Testing Mobile games
Testing Mobile Games
Games are available on number of devices such as computers, mobile handsets, TV etc. In this post, I am going to focus on testing the software games that runs on a smart phones.
Planning of testing the game:
When we plan to test a software application, we tend to think about the types of testing required. Similarly, when we plan to test gaming apps/ games, we should identify the types of testing required and which kind of testing checklist we should follow.
- All mobile games have one common purpose for end users i.e. to be
- While testing mobile games user faces unique challenges as compared to most mobile app testing, although both types of testing share the same basic aims and general test planning’s still the bar is much higher for game testing overall as compared to mobile app testing.
- Most mobile apps are useful even when they are buggy, but games must make a good impact on their first time release.
- While playing games problem appears in smooth play, performance of game while playing, graphics and designs issues, logic, compatibility and fun element will harm its commercial success.”
- Game realism is also constantly increasing. Realism in games will gather more users which will explodes more scope to use games.
Testing checklist for testing the mobile games or which we need to keep in mind while testing the game app or games.
Check for background music and sound effects
- On/Off sound and background music.
- Receive the call and check
- Verify if sound effects are in sync with action made by the user.
- ON/OFF device sound i.e. native sound and check
- Check for vibration effects if present.
Check User Interface
- Check app in Landscape/Portrait mode
- Check for animation, movement of character, graphics, Zoom In/Out (all gestures) etc.
- There should not be any cutted background
- Test whether one object overlaps with another
- Verify if loading indicator is displayed wherever required on each screen.
- Verify Character should not move out of the screen/specified area
- Verify for enable and disable images, icons, and buttons etc.
- Check for screen title
- Check for message title, message description, label should be displayed properly.
- Check scrolling is proper or not
- Font displayed (color, size etc.)
- Check other objects too(Like road, trees ,poles if it is a racing games)
Check Performance:
- Verify the loading time of a game is proper or not means loading smoothly or not.
- Make sure that any action is not taking considerable time, game flow should be fast
- Check game is smooth and hang while user is playing.
- Check there should not be any jerk in the game while playing it.
Check score view
- Verify Score calculation is done properly or not
- Verify leader boards General, All time, weekly, local etc.
- Verify the score registration functionality is working fine or not.
- Check the format (whether, comma is required in score etc.)
- Check for level completion syncs with the score
Check Timeout
- Check for time out
- Do the actions when time-out yet to happen
Check for multitasking
- Switch between different apps and play game, check for sound, score, UI, time-out etc.
- While playing game change screens to multiple apps and check the behavior of game like sound, score, UI, performance etc.
Check Pause
- Check if game is paused when call received.
- Check if game is paused while multitasking
- Check if game is paused in sleep mode
Check settings save
- Turn OFF and ON device and check if settings are saved
- Log out /On and check same
- User should not lose his game in above conditions
User profile
- Put an all types of images in user profile and verify it is fine or not.
- Enter special characters, numbers, and blank space in username then verify the same.
- Password should be concealed.
Chat feature
- Verify the profile images displayed is proper and not blur.
- Max limit of chat description
- Verify after entering empty string, special character
- Verify , for an opponent , there should be a notification received as a message
Functionality
- Verify game area and game logic.
- Play till last level
- Get the cheat codes from development team and play all the levels.
- Verify for the features that will be unlocked level-wise
- Verify for bonus score
- Verify the score addition or increment when level gets increased.
- Verify for multi-tap action at the same time.
- Verify all menu options
- Verify Different game modes or locations.
Help & About Screen
- It should be easy to understand.
- There should be no spelling mistakes
- URL provided should be hyperlinked
Multiplayer game
- Verify for Session expiry
- Verify the functionality of login and log out is working properly.
- Verify the functionality of Registration
- Verify account
- Verify user is able to login with registered account
- Verify forgot password validations.
- Game flow
- Check for WIN/lost/Draw
- Check user stats graphical view is displayed properly.
- Check challenge, decline challenge, receive challenge working fine
- Check for forfeit
- Check if player 2’s turn is on Player 1 should not be able to do actions
- Verify for pass turn
- Verify for time-out (for one player)
- Check the score for both the players till game ends is displayed properly or not.
Memory leak
- Check the game when device memory is low.
Network (n/w) check
- Verify network messages is displaying if network is not present.
- Verify if what happens when network not present and user tries to play a move (however score has been submitted for that move etc.)
Check for localization
- It should be support of different languages
Verify for time format displayed properly or not
- Verify, if user has changed the device time, format etc. it is displaying time according-ly or not.
Size
- User won’t like if your game takes lot of device space, so focus on game file size it should not be
Device , OS
- Verify app in supported screen sizes and OS versions
Depends on platform
- We also need to check as per the OS guidelines as well.
Check Share options
- Post score via mail/FB/Twitter
- Check the shared, sent messages in FB, Twitter, and Mail. Check links displayed are hyperlinked and application icon is displayed in properly.
- The post (depends)
- If twitter integration is a manual , Verify what happens when you enter more than 140 chars (as limit in Twitter for chars is 140)
Music playing during app launch
- If music player running and we start installing any game app, music player should paused without asking for the user permission.
Steps for checking this:
- Play a music file.
- Launch the application.
- Verify while the application loads, it should not pause, resume or stop the playing music.
Interruption
- If app (game) is in running mode, then check the behavior of interruption like Bluetooth, Infra-red and CALL, SMS, MMS.
Verify after upgrading the game or battery effect
- Upgrade the games to the latest version and check while migrating all data should persist [score, user profile etc.]
- Verify what happened if Battery goes down or switched off the cell while playing, whether the score will get saved or not.
