Simple DnD map v3

I created the concept for using an online program with pre-made assets to help myself get an idea of how I wanted the map to flow. Unfortunately, when we playtested our levels, I did not take a picture of the players testing mine. Speaking of which, the players testing my map were Mikel Ramirez and Ragalla Seliby-Kaplan, who played a rogue and a warrior, respectively.

When we tested the maps, we used a few pieces of paper, which, when put together, would form the map. We also use small metal player pieces to indicate players, and small red chips to indicate enemies. This time, I prepared my maps ahead of the playtest, so I wasn't scrambling the day of.

So, what went right?

The players expressed how much they enjoyed secret rooms I included in the map and the organic ways they could find them. This also happened in my previous playtest, which was quite funny since I did not initially design the map to do so.

The players both enjoyed and disliked the amount of choice offered to the player. In this section, I will cover what they liked. They enjoyed the different areas of the level, with diverging paths and choices which felt appropriate and immersive to the game. For example, Mikel encountered an NPC who informed him that, for the price of his precious Stimpak (health potion), he could have a hoverboard. This would allow the party to altogether bypass the first fight, at the cost of making the later battles more challenging.

The players said the encounters were fairly spacious during the third playtest, stating that the hallways were much more comfortable than previously. The spacing of the rooms with encounters was well done, too, according to the players. Each area felt free and open, but also guided the action well.

So, what went wrong?
They expressed interest in enemy variety, as the enemies I had written were, in their words, "somewhat bland." Sadly, I believe this is due to my main issue, which is that I did not spend enough time on the enemies as a whole. This lead to some balancing issues, as well as the lack of variety, mentioned previously.

Above, you can see the placement of the enemies in the level. As you can see, there are quite a few enemies on the level, but there are only three types of enemies. This caused the players to feel as though fights became formulaic in nature, always targeting certain enemies first.

Finally, the players and I noticed that the Warden, the boss of the Prison, was way too overpowered, and was the hardest enemy of the dungeon in the first playtest. 

The players said that, in conclusion, I should focus more on the player choice on the map, as they felt I was leading the player a little too much in the level. They felt as though they were being guided, instead of released. Unfortunately, I believe this is due to an oversight in time management, as I did expedite the test somewhat, even though it wasn't necessary. 

So, how will I improve the map?
First, I am going to ensure that next time, I am adequately prepared to give the players the correct experience during the playtest. I don't want to accidentally rush them through the map, as I did in this playtest.

Next, I am going to weaken the enemies overall. Specifically, I am going to weaken the Warden quite a bit, as his stats made him nearly invincible to the players' attacks, and much too lethal for a proper battle.