Computer Game
QA Tester
Plan of the Course
QA Tester
Introduction
This course is designed to appeal to those students aspiring to enter the world of computer game quality assurance.
QA
This is not a course for pure gaming fanatics, however. In addition to a love of games, students of our Computer
Game QA Tester course will have the extra drive, aptitude and the ambition to go beyond just playing; they will
have a desire to analyse, deconstruct and improve games across multiple genres and platforms, and display real
aspirations to become part of this most exciting and dynamic of industries.
Students on the course are taught every step involved in the game QA process along with the methods, tools and
skills necessary to be an effective QA just as it is done in the real world. The course is conceived and taught by
industry experienced veterans, QA teams who continue to push the boundaries of computer gaming in today’s
market. Endorsed and recommended by TIGA, this course is unique in the industry and represents the gaming
industry’s preferred induction model.
It is presented in a unique format, heavily influenced by gaming technology to aid learning, retention and importantly,
add fun to the whole process of gaining these important new skills. With basic QA through to localisation, working
with hardware manufacturers, focus group tests, planning test sessions, managing QA teams and much more
covered in detail as part of the Train2Game QA Tester course, you can be sure it will equip you with the knowledge
and the skills that today’s games industry demands from its QA specialists.
The course is taught through a series of lessons and examples, backed up and underpinned by a wide range of
practical work. Most of the coursework is targeted directly at testing, test management and effective reporting of
issues and bugs.
We hope you enjoy learning it as much we do teaching it.
Start a new career in computer game quality assurance. Computer gaming is not just a job, it’s a life full of challenges,
fun and great rewards.
Get the life you want, the future you deserve…..
….and have fun doing it.
Modularity
In common with our other courses, the lessons are grouped into modules designed to be tackled in a linear order.
All modules on this course are considered ‘core’ and must be studied.
Points Allowance
The course cost is inclusive of the points shown overleaf; these points are sufficient for you to acquire or ‘buy’ all
of the modules on this course only (some courses include additional points to allow modules to be acquired from
other disciplines).
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T2G QA Tester
Points Allocation for QA Tester Course
290
Points required to study core modules only
290
Points required to study all of this course
290
QA
Points allowance provided to purchasers of this course
All modules have a cost associated with them; you must deduct these
costs from your initial allowance shown above.
Any unused points after you have studied the ‘core’ modules may be ‘spent’
on this course or any of our others as you wish, or even not at all.
Module C1: Prototyping with a Game Creation System
QA Tester: Core.
Optional for all other T2G courses
40 Points
Prerequisites: None
Lesson 1 ‑ So You Have a Good Idea…
Prove it - the importance of prototyping
Expanding the idea into a game
Next steps
Lesson 2 – Basic Use of a Game Creation System
Introduction to GCS software
Simple partial game example
Lesson 3 – A More Advanced Example
More advanced example
Plan out the basic idea, identify and source assets online
Implement the idea
Lesson 4 – Advanced Concepts
An even more complex example
Mobile device implementations
Previewing over Wi-Fi
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Module C2: Development
QA Tester: Core.
Optional for all other T2G courses
40 Points
Prerequisites: None
QA
Lesson 1 – The Cycle of Development
Concept, Proposal, Full Design
Prototype, Proof of Concept, Vertical Slice
Production, Alpha, Beta ,QA Sub, Gold Master, etc.
Lesson 2 – The Hardware You’ll Encounter
PC, Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Apple
Online games
Mobile gaming, gaming engines
Lesson 3 – Types of QA
Roles within QA
Project management and the lead tester
Qualities of a tester
Lesson 4 – What Are We Testing For?
What are bugs?
Not all issues are bugs
Protecting the hardware manufacturers and consumers
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T2G QA Tester
Module C3: Bugs
QA Tester: Core.
Optional for all other T2G courses
40 Points
Lesson 1 – The Life Cycle of a Bug
New bug approval - Weeding out duplicates
Regression testing
Closing bugs, reopening bugs
Lesson 2 – Reporting Bugs
Bug report generation, core tests
Assigning bugs
QA
Prerequisites: None
Bug databases (Bugzilla, Mantis, Test Track Pro, DevTrack, Jira)
Lesson 3 – Using Imagery to Enhance Bug Reports
Screen capture
Video capture, editing video
Annotating pictures
Lesson 4 – Testing In-Depth
Reproducing bugs
Ad Hoc testing
Feature testing
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Module C4: Types of Testing
QA Tester: Core.
Optional for all other T2G courses
40 Points
Prerequisites: None
QA
Lesson 1 – Testing Gameplay
When to report gameplay issues
How to report gameplay issues
Knowing when a suggestion should be saved for V2
Lesson 2 – Testing Localisation
The development approach to localisation
The localisation process
Double byte characters, accented characters and native keyboards
Lesson 3 – Test Plans
Why have a test plan?
Assigning areas of responsibility
Detailing the testing procedure
Lesson 4 – Compliance
Hardware compliance
Platform holder requirements
Mobile and handheld platforms
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T2G QA Tester
Module C5: Actually Doing It
QA Tester: Core.
Optional for all other T2G courses
50 Points
Lesson 1 – Something Has To Give
Testing as much of the game as possible
Approaches, controlling the pressures
Time for qualitative issues
Lesson 2 – Concept Approval
Why have concept approval?
QA
Prerequisites: None
Why some hardware manufacturers have concept approval
Tiered concept approval
Lesson 3 – Analysing the Competition
Introduction to game analysis
Subjective vs. Objective
Review aggregators
Lesson 4 – What is Fun?
Culture and territory
Elements of fun games
Demographics
Lesson 5 – Wider Testing
Beta testing
Focus group testing
Pitfalls of public testing
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Module C6: Finishing Off
QA Tester: Core.
Optional for all other T2G courses
60 Points
Prerequisites: None
QA
Lesson 1 – The Tools You’ll Need
What a tester typically has on their desk
Automated testing tools
Recording gameplay and looking for clues
Debugging tools
Lesson 2 – Types of Game
Introduction to game genres
Empathy for the target genre and target demographic
Lesson 3 – Presenting Games
Why testers present games
Presentation tools and techniques
Setting up hardware for a presentation
Lesson 4 – Keeping Tabs
Keeping code secure
Fingerprinting code
Version numbering builds
Lesson 5 – After Release
Pre-production testing
Writing tech support scripts
Cheat guides
Lesson 6 – Post-Mortems
Why have a post-mortem of a project?
Writing a post-mortem
Learning lessons from the post-mortem
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T2G QA Tester
Module C7: Where To Now?
QA Tester: Core.
Optional for all other T2G courses
20 Points
Lesson 1 – Other Development Roles
What is a computer game artist?
What is a computer game developer?
What is a computer game designer?
Lesson 2 – QA Next Steps
Where a career in QA can take you next
Outside the industry - Professional testing
The sky is the limit within the industry
QA
Prerequisites: None
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Guarantee
When the College receives the student assessment it is double-checked by highly trained tutors in order to maintain
College standards.
QA
The corrected work is returned to the student. It is because Train2Game’s quality standards are so rigorously
maintained that it is able to support its training with a guarantee of success.
Your Guarantee
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T2G QA Tester
With Train2Game’s vast industry expertise combined with
TIGA’s accreditation and exam advisory board we are
confident that you will enjoy the best possible chance of
success with your chosen course.
By fully engaging with the study material you are assured
of a new skill-set and will successfully achieve a valuable
qualification. In the event that you do not achieve the
marks required to pass you will be given the opportunity
to re-sit your exams and revisit marked assignments at
no extra cost for as long as you continue to fully commit
to the course.
QA
Notes
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