Finding problems before players do.
WHAT TYPES OF TESTING EXIST
- Functional: does it work
- Playtesting: is it enjoyable and understandable
- Compatibility: does it work on target hardware
Performance Compliance, for platform requirements Localisation
WHAT AUTOMATED TESTING CAN COVER
Systems logic Data validation Build integrity Basic smoke tests
WHAT IT CANNOT COVER
Whether the game is enjoyable.
WHAT TO AUTOMATE FIRST
Detection of broken builds and missing references.
WHY
They block everyone immediately.
WHAT MANUAL TESTING MUST COVER
Every path through the game Edge cases in player behaviour Saving and loading throughout Interruption and resumption
WHAT TESTERS FIND THAT DEVELOPERS DO NOT
Behaviour nobody anticipated, because developers play correctly.
WHAT TO TRACK
Every defect, with reproduction steps and severity.
WHAT SEVERITY SHOULD REFLECT
Impact on the player, not difficulty of fixing.
WHAT TO FIX BEFORE RELEASE
Crashes Progress blockers Save corruption Anything losing player progress
WHAT CAN WAIT
Cosmetic issues nobody notices.
