Annotated Games: Version 0.6, 4 players

This game was played during the game testing of Find the Bug! Agile. The players pursued different paths towards the victory.

1. Player 1: Aim for many test cases and few tests
2. Player 2: Aim for many tests and few test cases
3. Player 3: Aim for a balance between tests and test cases
4. Player 4: Look for the best use for the codes in the current turn

The players' hands are shown in the table (codes, use cases and CV) and the table is shown by use cases with the left number indicating the product owner and the right number indicating the tester. The game plays with six components.

Round 1

Player 1 must start with a test case (purple and yellow) and since player 2 had all the colors necessary to test it fully (blue, green and red), she did so but failed. Player 3 must then also start with a test case (purple and green) and so did player 4 (blue and green), since she didn't have the necessary red to do a full test.

Round 2

Player 1 tempts player 4 with a test case that can be tested with her purple, blue and yellow cubes. It can also be integrated with her first test case and give player 1 additional victory points. Player 3 tests blue/green test case to spend her red and yellow codes but fails while player 4 accepts player 1's offer but again we see a failed test case.

Round 3

Player 1 would like to create a third test case but only one with blue/red output would be tempting enough for player 2 (who has the other three colors) so she decides to use her two blue to get her first code on the CV. Player 2 does the same with a yellow pair with the intention to copy codes next turn. Player 3 has only 2 red codes left and decides to copy player 1's codes to be able to continue test next turn. Note that by sharing her blue codes instead of purple, player 1 cleared her hand of blue so that "copycats" would only get 4 codes. Player 4 on the other hand passes her test and gets 2 codes on her CV, leaving only player 3 without codes.

Round 4

Player 1 creates another test case. She could have integrated the two passed components but since she is the product owner for both and hence will get two codes whoever integrates them, she's in no hurry. Player 2 rightly suspects that player 1's input is red and green, since neither she nor player 4 has that combination, so she chooses to copy code instead. Player 3 finally passes her test case, after which player 4 accepts player 1's challenge but only partially passes.

Round 5

There is a surplus of purple and shortage of blue in play so player 1 writes a blue code to be able to integrate next turn. Player 2 fails her test but by that, player 3 suddenly has 2 blue codes and is able to integrate all three passed components! Player uses her only remaining codes to fail a second test.

The integration rewards the following codes (product owner first, technical lead second):

• Component red/green: Player 1 yellow CV/blue code, player 4 red CV/green code
• Component purple/yellow: Player 1 blue CV/red code, player 2 purple CV/yellow code
• Component blue/green: Player 4 yellow CV/purple code, player 3 green CV/blue code
• Module: Player 3 purple CV, blue/green code

Round 6

With no more passed components to integrate, player 1 creates a test case that will fit the module. Player 2 deduces that her test case requires red/yellow (since blue/red has already been used) but only has yellow. Seeing that no other player has that combination either, she gambles and switches to player 1's test with successful result! Player 1 sees that yellow is scarce and writes one to be able to integrate in the future. Player 4 finally copies player 1's code to be able to continue test next turn.

Round 7

Player 1 is unable to integrate without yellow so she hurries to capitalize on all her codes by sharing. Player 2 writes red to be able to finish her test. Player 3 expects that player 1 will integrate the module currently tested by player 4 next turn, making red necessary to integrate in her turn. Player 4 finally completes her test.

Round 8

Player 1 manages to integrate both the passed components by switching the blue and yellow output colors on one of them. Player 2 passes the sixth and last component but player 3 needs another red to integrate it. Player 4 writes purple to complete a set of five colors.

The integration rewards the following codes (product owner first, technical lead second):

• Component blue/red: Player 1 green CV/purple code, player 2 red CV/blue code
• Component blue/yellow: Player 1 red CV/green code, player 4 blue CV/yellow code
• Module: Player 1 red/green CV, blue/blue code

Round 9

With the final turns approaching, player 1 shares purple to complete a set of five colors and player 2 writes blue to do the same next round. Player 3 does the last integration, after which player 4 also shares.

The integration rewards the following codes (product owner first, technical lead second):

• Component purple/green: Player 3 yellow CV/red code, player 2 green CV/purple code
• Module: Player 3 purple/red CV, blue/blue/green code

With player 3's integration (and blue depletion), the end of the game is triggered and all players get one more turn.

Round 10

Player 1 and 3 manage to do one final share of codes, after which the final scores can be calculated (colors in order of smallest to largest and codes left in hand in parentheses):

1. Player 1: 1-2-2-2-3 (1)
2. Player 3: 1-1-2-2-3 (4)
3. Player 2: 1-1-2-2-3 (2)
4. Player 4: 1-1-2-2-2 (2)

Player 1 wins thanks to not only being product owner for many components in the module but also integrate some of them. Player 3 had a slow start due to her test case being untested for a while, giving her too few codes to work with, but became second thanks to a strong finish. Player 2 did well but not integrating at all may have cost her the victory. Player 4 did well in the beginning but her small code hand prevented her from integrating and made her fall behind in the end.

Overall a successful test where the balance was finally found after many... well, iterations.

P&P (PDF, A4)	P&P (PDF, US Letter)

Annotated games

Complete test games are presented under Annotated Games.

• Version 0.2, 4 players
• Version 0.3, 4 players
• Version 0.4, 4 players
• Version 0.5, 4 players
• Version 0.6, 4 players

If you like those game mechanisms, I can also recommend: