Hordes of Hunger
Alpha feedback on pacing and feel, camera behavior, ability balance and a map-wide collision sweep for a 3D survivors-like.
What we did: Alpha playtesting · Camera and controls feedback · Ability balance testing · Collision testing
1. Alpha playtesting while changes were still cheap
Situation. Core mechanics were in place at alpha. The question was whether the loop felt fresh and fun, not whether it crashed.
What we did. We played the alpha and delivered structured feedback on pacing, enemy waves, feedback clarity and progression rewards.
Result. The developers made targeted changes early, before the systems hardened.
2. Camera that stops fighting the player
Situation. Default camera placement and movement felt awkward in combat and exploration.
What we did. We tested the camera across combat, exploration and area transitions and documented angles, responsiveness and control issues with suggestions.
Result. The camera system was reworked to be more intuitive and responsive.
3. Ability balance
Situation. Some abilities clearly overperformed, others felt useless, which narrowed viable playstyles.
What we did. We tested every ability across scenarios and documented performance, then listed the specific mechanics causing the imbalance.
Result. Several abilities were reworked, and more builds became viable.
4. Map-wide collision sweep
Situation. Invisible walls, falling through objects and unnatural movement in several areas.
What we did. We walked the entire map, documented every collision issue with location, repro steps and video.
Result. All reported collision issues were resolved.
What this means for your launch. Playtesting at alpha is the cheapest QA a studio can buy. The same camera note costs a day at alpha and a patch after launch.