Game Testing

[UziT]

Has anyone got experiance in game testing? I just had an Idea on how to go about it.

 

Here is a website which I have found you dudes check it out!http://www.workingames.co.uk/ViewPage.aspx?PageID=Home

 

Thanks!

[fatnickc]

I've heard from a few people who've been games testers, and they've said that it's a dull job, nothing like just playing games. However, it's still a fairly good first step on the ladder, even if you do have to drudge through it for a while!

This month's EDGE had a good feature on it which is worth a read.

[Colin]

I did have an interview lastweek doing testing at EA, but I've had to postpone it until June because I couldn't make it. I'm very confident I'd get a position there aswell, as it's not exactly rocket science, but having a working knowledge of development cycles would help alot.

 

I would never make a career out of it though, and wouldn't recommend anyone to do so aswell. And like fatnickc said, this months Edge magazine has an in-depth article on the subject.

 

The job contains alot of repetitiveness, and a good comparison is like playing a mmorpg!

 

The general idea is that testing at development studios can be more beneficial and you would be more appreciated there than doing testing at a large publisher. But nowadays moving up through a company via games testing is pretty rare and it only really gives a straight direction to being a lead tester. The industry is moving into a very specialist skillset aswell at the moment, and the days of just asking for an artist or and old programmer are pretty much over, so now you have your character, environment, TD's, and script artists in game art...........

 

Also the money could be alot better in games testing, but there is usually always overtime available, and this is paid on an hourly basis at most places unlike people in the development teams who are on annual wage. It's not unheard of for testers to sometimes walk away each month with a bigger pay packet than artists for example..............but then again, the hours can be a killer.

[Charlie]

I read Edge's article too, basically all you do is walk into every single wall inthe game. Then when you find somewhere you can walk through it you tell the coders, then you walk into them again once they think they've fixed it..

[demonmike04]

I also noticed when Sega of europe wanted testers that they asked have you noticed bugs in a game before by yourself.

So you even have to play games like a game tester before being employed as one..wow..

[Guest Stefkov]

i looked through the list of jobs on hat website and most of them arequired you to have had previous experience of game testing. if all ask this, where do you start?

also nearly all wanted european language, like spanish and such, why none ask for japanese? surely you coud tanslate from japanese to english quicker and get the game out in europe quicker or something?

[Charlie]

I also noticed when Sega of europe wanted testers that they asked have you noticed bugs in a game before by yourself.

So you even have to play games like a game tester before being employed as one..wow..

 

Have you never fallen through a floor in a game before? Happens all the time, anything that isn't meant to be there is a bug.

[Space]

A lot of people think they'll get into the industry by getting a job as a tester, but you're far more likely get stuck in a low paid testing job with no prospects. It'll be repetitive and will take the fun out of gaming.

 

If you want to get into game development get a good computing degree and learn programming in your free time to build up your own portfolio. Gaming is big business now and you won't get in because it's your hobby. Developers get unqualified games testers to do the testing as it's the worst job and they don't want to do it themselves.

[demonmike04]

Have you never fallen through a floor in a game before? Happens all the time, anything that isn't meant to be there is a bug.

Yeah i know that, on some of the games i played i could walk out the level boundaries, only 1 of the few games i found out on a message board, but rest discovered all by myself!

Deserving a pat on the head ANY minute now..

[S.C.G]

Yeah i know that, on some of the games i played i could walk out the level boundaries, only 1 of the few games i found out on a message board, but rest discovered all by myself!

Deserving a pat on the head ANY minute now..

 

 

*Pats demonmike04 on the head* happy now?

[fatnickc]

I read Edge's article too, basically all you do is walk into every single wall inthe game. Then when you find somewhere you can walk through it you tell the coders, then you walk into them again once they think they've fixed it..

That is just one of the aspects. It was picked up on by someone in the EDGE article, but there are many more things to do, like testing every single coin in a game to make sure it works.

[UziT]

That is just one of the aspects. It was picked up on by someone in the EDGE article, but there are many more things to do, like testing every single coin in a game to make sure it works.

 

I tryed to find the Edge mag at ASDA but couldnt!

I know I understand that I have try everything in the game like you said try every colin in game, or just say in the racing games try to crash into so many walls too see if I go through'em! So I fairly understand what to do!

 

I've beta tested Final Fantasy 11 on the 360 and I've done Guild Wars beta testing aswell!

 

I'm just wana get some more experiance and learn abit more about it!

 

Thanks for all your guys posts, keep'em comin:grin:

[Hellfire]

I guess the GTA folks don't have very good game testers then :P Yeah it's pretty boring, still for someone young that's studying I suppose it's not a bad job for a while.

[UziT]

I've sent off a CV to Focus Game Tester, its home based game testing.

 

Wish me luck

[Nintendork]

I'd rather stack shelves.

[Kurtle Squad]

I'd like to get into the gaming industry somehow, but I'd never be able to get the skills or anything like that

[Guest Stefkov]

ive wanted to get into the games industry for a very long time. im not sure if i needed maths for a level to get into a uni to learn to make games, but it only said you needed 240 UCAS points to get in or something. i read somehwere that testing was the first step in, now im being told its not, oh well have to work for it now hehe.

[fatnickc]

ive wanted to get into the games industry for a very long time. im not sure if i needed maths for a level to get into a uni to learn to make games, but it only said you needed 240 UCAS points to get in or something. i read somehwere that testing was the first step in, now im being told its not, oh well have to work for it now hehe.

I'd say that maths is quite an important aspect to programming, if that's what you wanted to do. Doing it to A Level might have helped, but I'd doubt it was necessary.

[Mr_Odwin]

It seems from the site linked to that if you get a decent computing degree and teach yourself c/c++/c# then you'll be alright. I think Microsoft are still giving away their Visual Express Studio editions so that's a way to get into c# at least.

[moorek]

Im currently games testing for a well known company in the midlands, been doing it since last year.

The pay is poor but it soon builds up in the overtime. It also adds to the experience that many companies desire for other positions. I really enjoy the job, gets boring especially to the end of a project but then theres the joys of being on something completely new that nobody else knows about. You also have a great deal of influence in the games with your feedback and suggestions.

The link you provided aint to great asking for payments,try gamesindustry.biz gamesrecruit.co.uk also a search on google can find some jobs.

Many places do not offer permanant positions due to the fact they dont have something always in test, therefore there is a lack of job security. London seems to have many game testing jobs but these are mainly with big publishers such as EA and 2K, this will greatly reduce your chances of progression. The games industry is becoming tougher to get into but that said not even qualifications will beat raw tallent.

 

UziT, i know there is a games place in wolverhapton that does touch screen game and pub machines. I know it may not be what your after but the pay is better! Also Birmingham aint too far from where im at, if your not too far from the Atherstone area and have transport maybe able to help you out

[Jamba]

ive wanted to get into the games industry for a very long time. im not sure if i needed maths for a level to get into a uni to learn to make games, but it only said you needed 240 UCAS points to get in or something. i read somehwere that testing was the first step in, now im being told its not, oh well have to work for it now hehe.

 

Dude sriously, it's not that simple. You don't just make them, "tadah wooo we have a game!" There are lots of different jobs that require specific training and background. Do some research.

 

I suggest: http://www.blitzgames.com/gameon/index.htm

and also http://www.gamesindustry.biz for job listings as far as testing goes.

 

Honestly you need to decide which part of the team you want to be. But maths will probably be needed in all of them so DO IT. I think more people could do with A-level maths anyway.

[Hellfire]

I love games too and I'd love to be involved with it, but one thing is loving to play them and another is loving to make them. Maybe as a producer or something