Before releasing Little Fortunes, I conducted several rounds of playtesting to make sure that the game was easy to play, that the “predictions” didn’t skew boy or girl, and most importantly, that the game was fun and enjoyable. Feedback I received from the expecting couples that tried out the game when it was still a work-in-progress helped determine the 13 tests that ultimately made it into the game’s final version. I am grateful to my friends and family (especially my wife) for being such willing participants and putting up with prototype after prototype.
During these trial runs, I quickly found out that not all myths that “predict” if a person is pregnant with a baby boy or baby girl were a good fit for the game. Most of the tests and old wives’ tales that were removed from early versions of Little Fortunes were either too simple or not interactive enough for a baby shower setting. Some myths, however, were deleted from the game because they were either too icky or would make your grandmother blush if she was playing. The pregnancy tests that were eventually eliminated, however, often lent themselves to some of the funniest moments during the game’s creation.
Queue the blooper reel :)
Too Gross
- Garlic Test: One of the tests in the first Little Fortunes prototype had the future mama eat a clove of garlic. The test predicted if the baby was a boy or a girl based on how smelly the pregnant person became. If the garlic odor seeped out of the mother’s pores, it was a boy. If the mom continued to smell as sweet as roses, it was a girl. I imagined the pregnant person taking just a little bite of the garlic clove, but I quickly realized that players take the test instructions very literally. Because the instructions said “eat a clove of garlic,” the play testers truly ate a whole clove of garlic. Rather than being fun, the pregnant person felt sick and nauseous after conducting the test. While this was not the result I intended, the trial runs illustrated how carefully worded the tests need to be. Also, I bet those babies now have a taste for everything garlicy!
- Baking Soda Test: An early prototype of Little Fortunes had players conduct the well-known Baking Soda test. For those of you who aren’t familiar, the test consists of having the pregnant person pee in a cup, and then to mix their pee with baking soda. If the mixture fizzes, it’s a boy. If there’s no reaction, it’s a girl. Inspecting a future mama’s bodily fluids—typically urine, saliva, and colostrum—is used throughout medical history to help indicate if the baby is a boy or girl. Although bodily fluids are nothing to blush at when it comes to medicine, I ditched this test because bodily fluids are not something a person often wants on display when playing a game with parents, grandparents, other family members and friends. I’ve also seen tests online that recommend things other than baking soda. Some of the other mixtures are pretty benign and call for the use of cabbage water. Others call for the use of more dangerous chemicals like detergents and household cleaners. I wanted to keep Little Fortunes far away from these more hazardous ingredients, so thought it was best to remove all together.
Too Weird
- Spider Web Test: One of the deleted tests called for baby shower attendees to find a spider web and then have the guest of honor gently poke a hole through the web. Players were then to pay close attention to the spider’s reaction. If the spider repairs the hole, it’s boy. If not, it’s a girl. Not only was this test weird, but I also thought it would be too hard. Where were players supposed to find a spider web on such short notice? Also, how long were the players supposed to wait to see if the spider repairs the web? This test just didn’t seem practical. I also didn’t want the game to be blamed for ruining the spider’s habitat.
- Insect Test: What’s with all the bugs?! This test called for the pregnant person to lay on their back and then to have one of the players drop an insect onto the future mama’s belly. Players were to pay close attention to the way the insect falls. If the insect lands on its feet, the baby is a boy. If it lands on its back, it’s a girl. Little Fortunes took a strictly no bugs allowed position :)
Too Boring
- Palm Test: For this test, a player would ask the pregnant person to hold up their hands. If they presented them with palms down, the baby was a boy. If palms were up, it’s a girl. This test was removed because it seemed like it would be done in 2 seconds. It didn’t lend itself to the longevity of the game, and to be honest, it just wasn’t that interesting.
- Ball Test: This test had one of the players toss a ball to the pregnant person. If they caught the ball, the baby was a boy. If they didn’t catch the ball or clumsily dropped the ball, then the baby was a girl. This test seemed to further propagate stereotypes of boys being better at sports than girls. It had to go.