By Reto.Splixxen, Lead Tester
With a job title as mine, that’s a question I get asked a lot. Although I do play the game quite a lot while working and in my spare time, it’s not always what most people would combine with “playing”.
With each update/change/patch/tweak/fix there’s a chance that something else unexpectedly got changed also, and it’s part of my job to find it and report it back. At the moment we’re using a bug-handling tool called Mantis, where you simply add a Summary, Description and if needed a screenshot, then send it to whoever should fix it.
The bringer of bad news
There’s also a Q/A (quality assurance) part of the job also. Basically it means that I try to find anything that might miss textures, have textures flickering, missing collision (so you can’t walk/fall through the object) or something that’s out of place or simply acts another way than it should, then report it to the right people.
Your world – This is basically how you see the game
After each update to a build, I do my normal routine:
- Cam through each map to look for new visual issues
We have some nifty debug tools, that allow us to move the view to where we want on the map, which makes it easier to look at the places it normally would be hell to get to, along with the fact that it’s much faster than running on foot. - Cam through each map in ‘Collision view’ to see if there’s any new issues with collisions
Again another debug tool which allows me to see collisions within a set range of my cam position. - Test the capture points
These sometimes either have their rules changed or range of how close you need to be, in order to capture the point. - Test weapons, explosions, etc.
There’s sometimes a glitch in the Matrix which can have an effect on stuff like granades and mines.Just because you place an anti tank mine in front of a jeep, then shoot it to see the jeep vanish, doesn’t always mean that’s what happened.As with one time where I was sure the jeep had exploded, but when I did the same trick but jumped into the jeep before the explosion, I found myself in a jeep flying with the speed of light, landing almost half a map away (I had some fun with that, wheeee!). - Test Jeeps, tanks, planes and the awesome bike
Again, make sure the stuff is working as intended, the bombs on the planes, the speed of the jeep, shells on the tanks and the missiles on the bike.. kidding, no missiles on the bike (yet?). - Rinse – repeat
“It’s Groundhog day!”
Collision View – Welcome to my world :)
Of course it’s not fully the same I do every day. Mainly someone comes to me and ask me to test something specific, but to avoid turning this into a “Dear diary, today I….” I’ll just let it rest there ;)
This might sound boring to some, but to me it’s kinda like a strange treasure hunt. Like the nut on the beach with a metal detector. Although the ‘treasures’ I find, is basically more work to someone else here.
Alpha-tester feedback
I also deal with the feedback from our wonderful testers. Some really provide some great feedback and I assure you, that each feedback/post is read and looked into! It’s not always I have time to reply to them all or that I have anything to reply with, but it’s all looked at :)
Last but not least, I coordinate the crash logs that people send. I debug the dump file we get from the crash in Visual Studio, from there I can see which Dev is able to fix it, then I send ‘more work’ their way. On that note I’d like to give a shoutout to Reto.Hal9k for not having jumped me with a bat, yet.
Again: Keep sending us the crash logs if you get them, they do help! And don’t be afraid to add a comment.
See you in-game!
Reto.Splixxen
Sign up for an Alpha-key here!
C'mon it's a cool job not as creative but still working on a game ? sound great to me
roughly how big is the instal? also are you interested in testers from Oceania (particular New Zealand)
I got an alpha key :) Thanks guys!