The Ultimate Guide To Game Testing For Beginners

There are many amazing video games on the market, but before they are released to the public, they undergo a game testing process. Being a game tester is an exciting part of the game development process because you get to be one of the first to play the game and help make it the best it can be.

In addition, testers try to identify bugs and errors. Quality assurance is very important in game development because it helps ensure that the player’s gaming experience is seamless, fun and without any unpleasant interruptions.

Before going deep into the world of game testing, we will try to understand what game testing is and how it’s different from software testing; 

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What Is Game Testing? What Does A Game Tester Do?

The main goal of game testing is to identify any potential bugs or defects in a video game so that they can be fixed for the stability and performance of the game. Therefore, game testing is a crucial part of game development as it ensures that the final product is of high quality and free of any issues that could cause problems for players. 

Game testers are a vital part of the video game development process. Without their attention to detail and ability to find even the smallest bugs, many games would be released with game-breaking glitches that could ruin the company’s reputation. In addition, testers are required for every platform and genre to ensure that the game is playable and enjoyable for everyone. 

Different Types Of Game Testers

Do’s And Don’ts Of Game Testing

Do’s

1. Ensure that the tester follows the testing strategy 
2. Defect priority and severity should be well defined 
3. Communicate positive results and metrics 
4. Continuous acquisition of new software testing knowledge and skills 

Don’ts

1. Make assumptions during testing 
2. Update test cases during their executions
3. Track defects at multiple places 
4. Neglect any defects 
5. Focus on testing non-critical areas 

Skills Required For The Game Tester

Both software testing and game testing find bugs so that the product is defect-free for the end user. What are the qualities a tester should have? Let’s see the list down; 

1. Ability to decide/maintain the fun factor
2. Ability to decide the adequate balance of difficulty between the levels
3. Ability to devote long hours to continuous gameplay to gain insight into the target audience 
4. Ability to test each level for bugs 
5. Ability to pass level in-game 

The Boxes Of Approaches In Game Testing 

Black Box Testing

This game-testing method focuses on the game’s functionality and playability. This testing will assess the game’s user interface, menus and button functions. In addition, the overall look and feel of the game, as well as the gameplay itself, will be evaluated using black box testing techniques. 

White Box Testing

These testing techniques focus on the game’s build and how different aspects of the game interact with each other. For example, how the game’s database is used and how different game components integrate. 

Grey Box Testing

These testing techniques focus on the game’s build and how different aspects of the game, such as the database and components, interact. 

Different Levels Of Game Testing 

1. Unit test
2. Integration test 
3. Component interface test 
4. System test 
5. Regression test
6. Acceptance test
7. UI/UX test 

Software Testing vs. Game Testing 

Similarities In STLC And Bug Life Cycle

The software testing life cycle (STLC) is a process that helps identify the test activities that need to be carried out and when to carry out those activities. Even though the testing process may vary between organizations, there is always a testing life cycle. 

The bug life cycle in software testing is the specific states that a defect or bug goes through during its life cycle. The defect life cycle aims to easily coordinate and communicate the current status of the fault to various assignees and make the defect-fixing process systematic and efficient. 

Game and software testing is more fundamentally similar as they involve testing code to deliver high-quality, working software. 

Related Read: What is Clean Code And How We Can Achieve It?

Different Types Of Game Testing

Fun Factor Testing

User experience and usability are important testing areas for all types of software testing. However, what differentiates games from other types of software is that it has to be fun- it is entertaining and needs the fun factor that different types of software may not require.

Therefore, working with fun factor testing requires extensive domain knowledge of games and what makes them fun. 

Balance Testing

Balance is unique to games, and it’s important to find a balance between different options and the difficulty of different levels or events.

Balance testing can be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s important to have a vast knowledge of game design and how the target audience will respond to different difficulty levels. 

Game Level/World Testing

Game testing can be a very delicate process, especially when it comes to testing the game’s world or level. This task can be quite complex if the game world is vast and sprawling, like many modern MMOs.

However, there are ways to automate parts of the process in interesting ways that are also unique to game testing. It’s important for puzzle games to have level-appropriate graphics and to be passable. 

AI Testing

As the artificial intelligence in video games becomes more complex, it becomes increasingly difficult to test whether they work as intended. A tester in this field must understand what triggers different types of behavior in the AI and how changing various parameters can confuse those behaviors. In-depth knowledge of AI and game design is essential to excel in this area. 

Multiplayer Testing

It can be difficult due to the number of players involved and the potential for things to go wrong. It often requires a team of testers to thoroughly test all scenarios and prevent issues from arising.

Understanding multiplayer game design and how to try as a team is essential for this type of testing. Proper planning and execution are crucial to ensuring a smooth and enjoyable player experience. 

Audio Testing

Games require a different level of audio quality than other software because games are meant to be immersive experiences where the music should add to the game rather than take away from it. This means that not only should the audio be clear and free of any glitches, but it should also positively contribute to the gameplay. 

Physics Test

A physics engine is a computer program that calculates the physical interactions between objects in a game. Many modern 3D games use physics engines to make their game worlds more realistic.

Testing whether or not a physics engine works correctly can be quite complex, and it requires a good understanding of physics and programming. The more complex the physics engine, the more difficult the testing process will be. 

Realism Test

Realism is important for games that stimulate real-world scenarios, like racing or flight simulators, but many other games also use realistic elements. Testing for realism, therefore, requires in-depth knowledge of the fun or game element being tested.

For example, an airplane simulator must be tested by someone with a strong understanding of how airplanes work; similarly, car games, weapon games, and animal games each require specific domain knowledge to ensure realism. 

Modification API Testing

Many software programs allow third-party access when it comes to open APIs. However, some people exploit these open APIs to gain an unfair advantage in gameplay. This requires thinking outside the box.

How will modders use the API? How can they alter the gameplay in relevant ways? Being ahead of the entire community of modders is a crucial task, but it can be overcome with careful planning and foresight. 

Tools Used In Game Testing 

Testrail

This tool is used to manage, track and organize test cases. 

GameBench

The tool tracks the performance to measure the frame rates. 

CharlesProxy

A web-debugging tool monitors the network calls and decrypts the web traffic. 

Xray For Jira

A tool specifically used for test management or tracking performance. 

Telescope

This tool is used to share and upload reports from the testing activities. 

Sandbox

The tools isolate testing environments, floors and servers of the game for the tester. 

Tableau

The tool is used to get live visual data from the server in report form to evaluate and make correct decisions.