Game Box Creation - Testing

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Once you have a finished JSON control file and the associated image files for a game box, the next step is to test it.
But first you should pass the finished JSON file through a JSON validater like JSON lint.

Game Box Creation edit

Testing On a BOARD18 Server

The Actual Testing

The most common errors in a game box result from minor mis-measurements in the pixel counts of the images. So these are what we look at here.

Tile Sheet Values

If you used the provided GIMP Python scripts to produce the sheet then this test is probably not necessary.

Do this step for each tile sheet on the trey. Use the trey menu to display each tile sheet.

First look at the top tile on the trey. If the tile seems to be clipped either on the right or on the left then you will have to adjust the xStart value for that trey object. Increase it to move left and repeat the test. Decrease it to move right and repeat the test.

If the tile seems to be clipped either on the top or on the bottom then you will have to adjust the yStart value for that trey object. Increase it to move up and repeat the test. Decrease it to move down and repeat the test.

Next look at the rest of the tiles on the trey. If the tiles seems to skew to the right or the left then you will have to adjust the xStep value for that trey object. Increase it to correct skew to the right and repeat the test. Decrease it to correct skew to the left and repeat the test.

You will check the tile sheet yStep value later in this procedure.

Token Sheet Values

If you used the provided GIMP Python scripts to produce the sheet then this test is probably not necessary.

Do this step for each token sheet on the trey. Use the trey menu to display each token sheet.

First look at the top token on the trey. If the token seems to be clipped either on the top or on the bottom then you will have to adjust the yStart value for that trey object. Increase it to move left and repeat the test. Decrease it to move right and repeat the test.

If the top token seems to be clipped either on the left or on the right then you will have to adjust the xStart value for that trey object. Increase it to move up and repeat the test. Decrease it to move down and repeat the test.

Next look at the rest of the tokens on the trey. If the tokens seems to skew up or down then you will have to adjust the yStep value for that trey object. Decrease it to correct skew to the top and repeat the test. Increase it to correct skew to the bottom and repeat the test.

You will check the token sheet xStep value later in this procedure.

Game Board Start Values

Place the first tile on a tray on the board near the top left of the map. Does it line up within the containing hex? . . . both horizontally and vertically? If not, then adjust the start values (xStart and/or yStart) in the "board" object and repeat the test.

Game Board Step Values

Place the first tile on a tray on the board near the bottom right of the map. Does it line up within the containing hex? . . . both horizontally and vertically? If not, then adjust the step values (xStep and/or yStep) in the "board" object and repeat the test.

Stock Market Start Values

Place the first token on a tray on the market in the top left price box. DO NOT ACCEPT THE MOVE. Click on the four edges of the box. Is the token movement centered around the box? . . . both horizontally and vertically? If not, then adjust the start values (xStart and/or yStart) in the "market" object and repeat the test.

Stock Market Step Values

Place the first token on a tray in a price box on the right edge of the market. DO NOT ACCEPT THE MOVE. Click on the four edges of the box. Is the token movement centered horizontally around the box? If not, then adjust the xStep value in the "market" object and repeat the test.

Place the first token on a tray in a price box on the bottom edge of the market. DO NOT ACCEPT THE MOVE. Click on the four edges of the box. Is the token movement centered vertically around the box? If not, then adjust the yStep value in the "market" object and repeat the test.

Tile Sheet yStep Value

If you used the provided GIMP Python scripts to produce the sheet then this test is probably not necessary.

Do this step for each tile sheet on the trey. Use the trey menu to display each tile sheet.

For this test use a tile with six rotations. Place the tile anywhere on the board. DO NOT ACCEPT THE MOVE. Rotate the placed tile. If the tile seems to become more and more clipped as it is rotated, then adjust the yStep value for the tile sheet object and repeat the test.

Token Sheet xStep Value

If you used the provided GIMP Python scripts to produce the sheet then this test is probably not necessary.

Do this step for each token sheet on the trey. Use the trey menu to display each tile sheet. But skip this test for any token sheet that has no tokens with a "flip" value of true.

For this test use a token with a "flip" value of true. Place the token anywhere on the board or market. DO NOT ACCEPT THE MOVE. Flip the placed token. If the token seems to become clipped when it is fliped, then adjust the xStep value for the token sheet object and repeat the test.

Another Way To Get It Tested

In an ideal world there would be an application called testGameBox which would do all of the above work for you.
But I currently have no such application. So I have decided to be that application.

If you want your shiny new game box tested for you, then:

  • Create a directory structure that looks like this:
 boxes
   control
   images
     gameBoxName

where gameBoxName is the name of your game box (for example: 1870-REP01).

  • Put your control file into the control directory.
  • Put all of your image files into the gameBoxName directory.
  • Zip up this directory structure.
  • Include this zip file in an Email sent to Rich Price [rich at board18.org].
  • State in this Email that you have created a new game box. Also state the game it is for and that it is an untested game box.

I will test the game box and report the test results back to you in an Email.