Game Testing Techniques

Enjoying any form of a game, whether console, PC, or mobile, is one thing. Creating the games that the general audience and markets enjoy is another. The audience rarely sees the entirety of work and effort put out by developing teams to develop and maintain the games they play. Game development is more than creating game flows, story graphics, and modes. After the game creation itself, there are also various steps that developers need to do to ensure a smooth play. 

One of the most critical steps to verifying the credibility of any game is via testing. However, sometimes, schedules clash and shift too much. As developers focus on creation, there is sometimes less time left for testing, which derails the experience of first-hand players of the game. Even if game developers can get away with releasing versions of the game, it’s best to do a checking step before a version release. Consider this as the proof check before game publication.

Over the years, company expenditure for game testing has steadily increased. In 2015, game testing expenditures averaged at 35% of IT spending. The gradual decline from the following years is still higher than the expenditure from the past decades. In 2019, the average IT expenditure for testing was about 23%. The industry that provides game testing services has never been as relevant as now. 

Given the current situation of the global pandemic and increased indoor stay, people always look for the newest games that provide the best quality entertainment. If you want to create a game, it’s best to prepare. As a developer, these are some of the techniques for successful game testing: 

Plan for the Game Testing Aspect of the Development 

Project planning takes a lot of weeks and sometimes months to complete. For all game developers, creating timelines and schedules is key to keeping a more focused work for the game creation. While the focus is on product development, never forget to set some weeks for game testing.  

As ideal as it sounds, many companies sometimes do away with the proper testing timelines to not derail the release date. Though the testing phase doesn’t last as long as the creation, game testing still needs a significant amount of time to provide the right expectations for the ongoing game effectively.

Select the Most Necessary Tests for the Game 

There are hundreds of tests for every kind of software on the planet. As there are many aspects to any game development, essentially, you should set out to test each one. However, that is very costly and sometimes very irrelevant to the project. As a follow-up to the planning stages of the game, decide the most crucial tests that you need to ensure that the game runs well.  

You don’t need to blow the project budget to perform all types of tests. In reality, there are so many ways to test a developing game, and each one has a different process of its own. Here are some tests that can help you smooth out the game for potential first-time users:

• Functionality testing
• Compatibility testing
• Ad-hoc testing
• Regression testing
• Combinatorial testing
• Security testing

Set a Proper Budget

Budgets can run tight for each new game that teams want to achieve. However, with careful planning and mitigation, setting the correct budgets can help move the game forward. It’s always best to start with the targeted budget that everyone knows. All steps of the game development process are essential.  

The last thing you need is to forego the game testing to ensure that the creation gives more results. You are not only setting up the game for a bad start. You may also end up wasting more time and money reversing mistakes when many people are playing the game already. 

Invest in Professional Services 

Getting a focused team on testing can be very expensive, especially if you prefer in-house people working on the game. With the rise of the gaming industry, some services proved essential to the business. Such businesses include professional game testing services. Get the most reputable teams in your game. Test the developing game without sacrificing too much to the overall cost of the testing steps.  

Conclusion  

The game testing step of every development process guarantees a better game outcome. It’s always better to spot and correct the glitches, bugs, and errors first before a loyal fan base for the game starts forming. Reversing minor mistakes may take a lot of time and can quickly turn into large user losses for trending games. The best product you can offer to many potential gamers is the performance of a well-thought-of and well-maintained game.