Post-Release Testing


Software updates, or patches , are a fact of life. Users don't like them, but want them if they're available. Publishers don't like them, because they potentially add to the overall cost of the project. Developers don't like them, because they can be perceived as a tacit admission of failure. However, if the game was shipped with even one or two bad defects, either intentionally or inadvertently, it's time for a patch.

The upside of developing and testing a patch is that it allows the development team to revisit the entire list of waived bugs and last-minute design tweaks and incorporate some additional polish into the game. Each additional bug fix or feature polish means more testing, however, and should be planned for accordingly .

Sometimes the development team will release more than one patch. In that case, the testing becomes more complicated, because interoperability must be tested. Each new patch must be tested to see whether it functions with both the base retail game and earlier patched versions.




Game Testing All in One
Game Testing All in One (Game Development Series)
ISBN: 1592003737
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 205

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