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What is bad thing in Game testing ? Choose to Panic! Have you experienced Scuba diving or snorkeling?! Scuba divers put themselves in a situation similar to what game testers might face – Limited resources [the equipment you bring with you], time constraints [Air supply], rules to follow (rate of decent/ascent) and other surprises (unexpected sea visitors). Sometimes we may even be asked to accomplish something which we never done before, such as achieve 100% automation of the installation tests, or write a tool to verify the foreign language text in the game. Maybe no one has ever done this before. If you are not ready for a variety of test assignments and don’t have the skills needed to perform them successfully, then you will stumble rather than star. Study, practice, and experience are ingredients for good preparation. During the course of the project, try to get to know more about the game code. Keep up with the industry so you are also aware of what the next generation of games and technologies will be like. Become an expert in the requirements and designs for the parts of the game you are responsible for testing.

Computer games take from one to three years to develop (depending on scale). Testing begins late in the development process, sometimes from halfway to 75% into development (it starts so late because, until then, there is little to nothing to play or test). Testers get new builds from the developers on a schedule (daily/weekly) and each version must be uniquely identified in order to map errors to versions.

Once the testers get a version, they begin playing the game. Testers must carefully note any errors they uncover. These may range from bugs to art glitches to logic errors and level bugs. Some bugs are easy to document but many are hard to describe and may take several paragraphs to describe so a developer can replicate or find the bug. On a large-scale game with numerous testers, a tester must first determine whether the bug has already been reported before they can log the bugs themselves. Once a bug has been reported as fixed, the tester has to go back and verify that the fix works – and occasionally return to verify that is has not reappeared.

Evaluation of game rules: Game rules adequately explain operation of all components of the game including features, free games etc. Consistency with game rules and pay tables

UI and Functional test: Games outcome and data are correctly shown when games are played. Intermediate and final game outcomes are displayed for a reasonable time.

Verification the Integration points: Game win determination aligns with game rules.

Reviewing gaming procedures: procedures will be reviewed by System management, player account management, tournaments and promotions.

Infrastructure and security review: Secure and reliable operation for example time synchronization and OS reliability and security

You can follow few tips

• Need to identify the algorithm from Source code to identify issues
• RNG seeding checked in source code.
• Need to verify the source code appropriate use of random numbers, error handling, no unused variable etc…
• Need to verify the RNG mapping to make sure the output of game symbols, cards & other outcomes
• Need to test validate and evaluate the game predefined rules and its consistency
• Need to Make sure the indecent or offensive content/material display
• Irrespective of Single/Multi player games we need to validate bandwidth and client software.
• Reports need to validated with data accuracy Different date and time format, larger win, total money played, total no. of games etc.
• Infrastructure plays a vital role need to verify the network architecture and device configuration, OS reliability & security. Need to verify the gaming procedures with change control mechanism, game management and player management.

Keep all these tips and regardless of background experience in game programming and testing, anyone can become a game tester successfully.