Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
chapter 16
Test automation is a hotly debated topic in the game industry. At one extreme are
those who argue that all aspects of game testing should be automated. At the other,
many remain unconvinced that test automation in the game industry is viable other
than in certain, specific instances. That said, a surprisingly large number of game
developers and publishers have made little or no use of test automation nor have they
explored its uncharted potential.
The potential advantages of automating game testing are
Improved game reliability
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Greater tester and machine efficiency
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Greater consistency of results
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Repetition, repetition, repetition
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Faster testing
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The ability to simulate tremendously large numbers of concurrent players for
stress and load testing without having to use large pools of human testers
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In order to enjoy these benefits, you need to deal with a number of factors that can get
in the way of successful game test automation if they aren't handled properly.
Production Costs
The cost of hiring new developers to write additional lines of code into a game to sup-
port automation (as well as writing scripts and other test utilities, interfaces, and so on)
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