Jammydodger
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A guide for people who are thinking about going into the games industy as a games tester.
This guide has been produced by one of UK's leading developers - Codemasters, and provides invaluable, first hand advice on how you can best position yourself for getting a Quality Assurance job in the video games industry, assuming that this is what you want to do for a living.
It assumes that you are still at school or college level and maybe deciding what courses to take, what qualifications and skills you will need.
If you want to be responsible for the Quality of a video game in this industry then it is essential you firstly have a love for videogames and the understanding of what actually makes a videogame special. Couple this with fantastic communication skills and unquenchable desire for gaming perfection and your skill set is almost complete.
As with all jobs in this industry it is a difficult business to work in and you will be expected to put a huge amount of effort in. The Testing sector is no different. It thrives off passion, commitment and the sheer determination to just keep making things better - until it's nothing less than perfect! If you don't have an endless supply of these particular qualities, then you just won't have what it takes! More importantly, above all else, if you really want to cut it in Quality Assurance then you seriously need to be logical, organised and methodical in your approach. (But never forget that love for videogames!!).
Unfortunately there is no obvious place to begin your career within the field of Testing. It's not a straightforward case of purchasing "The Beginners Handbook to Testing" and then continuing from there. But that is not to say that Testing literature does not exist. It most certainly does - and more than you would think. (Try running a search for "Testing" in Amazon if you don't believe me!) There is plenty of it about and it certainly is an excellent place to start if you seriously want to travel along the Testing career path. Any good literature should more than adequately present you with the various practices, principles, methodologies and concepts used within the industry.
It should, at the very least, help you understand what the Testing profession is all about and what it is attempting to achieve. All this theory is invaluable and should be used as the basis for your Testing career. Absorb it, digest it, apply it and keep building on it. But this is only one part of what you require if you wish to successfully develop in the field of Testing. Unfortunately nothing will ever beat the experience gained by actually working in the Testing environment. The "hands on" approach will teach you everything the literature attempted to instil in you and then much, much more. It is here, in the real world where you can really begin to make a positive difference.
What is testing all about?
Testing is specifically about problem identification and communication to the Development Team. It's as simple as that! As Testers our aim is to identify exact errors in the game code and then to pass on our findings to the relevant parties. That is where the excellent communication skills are required.
All problems (or "bugs" as they are known) are documented. So it goes without saying that these reports must be succinct, relevant and most of all accurate in absolutely every single detail. It is this information the Development Team use to track down the cause of a bug and then fix it. Misinformation on the Testers behalf can cause a programmer many hours of unproductive work (not to mention unnecessary tension).
At a different level, Testing is about planning, organisation and strategy. Games are broken down into 'testable chunks'. These chunks are the gaming elements that make up the totality of the product. This process of unit identification forms the basis of a test plan and every plan is bespoke to that particular game. Once these plans are generated, it then becomes a management exercise. Test teams armed with their designated tasks are set to work on the game to ensure that every game unit functions exactly as designed. It is a meticulous task where literally no stone can be left unturned. As you can see it's all about teamwork. We have a common goal, yet each person must do his or her bit to the best of their Testing abilities. This principle is imperative since we are the last line of defence.
Academic skills
Apart from the utter desire to achieve gaming perfection, there is no real specific requirement to enter the world of videogames testing. However previous testing experience will pretty much guarantee you a look in. You should be academically sound. In fact here at Codemasters virtually all of our Testers hold a good degree. More recently professional
Testing courses with industry recognised qualifications have begun to emerge. For those of you who wish to galvanise your Testing career path, it is an excellent route to follow. Although videogames Testers presently do not need any of these formal Testing qualifications, I'm sure that they will eventually become a recognised requirement for the future.
(Try visiting www.iseb.org.uk for formal Testing related qualifications).
Other skills
It is vital that you know about PC hardware as well as being fluent in all the appropriate terminology. It also goes without saying that you should know (and more importantly own) a comprehensive catalogue of the current consoles that are available in the marketplace today. In fact in my experience most videogames Testers generally have every console in existence, both past and present. These usually litter their floors at home whilst scattered amongst these machines are the finest videogames that money can buy.
What does an employer look for?
A potential employer will look at your technical, social and communication abilities. Testing is all about logically gathering data, reporting your findings clearly and then communicating this information effectively to all levels. You must certainly be a team player, but you've still got to have that competitive edge (otherwise you'll never beat that game!) and you must be confident. Confident enough to stand up and tell the Producer that you've found a major bug and 'this version isn't going anywhere tonight' no matter what!
Obviously you must also have an un-quenchable passion for the finest videogames available on the planet. You have got to know exactly why they are head and shoulders above the rest of them out there and be able to pinpoint the 'x factor'. Testing is not all just about making sure that the game is technically robust. Finally, you must have a good mix of determination and enthusiasm. Enough so that you want to continually contribute to the creation of gaming perfection and never settle for anything less.
What kind of salary should I expect?
Don't expect to buy that Ferrari overnight as a videogames Tester. An entry level Tester can expect a starting salary of around £10,000 ~ £15,000 depending on your educational level, experience and where the job is situated within the UK. Obviously as you progress through the ranks you can expect the salary to rise. If you have what it takes, then Managerial positions await you. From here, the gaming world is your oyster.
How long do you test a game for?
This really does depend on the game. Certain products are naturally more straightforward to test than others. For example a rally game will technically be easier than a football management game. Timings will vary depending on the completeness of the product as it arrives into the Test Department. 'Complete' games will require a very limited (but intensive) period of QA whilst others that enter very early into their Development cycle need prolonged, extensive testing.
Conclusion
If you are seriously into your videogames, have an incredible eye for detail and want to genuinely contribute to the 'art of making things better' then this has hopefully given you some useful information. Sure, it's hard work but there is nothing better than seeing the final result. Pure magic.
This guide has been produced by one of UK's leading developers - Codemasters, and provides invaluable, first hand advice on how you can best position yourself for getting a Quality Assurance job in the video games industry, assuming that this is what you want to do for a living.
It assumes that you are still at school or college level and maybe deciding what courses to take, what qualifications and skills you will need.
If you want to be responsible for the Quality of a video game in this industry then it is essential you firstly have a love for videogames and the understanding of what actually makes a videogame special. Couple this with fantastic communication skills and unquenchable desire for gaming perfection and your skill set is almost complete.
As with all jobs in this industry it is a difficult business to work in and you will be expected to put a huge amount of effort in. The Testing sector is no different. It thrives off passion, commitment and the sheer determination to just keep making things better - until it's nothing less than perfect! If you don't have an endless supply of these particular qualities, then you just won't have what it takes! More importantly, above all else, if you really want to cut it in Quality Assurance then you seriously need to be logical, organised and methodical in your approach. (But never forget that love for videogames!!).
Unfortunately there is no obvious place to begin your career within the field of Testing. It's not a straightforward case of purchasing "The Beginners Handbook to Testing" and then continuing from there. But that is not to say that Testing literature does not exist. It most certainly does - and more than you would think. (Try running a search for "Testing" in Amazon if you don't believe me!) There is plenty of it about and it certainly is an excellent place to start if you seriously want to travel along the Testing career path. Any good literature should more than adequately present you with the various practices, principles, methodologies and concepts used within the industry.
It should, at the very least, help you understand what the Testing profession is all about and what it is attempting to achieve. All this theory is invaluable and should be used as the basis for your Testing career. Absorb it, digest it, apply it and keep building on it. But this is only one part of what you require if you wish to successfully develop in the field of Testing. Unfortunately nothing will ever beat the experience gained by actually working in the Testing environment. The "hands on" approach will teach you everything the literature attempted to instil in you and then much, much more. It is here, in the real world where you can really begin to make a positive difference.
What is testing all about?
Testing is specifically about problem identification and communication to the Development Team. It's as simple as that! As Testers our aim is to identify exact errors in the game code and then to pass on our findings to the relevant parties. That is where the excellent communication skills are required.
All problems (or "bugs" as they are known) are documented. So it goes without saying that these reports must be succinct, relevant and most of all accurate in absolutely every single detail. It is this information the Development Team use to track down the cause of a bug and then fix it. Misinformation on the Testers behalf can cause a programmer many hours of unproductive work (not to mention unnecessary tension).
At a different level, Testing is about planning, organisation and strategy. Games are broken down into 'testable chunks'. These chunks are the gaming elements that make up the totality of the product. This process of unit identification forms the basis of a test plan and every plan is bespoke to that particular game. Once these plans are generated, it then becomes a management exercise. Test teams armed with their designated tasks are set to work on the game to ensure that every game unit functions exactly as designed. It is a meticulous task where literally no stone can be left unturned. As you can see it's all about teamwork. We have a common goal, yet each person must do his or her bit to the best of their Testing abilities. This principle is imperative since we are the last line of defence.
Academic skills
Apart from the utter desire to achieve gaming perfection, there is no real specific requirement to enter the world of videogames testing. However previous testing experience will pretty much guarantee you a look in. You should be academically sound. In fact here at Codemasters virtually all of our Testers hold a good degree. More recently professional
Testing courses with industry recognised qualifications have begun to emerge. For those of you who wish to galvanise your Testing career path, it is an excellent route to follow. Although videogames Testers presently do not need any of these formal Testing qualifications, I'm sure that they will eventually become a recognised requirement for the future.
(Try visiting www.iseb.org.uk for formal Testing related qualifications).
Other skills
It is vital that you know about PC hardware as well as being fluent in all the appropriate terminology. It also goes without saying that you should know (and more importantly own) a comprehensive catalogue of the current consoles that are available in the marketplace today. In fact in my experience most videogames Testers generally have every console in existence, both past and present. These usually litter their floors at home whilst scattered amongst these machines are the finest videogames that money can buy.
What does an employer look for?
A potential employer will look at your technical, social and communication abilities. Testing is all about logically gathering data, reporting your findings clearly and then communicating this information effectively to all levels. You must certainly be a team player, but you've still got to have that competitive edge (otherwise you'll never beat that game!) and you must be confident. Confident enough to stand up and tell the Producer that you've found a major bug and 'this version isn't going anywhere tonight' no matter what!
Obviously you must also have an un-quenchable passion for the finest videogames available on the planet. You have got to know exactly why they are head and shoulders above the rest of them out there and be able to pinpoint the 'x factor'. Testing is not all just about making sure that the game is technically robust. Finally, you must have a good mix of determination and enthusiasm. Enough so that you want to continually contribute to the creation of gaming perfection and never settle for anything less.
What kind of salary should I expect?
Don't expect to buy that Ferrari overnight as a videogames Tester. An entry level Tester can expect a starting salary of around £10,000 ~ £15,000 depending on your educational level, experience and where the job is situated within the UK. Obviously as you progress through the ranks you can expect the salary to rise. If you have what it takes, then Managerial positions await you. From here, the gaming world is your oyster.
How long do you test a game for?
This really does depend on the game. Certain products are naturally more straightforward to test than others. For example a rally game will technically be easier than a football management game. Timings will vary depending on the completeness of the product as it arrives into the Test Department. 'Complete' games will require a very limited (but intensive) period of QA whilst others that enter very early into their Development cycle need prolonged, extensive testing.
Conclusion
If you are seriously into your videogames, have an incredible eye for detail and want to genuinely contribute to the 'art of making things better' then this has hopefully given you some useful information. Sure, it's hard work but there is nothing better than seeing the final result. Pure magic.
