire. That way they can put in anything that they feel is really important that your survey may have missed. No matter how well-designed the survey, it can't account for all variables, and that kind of an open-ended question can help fill in the most salient unknown variables.

EDIT: Possible statements/question items....

The inclusion of non-core material should be encouraged; if it's published, it should be fair game in the campaign.
Players should only be allowed to play from the races described in the PHB.
Resurrection should be easily obtained; death is impermanent.

[Morgan_Scott82]

I'd suggest adding the "What is your ideal RP experience?" at the end of the questionnaire. That way they can put in anything that they feel is really important that your survey may have missed. No matter how well-designed the survey, it can't account for all variables, and that kind of an open-ended question can help fill in the most salient unknown variables.

Agreed.

And these characters are to exceed the min post size requirement.

[C Harnryd]

You could also add an inverted version of Telonius' suggestion: "Is there something you absolutely don't want in a campaign?"
I've found that many players are willing to try many things, but that most of them have some kind of "allergy". Examples from my gaming groups include sexism, manga, modern environments.

[Gerrtt]

Here's one that could potentially make it easy for you to write stuff:

I don't mind when the DM borrows story ideas from movies, books, or other sources of entertainment media.

Others include:

I like non-combat encounters (IE, RP situations, anything involving a diplomacy roll).
I think magic items should be common.
I think goblins are boring enemies.
I think an extensive backstory is crucial to character development.

[Yahzi]

I would just ask these two questions:

1. I know who my character's parents are.

(If Yes, they want a fully fleshed out role-playing world. with angst and drama. If No, then they just want fun adventures, like High Plains Drifter.)

1. I care how much a gold piece weights.

(If Yes, then they want above ground adventures, with social interactions and wilderness adventures. If No, they just want a dungeon crawl).

[Lolth]

I would be very interested in seeing the final quiz, if you're willing to share. I'd put it on my chat for players to respond to, with full credit to the creator of course.

[Bryn]

1. I care how much a gold piece weights.

(If Yes, then they want above ground adventures, with social interactions and wilderness adventures. If No, they just want a dungeon crawl).

I'd answer no to that, but I would rather have an above ground adventure as described than a dungeon crawl (and I know, only one example, but I doubt whether I'm the only exception). I don't really think you can infer such things about gaming preferences simply from their opinion on the weight of money.

I'm finding the rest of this thread interesting, though, and I would be interested in the final questionnaire too.

[Inyssius Tor]

I would just ask these two questions:
1. I care how much a gold piece weights.

(If Yes, then they want above ground adventures, with social interactions and wilderness adventures. If No, they just want a dungeon crawl).

I would answer Yes in a dungeon-crawl, but No in an above-ground adventure.

Also: very interesting thread. Would be interested in final questionnaire.