Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
The CCB generally includes representatives from development, testing, and project
management. On a small game team, everyone might get together to go over the bugs.
On larger productions, the leads from various groups within the project will meet,
along with the project manager and the configuration manager—the person responsible
for doing the builds and making sure the game code files are labeled and stored properly
in the project folder or other form of code repository. Your defects will be competing
with others for the attention of the CCB. The defect type and priority play an impor-
tant role in this competition. Also, if you were diligent in providing details about how
to reproduce the bug and why it is important to fix, your bugs will get more attention.
Different strategies for determining the “final�? priority of a defect can produce different
results for the same defect. If only a single individual, like the head of the CCB, gets to
decide on the priority, then the tendency will be for defects to have a lower average pri-
ority (meaning less “severe�?) than if people with different perspectives, such as producers,
designers, developers, and testers, each give a score and the average score is used.
Also keep in mind that if your project has a particular goal or threshold for which
kind of defects are allowed to be released in the game, then anything you submit will
be under pressure to get de-prioritized below that threshold. This is where amplifying
the defect helps you make a stronger case for why something should be considered
high priority versus medium, for example.
One of the difficulties some testers have is balancing “ownership�? of the defect with
knowing when to “let go.�? You are expected to find stuff and report it. Other people
on the project are usually designated to take responsibility for properly processing and
repairing the defect. Don't take it personally if your defect doesn't get fixed first, or
other people don't get as excited about it as you do.
As a tester your involvement doesn't end after the bug is found and reported. You can
expect to help developers reproduce the bug, run experiments for them, and re-test
after they think the bug is fixed. Sometimes you will run the test on a special build that
the developer makes and then you will need to re-run it after the fix is inserted into the
main version of the game release.
Use your knowledge of your Judger/Perceiver traits to get better at finding a wider
variety of defects and get more testing done. This includes reading and thoroughly
knowing the rules of the game. At the same time, take on positions, assignments, or
roles that make the most out of your tendencies.
