Data Dictionary | Game Testing All in One (Game Development Series)

The data dictionary provides detailed descriptions for each of the uniquely named primitive elements in your TFD collection. This also implies that any primitive name you reuse within a TFD and across multiple TFDs will carry the same meaning during testing. Think of the primitive names on the TFD as a hyperlink to pages that contain their definitions. When you mentally "click" on one of those names , you get the same definition regardless of which instance of the name you click on.

Data Dictionary Application

If you are using SmartDraw to create and maintain your TFDs, you can do this literally by highlighting the text for an event, action, or state and selecting Insert Hyperlink from the Tools pull-down menu. Then manually browse for a text or HTML file that contains the description of the primitive. If you use HTML files for the description, you can also export your diagram to make your test accessible as a Web page. Do this by selecting Publish to the Web from the File menu.

It is up to you to decide how formal your definitions should be. In small teams intimate with the product, the TFD by itself may be sufficient if you can trust the person running the test (Rule 2 ‚ ) to remember and consistently apply all of the details of each primitive. For large teams, especially when new people are moving in and out of the test team during the course of the project, the data dictionary will provide more consistent and thorough checking, as well as better adherence to the intent of the test. You may also want to keep TFD use informal in early development stages until the development team better understands how they really want the game to behave. Once the game stabilizes, capture that information in the data dictionary.

Data Dictionary Reuse

The data dictionary can also be an important tool for reusing your TFDs for different games or game elements. For example, the Ammo TFD in Figure 11.13 refers abstractly to "Gun" and "Ammo." Most games involving weapons provide multiple types of weapons and ammo that is specific for each. You could cover this by making copies of the TFD for each of the different weapon types, changing the event, action, and state names to match. An alternative is to keep a generic TFD and then apply different data dictionaries to interpret the TFD specifically for each weapon and ammo type.

An example for Unreal Tournament would be to use a single TFD but have different data dictionaries for the various weapon/ammo pairs such as Flak Cannon/Flak Shells, Rocket Launcher/Rocket Pack, Shock Rifle/Shock Core, and so on. Each data dictionary could elaborate on the different audio, visual, and damage effects associated with each pair.

Data Dictionary Example

Build the data dictionary by defining each of the elements in the diagram. The "do" items (events) are written normally. The "check" items (actions and states) should be written in list form with a leading dash to visually separate them from the "do" items. You can also use an empty box character ( q ) that can be checked off as the test is run. This is good for providing a physical record of what the tester saw.

Some of the primitives for the Ammo TFD in Figure 11.13 are defined below for the Bio-Rifle weapon in Unreal Tournament 2004 . They are arranged in alphabetical order for easy searching. Individual definition files are also provided on the book's CD-ROM. The "do" items (events) are written normally. The "check" items (actions and states) are written in list form with a leading dash to visually separate them from the "do" items. As an alternative to the leading dash character, you could use an empty box character ( q ) that can be ticked as each check is made by the tester. This is good for providing a physical record of what the tester experienced .

AmmoEffects

q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle ammo sound is made
q ‚ ‚	Check that the game temporarily displays "You picked up some Bio-Rifle ammo" in white text above the gun icons at the bottom of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the temporary text on the display fades out slowly

DropGun

Hit the "\" key to drop your selected weapon.

DropSound

q ‚ ‚

Check that the item drop sound is made

Enter

Select a match and click the FIRE button to start the match.

Exit

Hit the ESC key and exit the match.

GetAmmo

Find a Bio-Rifle ammo pack on the floor in the arena and walk over it.

GetGun

Find an unloaded Bio-Rifle hovering above the floor of the arena and walk into it.

GetLoadedGun

Find a Bio-Rifle loaded with ammo hovering above the floor of the arena and walk into it.

GunEffects

q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle sound is made
q ‚ ‚	Check that the game temporarily displays "You got the Bio-Rifle" in white text above the gun icons at the bottom of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the game simultaneously displays "Bio-Rifle" temporarily in blue text above the "You got the Bio-Rifle" message
q ‚ ‚	Check that all temporary text on the display fades out slowly

HaveAmmo

q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle icon is empty in the graphical weapon inventory at the bottom of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle barrel is not rendered in front of your character
q ‚ ‚	Check that you cannot select the Bio-Rifle weapon using the mouse wheel
q ‚ ‚	Check that the aiming reticle in the center of the screen has not changed

HaveGun

q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle icon is present in the graphical weapon inventory at the bottom of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle barrel is rendered in front of your character
q ‚ ‚	Check that you can select the Bio-Rifle weapon using the mouse wheel
q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle aiming reticle appears as a small blue broken triangle in the center of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the ammunition count in the right-hand corner of the screen is 0

HaveGunHaveAmmo

q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle icon is present in the graphical weapon inventory at the bottom of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle barrel is rendered in front of your character
q ‚ ‚	Check that you can select the Bio-Rifle weapon using the mouse wheel
q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle aiming reticle appears as a small blue broken triangle in the center of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the ammunition count in the right-hand corner of the screen is 40

IN_GunAmmo

Launch Unreal Tournament 2004 on the test PC.

LoadedGunEffects

q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle sound is made
q ‚ ‚	Check that the game temporarily displays "You got the Bio-Rifle" in white text above the gun icons at the bottom of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the game simultaneously displays "Bio-Rifle" temporarily in blue text above the "You got the Bio-Rifle" message
q ‚ ‚	Check that all temporary text on the display fades out slowly

NoGunNoAmmo

q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle icon is empty in the graphical weapon inventory at the bottom of the screen
q ‚ ‚	Check that the Bio-Rifle barrel is not rendered in front of your character
q ‚ ‚	Check that you cannot select the Bio-Rifle weapon using the mouse wheel

OUT_GunAmmo

At the main menu, click "EXIT UT2004" to exit the game.

You can even include screen shots, art from design documents, or art from storyboards to provide a visual reference for the tester. This works well with the hyperlink and Web publishing approach. The reference graphics can be updated to reflect changes and maturing of the screen layout and art as the game gets closer to completion. For testing the Bio-Rifle, the AmmoEffects definition could include the screen shot in Figure 11.14. Likewise, Figure 11.15 would be useful for showing the Bio-Rifle GunEffects action.

Figure 11.14: Unreal Tournament 2004 Bio-Rifle AmmoEffects.

Figure 11.15: Unreal Tournament 2004Bio-Rifle GunEffects.