December 2019 Summaries

To test mobile games effectively, game testers need to focus on key areas such as interface testing, which includes onboarding experience, layout and element design, menu structure, and ensuring a seamless user experience. Graphics performance is also crucial, with testers verifying that the game runs smoothly on various devices and doesn't cause lags or crashes. Security testing is another critical aspect, where testers need to identify potential vulnerabilities in third-party tools and ensure data leaks are not occurring. Additionally, external devices such as controllers and VR gadgets need to be tested for compatibility. While mobile game testing shares similarities with app testing, it requires a more nuanced approach, involving functional testing, performance testing, localization testing, and using specialized tools like Live Replay, Device Cloud, and User Input to enhance the testing experience.

Tech Talk: Intro to Best Practices of Automated Testing, Part 1` The automation pyramid is a framework for thinking about test automation, consisting of three layers: the unit layer at the bottom, where most tests should be written; the service layer in the middle, requiring a balanced amount of tests; and the UI layer at the top, with the fewest tests. The concept aims to encourage developers to focus on writing high-quality code by applying test automation principles, such as giving descriptive names to classes or deleting unnecessary lines of code. This approach helps maintain clean code quality, which is essential for improving software development.

Automated visual regression testing is a process where tests are run to compare the current user interface with reference screenshots to ensure it matches the desired layout. This is crucial in today's mobile world, where devices and operating systems have different rendering capabilities, making uniformity challenging. The process involves taking screenshots of the UI at various stages of development and comparing them to the baseline images to detect any deviations or "regression" in appearance. While automation tools like Selenium and PhantomJS can help with visual testing, human intervention is still necessary to decide what variations are acceptable. These tools use a screenshot comparison engine that takes screenshots and compares them in intervals, allowing developers to configure tolerance levels for differences and ensuring the UI stays on track.