Playtest
Also said as User testing, Hallway test
Watching other people play your game to see what really happens. You say nothing and take notes, and you do not explain or help.
You know where everything is and what everything means, so you can no longer see your own game. Five minutes of watching a stranger can overturn a month of debate.
Say it
“Get three people who have never seen the game. Sit behind them, say nothing for 20 minutes, and write down every time they stop or look confused.”
Where you’ve seen it
Ken Birdwell's 1999 article on Half-Life's development describes how Valve ran tests: testers played while team members sat by, took notes and were not allowed to help, and it changed how the game was designed.
Not to be confused with qa
A playtest asks whether the game is fun and understandable. QA asks whether it is broken. A bug-free game can fail a playtest, and the reverse.