Thank you for participating in our test for the Universal Paperclips browser game. Universal Paperclips is an idle clicker game where you make and sell paperclips, attempting to sell as many as you can within the test’s time limit. Please follow the steps and instructions in the following table to participate in both rounds of the playtest.
The test consists of two rounds of play, each covering a time span of 10 minutes. After the first test, move directly to the second survey and follow instructions to begin the second test. You will need to keep track of two pieces of information as you play: the ‘milestones’ that are displayed in the log box at the top of the game (ex. 100 paperclips in x minutes and x seconds!), and the total number of paperclips when the timer ends.
After the second test, please remember to keep track of the requested information at the end of the 10-minute timer, but you may continue playing longer before beginning the last survey, if you wish.
As part of the test, you will need to temporarily keep track of a couple of pieces of in-game information. You may write them down on a sheet of paper, type them into a note, on your phone, etc.
| Steps | Links | Instructions | Notes |
| 1. Please fill out the pre-test survey | https://forms.gle/rzTCC47PzVAvHaGB9 | This is a standard Google form. It may ask for an email to prevent duplicate completion, but we don’t collect/retain this information. | |
| 2. Please set a 10-minute timer, to be started when you begin the next step. | You will need to write down/keep track of the milestones that display at the top (ex. 100 paperclips at x minutes and x seconds). | Most smartphones include a timer in their clock app. | |
| 3. Begin the first 10-minute test for Universal Paperclips | https://www.decisionproblem.com/paperclips/ | After the timer ends, please stop playing and move on to the next step. | It’s recommended that you start this in a “private/incognito” browser window, so that the game won’t continue on reopening the page. (Chrome/Opera = Incognito; Firefox = Private) Right-click the link and find the appropriate option for your browser. |
| 4. Please fill out the first post-test survey | https://forms.gle/EKdQ5P1NHCPV7snD6 | ||
| 5. Please set a 10-minute timer again, to be started when you begin the next step. | You will need to write down/keep track of the milestones that display at the top (ex. 100 paperclips at x minutes and x seconds). | ||
| 6. Begin the second 10-minute playtest for Universal Paperclips | https://www.decisionproblem.com/paperclips/ | After the timer ends, please make note of milestones/number of paperclips, but you may continue playing beyond the timer prior to completing the survey, if you wish. | You can simply start this in an incognito/private window and it will reset, whether you used a normal window before or not. If you don’t have/aren’t sure how to access a private window, refer to instructions below to reset the game. |
| 7. Please fill out the second post-test survey | https://forms.gle/TvfQVrg7zxRgng7v8 |
If you aren’t able to use a private/incognito window or the game does not reset for the second playthrough, use the following steps:
1. Press F12/CTRL+Shift+i/Right-click and select inspect or view page source
2. This will display the html for the page, and your browser’s inspector.
3. Find the tab in the inspector titled “Console” and select it.
4. In the text entry line of the Console tab, type reset()
5. This will reset the game, and you can close the inspector (typically an x in the left or right corner) and begin the second playthrough of the game.
Please note: While we are conducting playtests for the Universal Paperclips browser game, we are not affiliated with nor the creators of the game, and all use and survey responses collected are solely for education purposes.