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Is Bughunting Still A Way Into the Games Industry?
Edge Online is reprinting an article from last month's issue of the British gaming magazine. In the article, Bug Hunt, they look at the role of the modern QA tester. While once a good way to make yourself known to the company's HR staff, it's more and more simply a summer gig between classes for college students. They also discuss the hard working conditions, soul-crushing scheduling, and the public misconception that what a QA tester does involves the word 'play'. From the article: "Anyone with any experience of the QA process will deny the slightest resemblance between testing a game and playing one for pleasure: finding bugs is unmistakably work, and, by common consensus, very dull and repetitive work at that. On top of this, pay is often poor, job security frail, working conditions extreme and recognition hard to come by. So why do it?"
Hudson: "Is this going to be a standup open beta programme, or just another bug hunt?"
Gorman: "All we know is that there is still is no contract or schedule with the developer, and that SOE may be involved."
Frost: "Excuse me sir, SOE?"
Gorman: "Guys who made Star Wars Galaxies."
Hicks: "It's a bug hunt."