Game programmer and beta reader
Game programmer and beta reader
Embedded Files
Diego Palacios
Diego Palacios
When Jens asked me to do part 5 i got caught by surprise, but gladly accepted.
My job as one of the beta readers, was to be an eye from outside, checking grammar, characterization, writing and dialogue.
At first, beta reading a script can be tricky, because you need to understand the author's goals with their work and checking the script without the images can give a wrong impression. Jens did a great job mentioning the character's body language, emotions and tone, which made this task easier.
When i checked the script, many aspects were already solid like worldbuilding, characterization and some of the dialogues. The fact that i had lots of fun while reading the draft was already a good sign, but to make sure this project could fully reach it's potential, it was important to pay attention to any potential mistake of any kind.
Here are some tips for people who will beta read a project and want to help as much as they can.
1-Don't be afraid to be honest: If someone takes their work seriously and want to improve they expect you to be upfront about what can be improved. Of course, politeness is never a bad approach, as long as you can be straight to the point.
For example, if a character ends up unintentionally unsympathetic is good to mention why.
2-Context matters: while checking for grammar, i took a different approach when checking for the goblin's dialogue. Because they speak in a primitive manner, grammar checks were not relevant, but it was fundamental to make sure readers would get what they meant. Fun fact: Some are way smarter than their speech may make you think.......
3-Don't be afraid to ask questions: Sometimes when i didn't understand what a character meant, i directly asked Jens about it. With that answer i could give the best suggestion for the situation. Sometimes, there doesn't need to be a correction, like when a character deliberately misname other.
4-Applaud the strong points: yes, feedback is important, and most of the time one spends helps correcting the weakest points, but explaining what resonated with you and why, can also help the author. This not only works as encouragement, but can also help them reach their vision better.
Diego is the creator of:
Google Sites
Report abuse