Role Of Video Game Testers In Video Game Production

Video game industry is that booming industry of the world which generates about $10 billion of revenue every year. It captures minimum eight hours of leisure time every week of adults between the age of 18 and 49. Due to the hypercompetition, developers regularly launch exciting games free from errors, bugs and glitches. And only a few bad reviews on any popular blog can make customers translate into thousands of dollars wasted. Therefore developers rely heavily upon quality assurance specialists or video game testers to make sure that the product released is totally error-free. Get thorough information about video game testers at http://www.videogametesterz.com.

For an avid gamer, the job of a beta tester may be the ultimate dream. Having a free access to unreleased games, shaping the game development with your opinion and exploring secret codes and passageways, all while getting paid for doing something you adore can come into reality if hard work is put into becoming a qualified video game tester.

The Role of Video Game Tester

The role of QA expert is to test the game for bugs and glitches the developer must fix before launch of the game. Earning a salary for this job is quite different than playing the game just for fun. While the game is played, comprehensive notes are to be taken for preparing a QA report on freezes and crashes, along with any irregularities in graphics, storyline or audio that can negatively impact the gaming experience. It is indeed critical to provide detailed accounts on the error, where it occurs and how often.

Therefore, beta testing can be tedious. Testers are usually assigned one video game at a time. When most titles are in their final developmental stage, testers cannot choose their favorite games. Instead of playing the game from start to end, testers are generally assigned particular levels. Their chief aim is to push the limits of the game to understand the quirks and inconsistencies. E.g. weapons should work the way they are meant for, while blocked barriers should be impregnable from different speeds and angles. Every level should load alright and graphics should appear correctly.

For understanding these errors repetitive play is needed. Combing over a single game takes hundreds of hours. The game tester must be observant enough to note problematic or unordinary aspects of the game. Once the assignment is finished and the errors are fixed, the game should be retested till the gaming experience becomes as smooth as possible.

However, despite the tedious nature of the job, beta testers are universally of opinion that they have the best job in the world.

Skills Required

There are no requirements of particular age or advanced training for the video game tester jobs. While there are degree programs for game designing and IT development, no set curriculum or courses of advanced training exist for quality assurance specialists.

Job posting for video game testers usually needs employees to have an investigative mind, a keen attention towards errors and good skills of writing reports. They also should have the ability to evaluate a product and should adhere to strict deadlines. Testers freelancing from home also need a disciplined schedule to complete assignments fast and thoroughly.

Sometimes if you have knowledge of MMORPG, console games and role-playing, you get bonus points for your application though it is not essential. Testers also have to be updated about the industry developments, the newest launches and the next generation gaming systems. Freelancers may require to provide their own high-definition TV and consoles; however a company game testing center supplies all the required equipment.

Though several beta testers work as freelancers from home, large companies prefer their employees to work onsite because of confidentiality issues. Hiring executives rarely advertise open positions on the web or in newspapers. They rather rely on recruitment agencies specializing in the gaming industry.

Though it is agreed that you should not work for free, a without-pay internship with a gaming company provides valuable experience, references and contacts. And that also may turn into a paid position. Most of the companies restrict freelancers to test a single game till production is finalized; therefore it is important to schedule projects while working on different assignments.