Testing Video Games Can't Possibly Be Harder Than an Afternoon With Xbox, Right?
by: Lufguy 1 year, 4 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 9 hours, 28 minutes ago 4
Email Article Print ArticleIf the main qualification for this job is a love of games, there will never be a shortage of readily available workers.
By Karla Starr of the Seattle Weekly
Twenty five year old Adam Theuret hears the call and comes running. Another Xbox 360 has just crashed.
A new update to Microsoft’s 11 million selling video game system is about to go live, and it’s being tried out first by a roomful of $8.25 an hour minions. Outfitted at each desk with a flat-screen TV and three Xbox 360 consoles, the testers are checking that Xbox 360’s latest boredom eradicating features which enable you to fast forward through movies before they’ve finished downloading, and chat with your friends via MSN instant messenger while you download free game samples can be installed and used without the system freezing or crashing. So far, it’s touch and go.
Days from now, every Xbox 360 user will be prompted to install the new upgrade when they boot up their machines. But the testers have to do it first, downloading the software, then performing the new tasks, over and over, on several units of each variation of the console: Those sold in North America, the European Union, Japan, and “Rest of Asia” all differ… Go Here to read the rest of this article.
I don’t recall ever thinking about who did all the testing of game consoles to insure they worked. Nor did I think about the how of that testing. To be sure, it never occurred to me the testing could be arduous, boring and seemingly cut throat in it’s execution. Maybe you knew all of this but I didn’t.
Reading Karla Starr’s article was like having a light turned on in a dark room.
This would be a terrible gig.
But what if they give you free mountain dew and moonpies..then that would be worth it.
You could be right, if they include those two basic food groups. Nutrition is important when you don’t want your concentration lagging or wavering at the wrong time.