Category Archives: Games QA Tester

Train2Game news: Your chance to join the RiotZone open beta

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Train2Game students have the opportunity to take part in the open beta for Mail.Ru Games tactical military MMO RiotZone.

RiotZone is a free-to-play, browser based title set in a tropical jungle where players take part in the civil war of fictional Latin American state Merania. You take control of one of two factions, The Red Alliance or the Coalition of the Crown, and fight for supremecy. RiotZone sees players train their soldiers, upgrade weapons and expand their base in single player and PvP missions.

Train2Game students who wish to get involved with the RiotZone open beta should visit www.riotzone.net, where much more information about the game is available.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

For more on beta testing, how it’s useful for Train2Game students,  and opportunities to get involved with it, see the Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, do you think you’ll get involved with the RiotZone open beta?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Gotham City Imposters open beta goes live

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Train2Game students have the opportunity to get involved with the beta for Warner Bros. Gotham City Imposters, which is now open to anyone.

All Train2Game students need to do to be part of the Gotham City Imposters beta is download it for free from the PlayStation Store. The Gotham City Imposters beta runs from now through until 6th February 2012.

Gotham City Imposters is a download only FPS that pits vigilantes dressed as Batman against criminal gangs dressed up as The Joker. It’s a light-hearted multiplayer shooter that boasts massive customisation and plenty of unlockables.

Train2Game students who take part in the Gotham City Imposters beta participants are encouraged to leave feedback on the Warner Bros. forum.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

For more on beta testing and opportunities to get involved in it, see the Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, will you be getting involved with the Gotham City Imposters beta? What are your impressions of the game?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Guild Wars 2 beta scheduled for March

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Train2Game students will have the opportunity to take part in a Guild Wars 2 beta later this year. That’s at least if they successfully apply for a place in ArenaNet’s testing programme.

The news came as part of a blog post celebrating the new Chinese Year of the Dragon, and revealed that the MMO is on schedule for release later this year.

“Today is Lunar New Year’s Day, and according to the Asian zodiac system, the first day of the Year of the Dragon. It’s an auspicious omen for all of us at ArenaNet, as we get ready to make this our own Year of the Dragon.” wrote ArenaNet Founder and President Mike O’Brien.

“According to tradition, the dragon embodies passion, independence, and ambition. We think it’s a perfect analogy for what we’re trying to accomplish with Guild Wars 2. We’re a company full of MMO and RPG fans, and we’ve set out to fundamentally rethink how you deliver an RPG experience online. So this year, the Year of the Dragon, let’s usher out old thinking – the tired old quest model, stiff repetitive combat, and monthly fees – and usher in the new.”

And the ArenaNet President added they will be rolling out a huge Guild Wars 2 beta in order to test the MMO in action.

“We recently finished our first closed beta test, and we’re now ready to hold progressively larger events. In February we’ll invite select press to participate in beta testing, and in March and April we’ll aggressively ramp up the size of our beta test events so that many of you will have a chance to participate.” said O’Brien

“And of course, this all leads to the release of Guild Wars 2 later this year.” He concluded.

The Train2Game Blog will be sure to bring you the latest news on the Guild Wars 2 beta, but Train2Game students can also keep an eye on the ArenaNet blog.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

The Train2Game Blog will be sure to keep you up to date with the latest beta testing opportunities.

So Train2Game, are you looking forward to Guild Wars 2? Will you be attempting to get a place in beta later this year?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Ninja Theory are looking for two Junior QA Technicians

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Train2Game students might be interested in this opportunity with Ninja Theory, the Cambridge studio is looking for two Junior QA Technicians.

Ninja Theory are the team behind Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.  Their next title is DMC, a reboot of the Devil May Cry Series.

The two advertised positions don’t require any previous experience and could therefore potentially provide two Train2Game students with that vital first job in the games industry.  The Ninja Theory Job advert reads as follows:

“We’re looking for two Junior QA Technicians to join our experienced QA team for a four month contract. Under the guidance of more senior team members you will conduct functionality and play-testing as appropriate during the development cycle in order to detect and confirm software deficiencies, reliability, ease of use, and any other areas as directed in order to ensure the overall highest quality of the project.

You’ll take part in maintaining efficient and accurate play-tests producing accurate and detailed reports and working to an ethos of continual process improvement. Following industry and internal best practice guidelines for process of play testing and usability tests you’ll need to highlight any potential risks found with milestones, production tasks and wider studio output.

It’s important you can explain any bugs you find to other studio members so it’s crucial that you are able to create and maintain strong working relationships with other disciplines gaining a good understanding of each requirements and specific method of working.”

Naturally, this could be a great opportunity for a Train2Game Games QA Tester in particular, but Train2Game students of all disciplines may be keen to get their foot in the door.

For more information about the Junior QA Technician positions, and to learn how to apply, visit the Ninja Theory website.

Good luck to any Train2Game students to apply for the positions.

Keep up to date with the latest news in QA Testing here on The Train2Game Blog.

Train2Game news: Beta testing “critical” to development says Planetside 2 Creative Director

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Train2Game students will be aware that developing video games can be a long and complicated  process, in which QA Testing is hugely important.

However, no matter how many QA Testers a game has, sometimes it’s a beta that’s really needed to eliminate bugs and problems. Indeed, it’s something that’s particularly important for MMOs and Planetside 2 developer Sony has label beta testing as critical for that genre in particular.

“For MMO games beta is critical. There is a lot we can do to test gameplay and mechanics in studio, but getting the massive scale needed to ensure the game really works requires getting real players in.” Sony Online Entertainment’s Creative Director Matt Higby told NowGamer.

“It’s also critical to determine if our player progression curves are too punishing or too lenient, find exploits, balance issues and so on. Beta for us as a company is an incredibly critical phase of development.”

Higby also told NowGamer that during the Planetside 2 beta, Sony will be keeping a close eye on player feedback and that big betas have great benefits to game developers.

“Once we get to beta, we’ll be looking both at players’ direct feedback via bugs and message boards, as well as analyzing data that will be collected and aggregated.” he said

“The biggest benefits to a big beta are load and stress testing, testing across a diverse collection of hardware configurations, getting large sample sizes to determine if weapons and vehicles are balanced, and so on. We won’t be shipping anything until we’re all proud of it.” he added.

Train2Game students can apply for a place in the Planetside 2 beta here.

The Train2Game Blog has previously posted about the importance of beta testing, with Star Wars: The Old Republic developer Bioware stating that beta testers can really help with game development.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

Stay tuned to The Train2Game Blog, for the latest beta testing opportunities.

So Train2Game, are you looking forward to Planetside 2? Do you agree that beta testing is critical to the game development process?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Your chance to join the StarHawk public beta

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Train2Game students have the opportunity to get involved with the StarHawk multiplayer public beta from Wednesday, as long as they’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber.

Those without a PlayStation Plus account, will need to wait another month before they can test out the PlayStation 3 exclusive third person shooter from Lightbox. Alternatively, if you purchased Uncharted 3, you’ll be able to get involved with the StarHawk beta from 1st February.

Train2Game students can find out more about how to sign up for the StarHawk beta here.

Lightbox describe the beta as a “crucial step” as they test game balance, server traffic and general bugs.

Train2Game students can see more about the PlayStation 3 exclusive StarHawk by watching the developer diary below.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

The Train2Game Blog will be sure to keep you up to date with the latest beta testing opportunities.

So Train2Game, will you be getting involved with the StarHawk public beta?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: PlayStation Blog]

Train2Game news: Your chance to join The Settlers Online open beta

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Train2Game students have the opportunity to join the open beta for Ubisoft’s The Settlers Online, a browser based free-to-play strategy game set in the Settlers Universe.

The Settlers Online combines the game design of The Settlers franchise with new features designed specifically for a web based browser game.

The English language version of The Settlers Online European beta is now open, and interested Train2Game students can sign up via the game’s official website.

The Settlers is a beloved, enduring franchise which strategy players from all over the world enjoy and it’s exciting to be able to offer those fans a new way to interact with the Settlers Universe,” said Publishing Director Thomas Paincon.

“The success of the free-to-play model is very encouraging and with the rollout of the English language European Open Beta beginning today, we are very optimistic about the future of the Settlers Brand.”

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

The Train2Game Blog will be sure to keep you up to date with the latest beta testing opportunities.

So Train2Game, is The Settlers Online beta something you’ll be getting involved with?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on The Train2Game Forum.

Train2Game news: Bioware would test more if they made Star Wars: The Old Republic again

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Train2Game students will be aware that Bioware launched their long awaited MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic last month, after many years in development.

Now, in an interview with TORWars, Bioware co-founder Greg Zeschuk has revealed that if given the chance, Bioware would do it all again, but in hindsight, there are things they’d do slightly different during development, including much more testing.

“I think we would definitely do it over again given the opportunity, or a time machine.” said Zeschuk, who along with fellow Bioware co-founder Dr. Ray Muzyka spoke to The Train2Game Blog about the studio last November.

“I think we can see a lot of things we could have done differently given the benefit of retrospective vision, but I also don’t think we would have changed many decisions. It would more have been a process of refinement and fine tuning to our plans.”

Train2Game Blog readers might recall that Bioware put massive importance on testing Star Wars: The Old Republic, but Zeschuk believes they should’ve done even more of it in order to help develop the game.

“Certainly testing even more than we did, and doing so earlier would have been a good goal.” he said.

“ I also think in retrospect we would have been able to weight some of our technical decisions differently given that we ultimately knew what worked after the fact and what needed a lot of work; there was no way of knowing that in advance, but in retrospect that would have helped quite a bit.” Zeschuk concluded.

Of course, Train2Game offers a course in games QA testing, which you can find out more about here.

For more about the development of Star Wars: The Old Republic, read our interview with Bioware Associate Lead Designer Emmanuel Lusinchi right here on The Train2Game Blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Zeschuks comments?  What do they say about the importance of testing throughout game development?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: TORWars via VG247]

Train2Game news: Your chance to join CCP’s DUST 514 closed beta

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Train2Game students have the opportunity to join a closed beta for CCP’s upcoming PlayStation 3 title DUST 514, as long as they’re an active subscriber of Eve Online.

Registration for ‘DUST 514: Mordu’s Private Trials’ was announced by CCP via the Eve Online Developer Blog.  Those who are selected for the DUST 514 beta will gain access to early testing and ‘special events’

DUST 514 is a PlayStation 3 exclusive MMOFPS set in the Eve Online universe and is scheduled for a release in Spring. Train2Game students with an Eve Online account that wish to register for the DUST 514 beta can do so here.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

The Train2Game Blog will be sure to keep you up to date with the latest beta testing opportunities.

So Train2Game, are you an Eve Online subscriber? If so, will you apply for a place in the DUST 514 beta test?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: VG247]

Train2Game news: Gotham City Imposters beta open for registration

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Train2Game students have the opportunity to get involved with the open beta for Warner Bros. multiplayer shooter Gotham City Imposters.

Gotham City Imposters is a download only FPS that pits vigilantes dressed as Batman against criminal gangs dressed up as The Joker. It’s a light-hearted multiplayer shooter that boasts massive customisation and plenty of unlockables.

The Gotham City Imposters Xbox Live and PlayStation Network beta is scheduled to begin soon, and Train2Game students who wish to be involved should register at www.GothamCityImpostors.com

Those who wish to join the Gotham City Imposters beta will need to sign up for a WBID ID account before filling out a few details including whether they wish to beta test Monolith Productions multiplayer shooter on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

For more on the significance of beta testing to the game development process, see the Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Gotham City Imposters? Will you apply for the beta?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.