The gaming industry is one of the most lucrative industries in the world. As a result, many experts suggest that it would be witnessing more rapid growth than in previous years. And it can lead us to the fact that the competition will get more challenging in the industry.
As a result, it would be more than necessary for a game development company to conduct QA testing with new techniques. By doing so, it would increase the chances of the success of the game. Also, it would help make relevant changes before it goes to the general public.
Game QA Testing is an essential phase in the creation of video games. The assessment phase entails finding problems and giving your gamers a game-responsive action. Many companies lay particular emphasis on this phase when developing a video or mobile game.
The goal of video game quality testing is to detect, record, and fix any technological flaws. It would help you remove these flaws that might degrade the overall gaming performance. It is a variable that determines whether or not your game will be effective.
Testing games can be performed throughout the prototype, production, beta rollout, and post-launch to create online games. Though these are some of the traditional ways, there are new ways through which you can test your game. So, what are these new emerging techniques or trends that are coming in these days? In this article, we would be covering some of them. So, without further ado, let's jump right into it.
Game Testing's Up-and-Coming Trends
Although many trends are coming up for game QA, these are the ones to look out for. First, it would help you test your game so that it is the definition of intuitive. Then, as a result, it would ensure that your game is perfect when it reaches the user.
On the top of the list is checking that for the perfect game functionality. A game with perfect functioning is imperative for the success of your game. Each mistake in the application might have a negative impact on players.
Advancement blockages, game stalling, and platform instability are among the most prevalent faults game developers find. However, several technical factors that distinguish a poor game from a successful game is flawless operation.
The second trend is that the UI should be simple to use and easy to navigate. Identifying user-friendly elements would be a lot straightforward when you recognize who your primary audience is. The game's interface must be straightforward. However, it should also provide the user with a range of emotional sensations. It would help retain their attention for as long as possible.
One of the emerging trends is checking the reliability in a multiplayer setting. Companies are now considering it one of the most imperative emerging trends in game QA. Multiplayer functionality is an essential component of game testing. Therefore, it is vital to check and properly consider it.
The vast range of active participants in the game and engagement in real-time is a distinguishing aspect of this game. Therefore, the reloading velocity throughout the game must be monitored. Also, it is essential to check for any other hazards that might detract from the players' enjoyment.
QA Testing Tips for Video Games
Various problems arise during the three phases of game testing, including strategy, execution, and outcomes. It is where game creators are unsure if to halt the game development or resume testing. So what do to proceed from here? To answer that question, here are few QA testing tips for your games.
- Make use of a game-testing technique.
As stated earlier, various issues can occur during the QA of the game. To prevent this issue and enhance your game, you should create a game test plan. The game test plan should include a timetable, tester, and the frequency of testing rounds.
Moreover, it should also include the types of testing to be performed and the risk-based testing procedure. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to add service level agreements, defect recording, and monitoring. A well-thought-out approach enhances the likelihood that your game development would be as productive as achievable.
- Create and test scenarios.
Another tip for testing your game is to design it and then execute it in different test cases. It would help build both positive and negative test scenarios to find as many mistakes and defects as feasible. You could use approaches like critical chain test as well as exception path testing.
Or, if you want, you can go for the vintage and classic black-box testing to create the test scenarios as quickly as feasible. The game testing phase should be run in a specific method with various software and hardware configurations. As a result, it would help you to discover more problems which you can then fix.
- Keeping a record of the results of the tests
Another way to proceed is to record the data to help you understand the problem. For example, it would help if you were recording the outcomes of the tests. By doing so, you would be able to examine the issues in a much better way. As a result, it would aid you in making your game free from any bugs or issues.
Thorough documentation of testing can aid in a better understanding of the problems that arise during the tests. And it can help you as you can now do a more effective examination of them. If you want, you can save the screenshots or videos of the test results as well.
Why Do Majority of Developers opt to Use a QA testing Outsourcing Business to Do Their Game Testing?
This is now becoming common practice for game developers to outsource the testing phase to another company. Although this was common in custom mobile app development, now this is relevant in-game testing. And by doing so, they are reaping a ton of benefits.
Because of the expertise that an outsourced video games business gives and the measuring instruments that companies possess, outsourcing the game QA testing is becoming a widely sought-after alternative in the industry. They can enjoy the services of these experts and technologies without hiring or buying them. As a result, it gives you a competitive edge over others.
Evermore businesses are opting for this alternative since it spares them a deal of effort and funds. As a result, there is no need to build an internal staff for the testing phase. Moreover, it saves them from the hiring costs, and they can focus on other aspects of video game production.
All in all, by outsourcing their testing phase, companies can focus on other essential things. For example, they can use time and resources from testing on different aspects of the game development, like marketing.
Wrapping Up
Mobile app development is now one of the most lucrative industries in the world. We can only expect to see more growth in the years to come. And with years to follow the Covid-19 pandemic, it is safe to say it would be safe to build a career in mobile app development.
However, we must keep on with the new trends that are coming into the market. As the industry becomes more and more hyper-competitive, these trends will help to stay ahead. So, it is vital to keep an eye on them and adopt them beforehand.
