Curricula

Objectives

The purpose of this course:
Have you ever played a shooter that crashes on intense play session? Have you found glitches that are just annoying (and sometimes quite funny!), or have you ever played a game that was clearly unfinished? It quite likely that the testers have not done their job well enough, or that the studio has had some pressure to publish a game with too little testing.
It is important for every game developer to have the basic understanding of game testing, and game testing can often serve as a way to enter into the business of game development!

Course competences:
Game production competence
Software engineering competence

The learning objectives of the course:
After completing this course you will be able to design and implement game production specific testing and quality assurance overall. You can divide the game into different levels and you can design the testing to meet these levels. You can utilize different types of testing techniques to design test cases. You can utilize your possible customers for testing purposes and use proper tools to collect data about the level of quality.

Content

In this course you will learn about the basic principles of game testing and how to manage it. In addition, we learn different game testing techniques and how to apply them in game productions. We go through the quality aspects in games and how they affect the production.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Levy, L. & Novak, J., Game Development Essentials: Game QA & Testing, 2010
Schultz, C., Game Testing All in One, 2005

Teaching methods

The course will be delivered as weekly contact lectures, in-class learning assignments and individual assignments. During the course students will learn the principles of game quality assurance and game testing both in theory and in practice. Weekly learning assignments will require students to play various games and analyze various aspects of the game play, testing and development based on that week’s topic.

The course culminates in the game testing project, where students will plan, execute and report game testing activities of their choice based on the theoretical framework provided by the course.

Practical training and working life connections

During the course students will conduct testing on real games and communicate their findings to the developers.
The course can have an industry guest working in QA.

Exam dates and retake possibilities

There will be no exam during this course.

The main basis for assessment is the Game Testing Project, where students showcase their learning. Completing smaller assignments and course activity as well as self-assessment will also contribute to the grade.

Alternative completion methods

You have the right to apply for recognition of your studies if you have prior learning (e.g. university studies completed elsewhere) that can be accredited towards the degree you are currently completing.

The recognition of prior learning is possible in three primary ways: accreditation (replacement or inclusion), recognition of informal learning and studification. More precise info: JAMK Degree Regulations, section 17.

Student workload

One credit corresponds to an average of 27 hours of work, which means that the load of 5 credits is approximately 135 hours.

The 135 hours will divide roughly in the following way:
In-class activities: ~45 hours
Final Project: ~30 hours
Self-study: ~60 hours

Further information for students

Avoin amk 5
EduFutura 5

Evaluation scale

0-5

Evaluation criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Sufficient (1): You have knowledge in the area of game testing. You know the concepts and terms in game testing are what they mean. You know what kind of tools there are that can be used to support game testing in productions.

Satisfactory (2): You understand how the tools and techniques can be used to do game testing. You can design test cases and run tests in different levels of the production.

Evaluation criteria, good (3-4)

Good (3): You understand the concepts and tools in game testing and can apply them in real-life development project. You have an understanding to select the ones that suits best for the problem at hand.

Very good (4): You understand the concepts and tools in game testing thoroughly. You can analytically select correct tools and techniques and understand the testing in different types of games.

Evaluation criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (5): You can analytically discuss about the concepts in game testing and present and defend (based on knowledge and evidence) your opinions. You can question the presented information and give valid options. You can work in a steering role in the productions.