As mentioned in this week’s previous post, we are bringing you part 3 of our Meet the Dev series. With this post, I am happy to introduce you to our QA Lead Ghoulface. He has taken some time from his daily schedule to answer a few questions concerning who he is, what he does and some other topics of interest.
What does a work day look like for you? Talk us through some of the different tasks you have to perform.
The QA team are responsible for testing just about everything related to APB, and it’s my job to oversee the team’s work.
Generally, our work all starts with a test request from a member of the development team whenever changes or additions have been made. From there I need to assign out tasks to the rest of the QA team, and in the case of new features I’ll also need to write a new test script before we begin testing. These test scripts form the basis of most of our initial testing, as they allow us to ensure the main functionality of the element being tested is working as intended. I then need to report back the findings of our testing to the relevant members of the development team, and highlight any major issues found. I’ll also usually organize a play test with members of the SPCT for any new features, so we can get some additional testing and feedback.
Outside of specific test requests, I’ll generally ensure that bug fixes are tested by the team as they are submitted, as well as then verifying the fixes in builds that are set to be released to the public.
What has changed over the course of your time here at Reloaded? Do you have any memories that stand out as special for you?
I suppose the biggest change for us has been the move from solely developing for PC to also developing for the Xbox One and PS4, and having to adapt to the requirements and capabilities of these platforms.
There have also been some changes in staff here, and on a personal note it’s been great to see a number of QA testers progress into other roles within the company. Despite the changes in personnel though, we’ve always been able to maintain an enjoyable and productive atmosphere in the office.
The one memory which stands out for me, was a company trip to a local museum for a games exhibition. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the sight of one of our producers going all out on Dance Central.
What excites you about the future of APB?
I’m excited about seeing the engine upgrade as a finished product, as I’m sure a lot of our players are. Specifically, I’m looking forward to seeing how we can do things differently as it should allow us more freedom when it comes to development.
What game(s) are you enjoying at the moment?
Right now I’m working my way through Pillars of Eternity, which I’m really loving. As a big fan of the old Infinity Engine RPGs, this is pretty much a perfect fit for me. Other than that, I also have my usual fall-backs of my slight Football Manager addiction (500 hours a year isn’t too bad, right?), as well as my love for Total War games.
Is there a new game or piece of gaming tech that you are really excited about?
I’m really looking forward to the release of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, since I loved the original Deus Ex and Human Revolution was really enjoyable as well and a step up from Invisible War.
What is your all-time favorite video game?
As I previously mentioned, I’m a big fan of the Infinity Engine games and so it’s not much of a surprise that Baldur’s Gate II is my favorite game. For me, the combination of story, characters and world is unmatched.
I wish to thank Ghoulface for his time and to inform the community that, with the conclusion of this post, we will be preparing the next Find the Dev event that will run from Wednesday May 11th until May 18th. Get into district and hunt Ghoulface down to be in with a chance to win the ultimate prize at the Find the Dev finale.
That it for now folks,
MoK
