What is the role ?
Quality Assurance Technicians, or Testers, perform a vital role. They test, tune, debug and suggest the detailed refinements that ensure the quality and playability of the finished game. They play-test the game in a systematic way, analysing the game’s performance against the designer’s intentions, identifying problems and suggesting improvements.
How do i become the role / what do i need ?
To do this role, you will need to:
- be analytical and methodical
- have a good knowledge of games titles on the market so that you can evaluate a game against its competition
- have an understanding of how games are put together and how the different elements of a game contribute to the playing experience
- be able not only to identify and record a problem, but also to try to work out what is causing it
- have excellent communication skills, including tact in dealing with other members of the team
- pay close attention to detail
- be persistent and patient
- be able to play games for long periods
- have good negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- have a passion for game playing
- have knowledge of the requirements of the relevant health and safety legislation and procedures
and to get into the role :
You won’t need a specific qualification to be a QA Tester, although some programming knowledge or experience would stand you in good stead. A good standard of English (both written and verbal) is necessary in order to document your findings and communicate them to colleagues. Competition for this job can be quite high, but a successful work experience placement can be an effective way in. You could also work in computer games retail, as this provides useful background knowledge and an awareness of audience needs.
From research i have found that this job is a great way to start your way into the games industry and get you into big companies and you can climb your way to the top of the jobs list from this position. You can work along side some great people and is most certainly a good route to go down.
nextgennathan 