Quality Assurance Archives - iXie Gaming https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/tag/quality-assurance/ Where Games Level Up Tue, 02 Apr 2024 10:36:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.ixiegaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/cropped-ixieLogo-120x120.png Quality Assurance Archives - iXie Gaming https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/tag/quality-assurance/ 32 32 The Importance of Beta Testing in Game Development https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/importance-of-beta-testing-in-game-development/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 06:08:32 +0000 https://www.ixiegaming.com/?p=17850 Beta testing is a critical game quality assurance (QA) process. It allows you to detect technical problems in your game and assess gameplay and balance. This ensures customer satisfaction by delivering a game that provides a seamless experience. You can think of beta testing as a pre-release measure to identify performance and gameplay issues before...

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Beta testing is a critical game quality assurance (QA) process. It allows you to detect technical problems in your game and assess gameplay and balance. This ensures customer satisfaction by delivering a game that provides a seamless experience. You can think of beta testing as a pre-release measure to identify performance and gameplay issues before the actual launch.

But what is beta testing? What are the several types of beta tests? And what does it matter in game development? Join us as we explore the role of beta testing in game development, ensuring high-quality games while preventing costly post-launch errors.

What is Beta Testing?

When it comes to game development, you must ensure a high-quality game that meets players’ expectations. However, you can’t determine whether a game is good unless you play it. This way, you can evaluate a game’s performance and behavior from the player’s perspective. And that’s where beta testing comes in.

Beta testing is a software development stage where developers thoroughly test their product before its official release. In the game development space, developers perform beta testing as part of user acceptance testing, whereby they involve people outside the organization to evaluate the game’s reliability, performance, and usability.

The ultimate goal of beta testing is to ensure that your game meets its intended use when released to the intended audience. Therefore, beta testers can be paid professionals (for thorough feedback and testing), or volunteers drawn from existing fans or users of the game.

Types of Beta Testing in Game Development

There are two types of beta testing. Here’s a quick guide on each of these beta-testing approaches:

Open Beta

As the name suggests, open beta testing is open; anyone can play the game during the beta testing period. With open beta testing, developers collect feedback from a wider audience. This enables them to get more data from a diverse audience, leading to better identification of issues.

Also, developers can assess how well their games run on multiple platforms through open betas. This is because they enable users from different platforms to join the testing phase.

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Closed Beta

Closed beta testing is the opposite of open beta testing. This approach to beta testing is done with a restricted number of testers who are selected beforehand. The testers are granted access to the game before its official launch. They are required to thoroughly evaluate its performance, reliability, and usability and offer feedback from within the game. Developers use closed betas to discover major game balance issues or bugs that must be addressed before releasing the game to the public.

Benefits of Beta Testing in Game Development

Beta testing plays a critical role in game development. In fact, it benefits both developers and players. So, beta testing is a win-win for all. Here are some benefits of beta testing in game development:

1. Improved Gameplay

During beta testing, testers provide extensive feedback on game balance, AI behavior, graphics quality, and control schemes, to mention a few. This enables developers to understand how the game fits the current gaming landscape. Also, it helps them improve the game based on the feedback, driving better gameplay and gaming experiences.

2. Identification of Bugs and Glitches

Bugs and glitches can have a significant negative impact on your game performance. These bugs can range from simple errors to logical issues that affect a player’s gaming experience. Therefore, you must identify and mitigate these issues before releasing your game to the public. And that’s where better testing comes in handy.

Beta testers experience the game through the lens of the final player. Therefore, they can spot and report glitches or bugs, ensuring they’re addressed before the official release. The outcome? Players get to enjoy the best possible gaming experience when playing the game after it is officially released to the public.

3. Reduced Risk

When you create a new game, you don’t know how the potential audience will respond. This uncertainty increases the risk of spending valuable resources on game development, which may have low or limited return on investment. However, game testing solution helps minimize this risk. But how?

Well, beta testing allows game developers to test their ideas on an actual audience without officially launching the game. This minimizes the risk by offering an opportunity to modify your game based on user feedback without going through the entire launch process again.

What’s more, it gives game developers insights into what players think about the game. This way, they can modify the game to better suit the players’ preferences and needs, increasing the chances of success in today’s highly competitive gaming environment.

4. Better Game Compatibility

We live in a world where more gaming devices and operating systems are emerging at an unprecedented rate. With such diverse gaming devices comes a major compatibility issue. For instance, how do you ensure your game runs seamlessly across tens or even hundreds of devices with varying software and hardware configurations? That’s where beta testing comes in.

Beta testers often use varying devices to test the game’s performance. This enables developers to identify potential compatibility issues across multiple platforms and devices before launching the game commercially.

5. Improved Player Loyalty

Beta testing, especially open beta, allows players to explore new game features and content before everybody else. This gives them a sense of ownership over their gaming experience because they access and try out new features before anyone else. As a result, it helps promote player loyalty, as players feel like they’re part of the game development process. This player loyalty is crucial in today’s highly competitive gaming environment, as it boosts the chances of your game’s success.

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Final Thoughts

Beta testing is crucial in game development. It enables developers to gather feedback on their game before its official release. This form of testing benefits both players and developers, ensuring the delivery of high-quality gaming experiences. Players can experience the game before its official release, providing valuable feedback on areas of improvement. On the other hand, developers can identify issues before releasing the game and act upon user feedback to improve the gaming experience. The outcome? A better, more compatible, and smoother game, enhancing player satisfaction.

Ready to kickstart your beta testing journey? iXie has got you covered.

Our team of qualified beta testing professionals conducts exhaustive tests, evaluating your game’s performance, usability, and reliability across different display resolutions, hardware configurations, and operating systems. So, why wait? Partner with us today and revolutionize your gaming experience.

FQA’s:

What is Beta Testing?

Beta testing is a software development stage where developers thoroughly test their product before its official release. In the game development space, developers perform beta testing as part of user acceptance testing, whereby they involve people outside the organization to evaluate the game’s reliability, performance, and usability. The goal of beta testing is to ensure that your game meets its intended use when released to the intended audience.

What are some of the benefits of Beta Testing in Game Development?

Beta testing plays a critical role in game development. In fact, it benefits both developers and players. So, beta testing is a win-win for all. Here are some benefits of beta testing in game development:

  • Improved Gameplay
  • Identification of Bugs and Glitches
  • Reduced Risk
  • Better Game Compatibility
  • Improved Player Loyalty

What are the potential challenges of beta testing, and how can they be overcome?

Potential challenges of beta testing include managing expectations, handling feedback overload, ensuring confidentiality and security, and balancing feedback from different player demographics. These challenges can be overcome by setting clear guidelines, establishing effective communication channels, and prioritizing feedback based on its impact on the game’s quality and player experience.

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iXie’s Guide to Mastering Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing for Your Game https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/mastering-cross-platform-compatibility-testing/ Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:08:55 +0000 https://www.ixiegaming.com/?p=17498 As the world goes digital, the diversity in platforms and devices that users interact with has significantly increased. The options are many from different operating systems, like macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, to various browsers, such as Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Chrome. But what does that mean to the game development fraternity? Well, it implies...

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As the world goes digital, the diversity in platforms and devices that users interact with has significantly increased. The options are many from different operating systems, like macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, to various browsers, such as Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Chrome. But what does that mean to the game development fraternity? Well, it implies that cross-platform compatibility testing is more critical than ever.  

Cross-platform compatibility testing ensures your game delivers a seamless and consistent experience across all platforms and devices. However, cross-platform compatibility testing is more challenging today due to the increasing diversity of gaming platforms and devices. In this article, iXie takes a deep dive into cross-platform compatibility testing, helping you master what you need to do to ensure your game works seamlessly across all devices and platforms. But before that, let’s start with some basics. 

What is Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing? 

Cross-platform compatibility is the ability of an application, software, or website to run optimally across multiple devices, browsers, and operating systems. So, testing for cross-platform compatibility ensures the application or software provides a consistent user experience, regardless of the user’s device or platform.  

In the gaming realm, cross-platform compatibility testing is crucial. It ensures that your game runs smoothly across all devices. This means players can use a desktop or mobile device to play the game and still enjoy the same gaming experience.  

Why Does Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing Matter in Gaming? 

Cross-platform compatibility testing is a crucial aspect of game testing. Apart from ensuring your game runs as intended across all targeted devices and platforms, it offers many benefits, including the following: 

Expanded reach. You can reach a broader audience when your game runs smoothly across all intended platforms and devices.  

Enhanced user experience (UX). Cross-platform compatibility testing enables testers to identify and address platform-specific issues. As a result, it ensures the game delivers a consistent experience across all devices and platforms. 

Higher conversion rates and player engagement. The game delivers a smooth experience across all platforms through cross-platform compatibility testing, boosting customer satisfaction. This encourages players to spend more time playing the game and increases the conversion rate.  

Better Reputation. A game that runs seamlessly across different platforms and devices gives the impression of commitment to quality and professionalism. This impression is crucial in boosting the developer’s reputation.  

How to Conduct Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing for Your Game 

Are you new to cross-platform compatibility testing? Here is a comprehensive guide to help you test your game’s cross-platform compatibility:  

Select Your Frameworks and Engines 

The first step to test your game for cross-platform compatibility is to select the most appropriate game frameworks and engines. These frameworks and engines are software that offers the basic features, tools, and structure for developing games. Some engines and frames support various platforms, while others are platform specific. 

For instance, Unreal Engine and Unity are famous engines that allow you to export your games to multiple platforms, including Mac, Windows, Xbox, Switch, PlayStation, Android, and iOS. On the contrary, Construct and Phase are frameworks focusing on web-based games, utilizing JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5. Therefore, you should thoroughly research the benefits and challenges of each framework or engine and choose the ones that align with your game’s requirements, genre, and style.  

Test on Emulators and Simulators 

Once you have selected your frameworks and engines, it’s time to test your game for cross-platform compatibility using emulators and simulators. Emulators and simulators are software solutions that mimic the environment and behavior of a specific operating system or device in the absence of the actual hardware.  

Emulation and simulation software test the game’s basic layout, performance, and functionality on multiple platforms. Since you don’t need the actual hardware, simulation software helps you test your game without spending a lot of money or time to acquire several devices.  

Test on Actual Devices 

Testing your game for cross-platform compatibility on simulators and emulators isn’t enough. As initially stated, simulation software only helps you identify essential performance, layout, and performance issues. Therefore, the next step is testing the game on actual devices that players will use to play the game. This includes testing the game for compatibility with actual hardware such as smartphones, PCs, consoles, browsers, and tablets. But why is it important? 

Testing your game for compatibility on real devices helps you detect and fix advanced issues that simulation software may miss. These issues include sound effects, graphics quality, network connectivity, and platform-specific features, to mention a few.  

Leverage Cross-Platform Testing Tools 

Manually testing your game for cross-platform compatibility can be time-consuming and hectic. Therefore, cross-platform testing tools are highly recommended, as they streamline and automated game testing. These tools enable you to test the game on various platforms simultaneously, utilizing virtual machines, remote access, and cloud-based services. Therefore, they save resources, time, and money needed to conduct cross-platform compatibility testing.  

Adhere to Platform-Specific Best Practices and Guidelines 

Each platform is unique. So, every platform’s specifications, expectations, and game standards vary. Therefore, you must familiarize yourself with the platform’s game requirements and standards. Go through each platform’s official documentation, forums, and tutorials, and follow their requirements and recommendations. Doing so helps improve the accessibility, quality, and usability of your game across multiple platforms.  

Maintain and Update Your Game Regularly 

Technology changes rapidly, and new devices, platforms, features, and operating systems emerge frequently. But what does that mean in cross-platform compatibility testing for your game? It implies that you must regularly maintain and update your game to ensure it addresses the latest trends and player feedback. Regular maintenance and updates ensure the game stays relevant despite the changing gaming environment. Also, it helps address any glitches, errors, or bugs that may impact the cross-platform compatibility of the game.  

Final Thoughts 

Mastering cross-platform compatibility testing for your game is crucial in today’s dynamic gaming environment. However, it presents several challenges, mainly due to the increasing variety of gaming platforms. This guide helps you navigate the complex process of cross-platform compatibility testing, from choosing frameworks and engines to maintaining and updating your game to ensure it meets the latest platform requirements and trends. However, if you’re new to cross-platform compatibility testing, we highly recommend partnering with a reputable game QA partner like iXie. This way, you can rest assured that your game is thoroughly tested, ensuring it delivers a smooth and consistent experience across all devices, operating systems, and platforms. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing?   

Cross-platform compatibility is the ability of an application, software, or website to run optimally across multiple devices, browsers, and operating systems. So, testing for cross-platform compatibility ensures the application or software provides a consistent user experience, regardless of the user’s device or platform.  

2. What are the ways to conduct Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing for my game? 

The ways in which you can conduct cross-platform compatibility testing for your game are as follows:  
Select Your Frameworks and Engines 
Test on Emulators and Simulators 
Test on Actual Devices 
Leverage Cross-Platform Testing Tools 
Adhere to Platform-Specific Best Practices and Guidelines 
Maintain and Update Your Game Regularly 

3. What platforms are typically included in game cross-platform compatibility testing?  

Cross-platform compatibility testing involves testing the game across different gaming consoles, PC operating systems, mobile platforms, and cloud gaming services. This may include PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and platforms like Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Xbox Cloud Gaming

4. Why Does Cross-Platform Compatibility Testing Matter in Gaming?   

Cross-platform compatibility testing is a crucial aspect of game testing. Apart from ensuring your game runs as intended across all targeted devices and platforms, it offers many benefits, including the following: 
Expanded reach. 
Enhanced user experience (UX) 
Higher conversion rates and player engagement 
Better Reputation 

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Why Choose iXie as Your Gaming Services Partner in 2024 https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/why-choose-ixie-as-gaming-services-partner-2024/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 12:37:19 +0000 https://www.ixiegaming.com/?p=17314 A significant paradigm shift in terms of game testing has been occurring in recent times. More and more organizations are outsourcing game-testing activities to vendors. This approach helps the in-house teams to focus more on developing games. By outsourcing game-testing activities to reputable testers, companies can achieve better quality games while ensuring game developers focus...

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A significant paradigm shift in terms of game testing has been occurring in recent times. More and more organizations are outsourcing game-testing activities to vendors. This approach helps the in-house teams to focus more on developing games. By outsourcing game-testing activities to reputable testers, companies can achieve better quality games while ensuring game developers focus more on what they do best – building games. However, selecting the right gaming services partner is essential to achieving your testing goals.

Imagine a scenario where a gaming services partner doesn’t conduct thorough testing or exposes your game’s application data to your competitor. This can significantly impact your game’s performance. And that’s where the right gaming services partner comes in handy. Owing to the importance of a gaming services partner, we explore some factors to consider when choosing a gaming services partner and why iXie should be your preferred choice in 2024.  

5 Factors to Consider When Selecting a Gaming Services Partner 

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a gaming services partner: 

1. Company Background Check 

Most companies promise great results, top tools in the market, the shortest delivery time, and the highest quality of testing services, to mention a few. Don’t fall for these gimmicks, as some are there to make money without focusing on delivering the best possible game-testing solutions. Therefore, you should thoroughly scrutinize the vendor and returning clients and check for reviews. Also, check and verify whether the gaming services partner does the work or if they subcontract to another vendor. This way, you can know what it looks like to work with that partner.  

2. Determine How Much Work to Outsource 

Gaming services partners can disappoint. The last thing you need is a partner whom you assigned extensive tasks only to find out it’s a fraud. Therefore, if you’re dealing with a vendor for the first time, adopt an incremental approach. In this case, you outsource standalone units or smaller modules to gauge the partner on grounds such as on-time delivery, quality of testing, communication, quality of bugs, and support, among other metrics.  

3. Domain Expertise 

How long has the gaming services partner been in the industry? A vendor with resources but limited or zero expertise in game testing can be a significant challenge for your expected delivery timeline. Also, resources with limited experience in game service would mean it takes a lot of time to understand specific terms and conditions, processes, and more. This slows down the execution process. Therefore, you should go for an expert gaming services partner who understands your domain. This way, you can enjoy timely delivery and get insightful recommendations on how to improve your game’s design and process flow.  

4. Detailed Service-Level Agreements (SLA) 

Don’t just partner with a vendor without a detailed SLA. This agreement is essential in guiding how things will work out, including timelines, project summaries, milestones, and communication patterns. Also, it outlines the processes that will be followed in various situations. It is also a legal agreement once signed by both parties, ensuring you’re protected from bogus vendors and crooks.  

5. Intellectual Property Security 

Games involve a significant amount of data. If this data is exploited by or exposed to an unauthorized party, they can use it to create their own game. Therefore, when you choose to outsource your gaming services to a partner, you must ensure the data and design are not compromised. You should consider including a clause in the SLA outlining how the partner should handle data or the game. This way, you can rest assured that your game is not illegally copied, shared, or transferred to an external party.  

5 Reasons to Choose iXie as Your Gaming Services Partner in 2024 

iXie stands as a leading game testing vendor, offering comprehensive solutions across mobile, console, and PC. We focus on understanding our customers’ unique challenges, making our customer-centric approach a key to our success. This has enabled us to form strong partnerships in the gaming industry globally. 

Looking ahead to 2024, consider iXie for game testing. Our commitment to excellence, extensive experience, and innovative testing methodologies uniquely positions us to meet your demanding requirements, setting new benchmarks in game quality and player satisfaction. 

1. Robust Test Coverage

iXie offers a one-stop solution for all game testing needs, covering functionality, localization QA, and security testing. Our comprehensive approach eliminates the need for additional testing services, ensuring convenience and high standards of quality and security. 

2. Extensive Industry Experience 

With 10 years in game testing and over 450 games tested, our team has unparalleled expertise in the gaming industry. Our seasoned team delivers timely and seamless solutions, ensuring that your games meet the highest standards of quality and player satisfaction. 

3. Industry-Leading Partnerships and Certifications 

We stand out with our industry-leading partnerships and certifications, including ISO 27001, Microsoft Certified Partner, and PlayStation Partner.  

These accolades are not just badges of honor; they signify our capacity to meet and exceed the multifaceted standards and requirements of the gaming industry. Partnering with iXie means you’re choosing a company that’s recognized as a real deal by the industry leaders. 

4. Scale Up and Down on the Fly 

We understand the dynamic nature of the gaming industry and the varying needs of our clients. That’s why we stand out as one of the most flexible gaming services partners you can work with. Our services are designed to adapt quickly to your changing requirements, allowing you to efficiently scale up or down as needed. 

This flexibility ensures that you are never burdened with paying for services or resources that are no longer necessary. Our commitment to adaptability is not just a convenience; it’s a strategic approach to ensure optimal resource allocation for your projects.  

5. Broad Clientele 

We are proud to boast an extensive and diverse client base, which includes some of the most renowned names in the gaming industry such as Maximum Games, Tiny Build, Redemption Games, Hi-Rez, and netmarble. These clients are not just customers but are leaders and innovators in game development. Their trust in our services speaks volumes about our capability and reliability. 

With such a prestigious portfolio, you can be confident that iXie is more than equipped to handle all your game testing needs, no matter where you stand in the market. Our experience with these industry giants ensures that we bring the same level of expertise and commitment to every project, big or small.  

Final Thoughts  

In your search for the perfect gaming services partner in 2024, look no further than iXie. Our over 10 years of experience in the industry equips us with the unique capability to rapidly comprehend and fulfill your game-testing requirements. Our long-standing expertise ensures that we don’t just meet expectations – we exceed them. 

So why wait? Reach out to iXie today for a partnership that promises smooth collaboration and a seamless game-testing experience. With iXie, you’re not just choosing a service provider; you’re choosing a partner committed to excellence. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why should we choose iXie as our gaming services partner for 2024? 

Here are 5 reasons why you should choose iXie as your gaming services partner for 2024: 
Robust Test Coverage 
Extensive Industry Experience 
Industry-Leading Partnerships and Certifications 
Scale Up and Down on the Fly 
Broad Clientele 

2. What are the factors to consider when choosing a gaming services partner?

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a gaming services partner: 
Company Background Check 
Determine How Much Work to Outsource 
Domain Expertise 
Detailed Service-Level Agreements (SLA) 
Intellectual Property Security 

3. Why is Intellectual Property Security an important factor to keep in mind while choosing a partner? 

Games involve a significant amount of data. If this data is exploited by or exposed to an unauthorized party, they can use it to create their own game. Therefore, when you choose to outsource your gaming services to a partner, you must ensure the data and design are not compromised. You should consider including a clause in the SLA outlining how the partner should handle data or the game. This way, you can rest assured that your game is not illegally copied, shared, or transferred to an external party. 

4. Why are Detailed Service-Level Agreements (SLA) important? 

Partnering with a vendor without a detailed SLA can result in exploitation by one party. This agreement is essential in guiding how things will work out, including timelines, project summaries, milestones, and communication patterns. Also, it outlines the processes that will be followed in various situations. It is also a legal agreement once signed by both parties, ensuring you’re protected from bogus vendors and crooks. 

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The Top Game Test Automation Tools You Need to Know About https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/the-top-game-automation-tools/ Sat, 09 Dec 2023 13:10:32 +0000 https://www.ixiegaming.com/?p=17071 As the gaming world evolves, testing has become more complex. In fact, manually testing modern games can be time-consuming, delaying the release cycle. These games have high-quality visuals, animations, and sounds, which renders 100% manual testing infeasible. This has resulted in a new game development trend – test automation. With game test automation, developers have...

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As the gaming world evolves, testing has become more complex. In fact, manually testing modern games can be time-consuming, delaying the release cycle. These games have high-quality visuals, animations, and sounds, which renders 100% manual testing infeasible. This has resulted in a new game development trend – test automation. With game test automation, developers have been able to save time and resources and get more accurate test results.  

Automated game testing can transform your testing process and experience. However, you must use the right test automation tools to get the best outcome from automated testing. Join us as we explore the test automation tools, including their overview, pros, and challenges.

Game Test Automation Tools: Overview 

Game testing is crucial to building a robust and high-quality game. One of the ways to improve game test results is through automation tools. Automation tools enable you to run tests on different platforms effortlessly, regardless of their intricacy or complexity. This reduces your testing workload and enhances efficiency. 

Unlike human-driven tests, automated tests deliver more reliable results, as you can run them repeatedly. This makes it easier to identify errors or bugs in your game. Also, automated game testing tools help minimize the cost related to time-consuming manual testing approaches. As a result, they provide additional resources for other production areas.  

What’s more, automated testing tools help developers keep up with the dynamic gaming landscape. They enable you to quickly adapt to new testing platforms. Also, they ensure a seamless user experience (UX) regardless of the device used by the player. 

Top 5 Game Testing Automation Tools  

As a game developer, here are some top game testing automation tools you should know to transform your testing experience:  

1. Selenium 

Selenium is a powerful game-testing automation tool for testing web applications. It allows you to run automated tests on application programming interfaces (APIs), code, frameworks, and software shells. This tool helps quality assurance (QA) teams find and localize game errors and bugs. This capability is crucial in the world of cloud and cross-platform gaming. Its unique features work with Python and JS and support all internet platforms and browsers.  

2. Unity Test Framework 

Unity is a popular game development engine. This engine features one of the most robust built-in automated test frameworks. It is mostly used for testing Unity games. This test framework supports integration and unit testing, helping you identify performance issues and bugs.  

The Unity test framework has features like test fixtures, play mode tests, and assertions. As a result, it facilitates robust testing practices, ensuring the stability and reliability of Unity games. Also, this tool contributes significantly to maintaining code quality and improving the overall development process with the Unity environment.  

3. Appium 

Appium is an open-source game test automation tool. It is mainly used to test mobile applications and games across different platforms and devices, including iOS, Windows, and Android. This automated game-testing tool supports different programming languages. As a result, it supports a broad range of development environments.  

Appium’s flexibility and ability to interact with mobile, web, hybrid, and native applications make it a popular game test automation tool. These capabilities enable it to automate tests in the dynamic mobile game development landscape, ensuring seamless functionality across diverse devices.  

4. TestComplete 

TestComplete is a versatile game test automation tool that supports mobile, web, and desktop application testing. It provides many performance, regression, and functional testing features. Also, it offers robust recognition capabilities, enabling interaction and identification with game elements. This automated game testing tool allows testers to expand test coverage and maximize their efforts to provide high-quality games.  

5. Jenkins  

Jenkins is a popular tool for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) processes. However, it goes beyond its roots in CI/CD to support automated game testing solutions. This automated testing tool boasts a broad plugin ecosystem and great extensibility. Therefore, it enables you to seamlessly integrate different testing frameworks. This ensures robust quality assurance (QA) in game development pipelines. 

What’s more, Jenkins orchestrates the execution of automated tests. As a result, it fosters rapid feedback loops and efficient collaboration. Its adaptability makes it a cornerstone in streamlining game development processes and improving overall project reliability. 

Advantages of Game Test Automation Tool 

Automated game testing tools have become crucial in game development. Here are some benefits of these tools: 

  • Game test automation tools facilitate faster and more accurate testing.  
  • They facilitate 24/7 testing, delivering consistent results. This ensures smooth launching and running of games.  
  • Automated game testing tools save on cost by eliminating manual steps and reducing the need for more testing staff or costly equipment purchases.  
  • These game-testing tools deliver detailed test reports, which can be shared across departments. This promotes better communication and collaboration between teams. Also, it streamlines decision-making processes.  

Challenges of Game Test Automation 

While game test automation has many benefits, it has several challenges, including the following: 

  • Introducing automated game tests into an existing test suite can be challenging. You must ensure the new introduction doesn’t compromise the current tests.  
  • The gaming industry is ever evolving. So, developers must access different emulators and devices to effectively test their games across all platforms.  
  • Accuracy is crucial in ensuring companies meet QA standards. Therefore, the automation tools should be robust enough to discover issues or discrepancies between multiple software versions or devices before launch.  

As a developer, you must understand these challenges to effectively use automated testing tools. In fact, it will help you save money and time while ensuring the tools deliver accurate and reliable test results.  

Conclusion 

Integrating game test automation tools into the development process is an effective strategy that ensures your game releases are consistent and quality. With these tools, you can identify and mitigate game issues during testing. This ensures you launch a game with maximum performance and minimal errors. Also, they help you deliver games that meet the players’ expectations. However, you must be aware of the challenges related to these automated testing tools. This will enable you to effectively leverage their power to streamline the game testing solutions.  

Frequently Asked Questions: 

1. What is game test automation? 

Game test automation involves using tools and frameworks to automate the testing process for video games. It’s crucial for identifying bugs, ensuring consistent performance, and speeding up the testing cycle. 

2. What are some of the top 5 game testing tools? 

The top 5 game testing tools are as follow: 
(i). Selenium 
(ii). Unity Test Framework 
(iii). Appium 
(iv). TestComplete 
(v). Jenkins 

3. What are some of the advantages of game test automation tools? 

Some of the advantages of game test automation tools are as follows: 
(i). Game test automation tools facilitate faster and more accurate testing.  
(ii). They facilitate 24/7 testing, delivering consistent results.  
(iii). Automated game testing tools save on cost by eliminating manual steps and reducing the need for more testing staff or costly equipment purchases.  
(iv). These game-testing tools deliver detailed test reports, which can be shared across departments streamlining the decision-making processes. 

4. What are some of the challenges of Game Test Automation? 

Some of the challenges of game test automation are as follows: 
(i). Introducing automated game tests into an existing test suite can be challenging. 
(ii). The gaming industry is ever evolving. So, developers must access different emulators and devices to effectively test their games across all platforms.  
(iii)Accuracy is crucial in game QA so automation tools should be robust enough to discover issues or discrepancies between multiple software versions or devices before launch. 

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VR Testing Essentials: A Complete Guide by iXie  https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/vr-testing-essentials/ Sat, 09 Dec 2023 12:25:34 +0000 https://www.ixiegaming.com/?p=17065 Virtual reality (VR) games have become popular in recent times. These games are more immersive and allow players to engage with both real and virtual worlds. As part of quality assurance or QA services, VR testing is essential. It helps you assess your VR app or game to see what works and what doesn’t work...

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Virtual reality (VR) games have become popular in recent times. These games are more immersive and allow players to engage with both real and virtual worlds. As part of quality assurance or QA services, VR testing is essential. It helps you assess your VR app or game to see what works and what doesn’t work as intended. Also, it helps you gain insights into how to improve your VR game or app, identify potential bugs, and remove any issues that may affect their performance.  

But what is VR? What is VR Game testing? And what does VR testing entail? As a leading QA service provider, iXie takes a deeper look into VR testing essentials to help you effectively test your VR application in this comprehensive guide.  

What is VR? 

VR is an artificial environment built by software. This environment is 100% immersive and supported by several critical physical devices, a computer/ mobile phone/ console, and a headset. VR apps immerse users in a computer-generated ecosystem that simulates the real environment through the use of interactive devices. These devices receive and send information and are worn as headsets, body suits, gloves, or goggles. As a result, they create a more engaging experience.   

What is VR Testing? 

The tech world is constantly evolving. VR applications have made their own space in the global market thanks to their advanced capabilities. Ensuring these applications function as expected and immerse users as they should is crucial. And that’s where VR testing, one of the key Game QA services, comes in handy.  

One of the fundamental aspects of VR testing is usability. This aspect outlines how easily users can use a specific VR app. It’s essential to ensure users can utilize a VR app with ease. This is because VR applications are more complex and truly immerse users in a virtual environment. Therefore, if the developers and QA services do not focus on usability, users will not be able to interact and experience the power of the VR app. But how do you ensure the usability of VR applications? Let’s find out.  

VR Usability Testing with Users 

The only way to test something’s usability is by utilizing it. So, usability tests involve short sessions where potential users engage with the VR application in a specific (test) environment. During these sessions, QA experts observe, record, and measure the course of the users’ interaction.   

In VR usability testing, these session-based tests are crucial. They help the QA services team explore the app’s functionality and usability in the real environment. Usability tests are performed when the application and prototypes are ready. This ensures the test result reflects how the actual users interact with the VR app.  

However, we recommend testers conduct heuristic tests before engaging in usability testing. It enables them to identify and fix many issues before performing usability tests. Therefore, the user gets the best VR app the team could create during usability testing. The usability testing sessions help identify issues that couldn’t be spotted by the QA services team.   

How to Perform VR Usability Testing  

Here’s a quick guide to VR usability testing:  

1. Recruit Participants 

Recruit several members (minimum 5) who will perform usability tests. This is crucial as it helps you gather opinions from different participants. Their profile must match your VR application’s target audience. Also, you must know the VR experience, skills, and interests of the participants. This is essential as participants with varying expertise will give more effective and inclusive usability test results.  

2. Prepare the Test Environment 

Prepare where the participants will engage in the testing process. This includes setting up the technical equipment, including devices and headsets that will be used to generate the VR. Also, ensure you have enough space, as users will likely move around when exploring the VR environment.  

3. Plan Your Test 

Why do you want to perform usability testing? Create a clear goal for the test, including what users will do and how they will do it. Such a plan lays the foundation of the entire exercise. At this stage, you should think of the valuable metrics that will be used to measure the process.  

4. Make it Comfortable for Participants. 

Before starting the testing session, it’s crucial to ensure the testers are comfortable and ready. The expert team should engage with the participants to explain how the session will occur and how to use different devices. Also, the experts should clarify any inconveniences that users may experience. This will help prepare users for the session.  

5. Keep Track of the Participant’s Initial Reaction 

When a VR app is new to the user, they will likely show how easy or hard it is to use it by first impression. The expert team should ask users about their first impression of the new virtual environment. Questions like “What are you seeing or feeling?” are crucial. They help ascertain that the user is comfortable proceeding with the test. If not, terminate the test instantly.  

6. Give Participants the Freedom to Explore the App 

Don’t let the user stick to the plan alone. Give them free time to explore the game on their own without limitations. This will help gather information and evaluate how users respond to the virtual reality environment and its features.  

7. Take Note of the Application Usage 

As the evaluator, you must assess how users interact with the VR application. Record their verbal and nonverbal expressions. Also, ask them to perform specific actions on the applications. Don’t give extra details or help. Instead, monitor how fast or slow they navigate the VR application.  

8. Assess the Sessions and Document Findings 

Once the sessions are complete, document your findings. Your documentation should include but not limited to: 

  • The users’ profiles. 
  • Users’ experience in the VR environment. 
  • Users’ physical symptoms during the testing session. 
  • Problems identified and potential solutions. 
  • Metric results – use a viable visualization tool like a chart. 

Why Should You Test with Potential Users? 

Using potential users in VR testing is essential. It has several benefits, such as: 

  • More testing for the VR application from the eyes of the end user. 
  • It helps understand the opinions of the potential end user.  
  • Developers and experts can see the physical reactions of potential users.  

Conclusion 

VR testing is crucial in delivering Game QA services. It helps identify issues in the VR application. Usability is an essential aspect of virtual reality testing. It enables expert teams to experience how potential end users interact with the app. Therefore, potential users should be used in usability testing as they give a view of how end users will interact with the game. It helps identify functionality issues and assess the difficulty level of the application. While usability testing may be challenging, following our best practices can help you execute VR usability testing effectively. This ensures your VR app meets the users’ expectations.  

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is VR? 

VR is an artificial environment built by software. This environment is 100% immersive and supported by several critical physical devices, a computer/ mobile phone/ console, and a headset. VR apps immerse users in a computer-generated ecosystem that simulates the real environment through the use of interactive devices.

2. What is VR Usability Testing? 

VR usability tests involve short sessions where potential users engage with the VR application in a specific (test) environment. During these sessions, QA experts observe, record, and measure the course of the users’ interaction.   

3. What are the ways to perform VR Usability Testing? 

The ways in which VR Usability Testing should be performed are as follows: 
(i). Recruit Participants 
(ii). Prepare the Test Environment 
(iii). Plan Your Test 
(iv). Make it Comfortable for Participants. 
(v). Keep Track of the Participant’s Initial Reaction 
(vi). Give Participants the Freedom to Explore the App 
(vii). Take Note of the Application Usage 
(viii). Assess the Sessions and Document Findings 

4. Why should you test potential users in VR Testing?

VR Testing with potential users is essential as: 
(i). More testing for the VR application from the eyes of the end user. 
(ii). It helps understand the opinions of the potential end user.  
(iii). Developers and experts can see the physical reactions of potential users. 

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