The Intel® game developer program, Achievement Unlocked, is designed to help game developers at every stage along their journey. We are to help you write highly optimized games that take advantage of Intel’s latest graphics hardware. To make a good game you need good Quality Assurance (QA) testing. Implementing a robust QA process is vital for releasing a problem-free game for your customers. However, QA testing is not a simple thing. Major bugs can be difficult to find and reproduce. Some only occur when certain conditions arise, difficult to observe, or are 100% reproducible. It is impractical to test everything on every platform you intend to support. Efficient time management and comprehensive methodologies are required to get good coverage and reduce bug escapes.
To help you meet your quality goals, Intel has created the Game Quality Assurance Evangelism Program. As part of Achievement Unlocked this program can help you achieve your vision through QA testing assistance and knowledge. We partnered with top QA labs in the industry to help educate and support QA testing for your game. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of Game Quality Assurance Evangelism Program and how to get help with all your QA questions and issues. More benefits are being planned, so stay tuned for details!
Learn:
The Game Developer Zone on IDZ is the place to learn about developing games on Intel graphics. Here, you can read blogs, articles, and white papers. Topics include testing tools, methodologies, and other topics written by our QA partners and Intel validation engineers. QA is complex and involves many aspects to be effective, but it’s required for developing great games.
Discuss:
Have questions about QA testing? Or want to discuss QA topics? Visit the forum at the Game Developer Zone. It is the community for game developers to share information, discuss issues and ask questions about Intel graphics.
https://software.intel.com/en-us/forums/developing-games-and-graphics-on-intel
Test:
Intel has partnered with some of the top QA labs in the industry and are here to help you make the best game possible. As partners in the Game Quality Assurance Evangelism Program they have access to in-development graphics drivers and the Intel driver development team to help get driver issues fixed in time for your game’s release. The current QA partners are listed below; this list is expected to grow over time.
Quality Assurance Partners:
Enzyme was founded in 2002 by Yan Cyr and Emmanuel Viau, two pioneers in the video game industry. Using their international experience and the expertise of all the Enzymers, we have combined creativity and discipline in order to create Quality Assurance (QA) services and a testing methodology that add value to the clients’ products.
We are a passionate community dedicated to QA for video games, apps, software and websites. Whether you need QA testing, PC/Mobile compatibility testing, project evaluation or focus groups, or you are looking for localization or linguistic resources, or you need methodology or project management consultants, partnering with us will contribute to the achievement of your goals.
Our mission is to put our passionate workforce to use and contribute to the success of your projects.
OUR FUNDAMENTAL VALUES
OUR TEAM holds an important place at the heart of our operations. We favour interactions between individuals and teams over the strict use of processes and procedures. A cohesive team with strong communication is of greater value than a group of individuals, while very competent, working in an isolated way.
THE TESTING METHODOLOGY must provide a maximum quality result at the lowest possible cost. While structuring and controlling the teams’ performances, the testing tools must allow for the integration of creativity, judgment and the added value of individuals and their skills. In this sense, our approach to project management stimulates the constant sharing of skills within our teams.
COLLABORATION with our clients rather than simple contractual negotiation is a powerful incentive for our teams. We consider ourselves a link in each of our clients’ production chain, consequently understanding early on their needs, expectations and procedures. Continuous communication ensures maximum compatibility between the clients’ expectations and the results we produce.
ADAPTING TO CHANGE is part of our teams’ DNA, our approach to project management and our testing methodology. Initial project planning as well as staff management must be flexible in order to respond to each client’s needs over the course of each project. This ability to deal with changes additionally serves as a means for the continuous improvement of our approaches, processes, procedures and tools.
GlobalStep is a premier technology services firm providing QA and Customer Support to the digital media and interactive entertainment industries. We are acknowledged as a worldwide leader for functionality, compliance and compatibility solutions and are rapidly growing our test engineering and automation teams. As a synergistic extension to our QA support, GlobalStep provides fully integrated customer and technical support services with Tier 1,2 and 3 escalation mechanisms and knowledgebase maintenance.
With a team now totaling more than 500 full time test professionals we develop and implement customized solutions across multiple platforms including Games Consoles, PC/Mac, IOS, Android, Kindle and Windows Mobile. Our clients range from Fortune 100 companies to independent developers.
While the DNA of the company lies in the PC and game console platforms we also house one of the largest, most experienced mobile test teams in the world. Within the mobile space GlobalStep has tested IOS products since the inception of Apple’s App Store as well as Windows Mobile and Android products for over 5 years. To date we have provided over 1 million hours of mobile test solutions to our clients.
At GlobalStep we provide best in class quality and service at an attractive price point and are known for being flexible and responsive in an ever-changing industry.
Andy Robson, a Bullfrog and Lionhead industry veteran of 20+ years, formed Testology in 2006 with the intention of delivering developmentally aware functional testing to the entire video games industry. What’s now become an industry diverse business, Testology provides the very best functional testing for all digital platforms in the video games, web & digital, gambling, and virtual reality industries. As winners of 3 Develop Excellence Awards for Best Service Provider 2011 and Best QA Provider in both 2014 & 2015, Testology continues to develop their high quality, personable, and attentive approach to outsourcing on all new technologies and generations of hardware. With an unrivalled device inventory (50+ iOS and 100+ Android – running multiple software versions), and an expert awareness of mobile testing requirements, mobile QA occupies an ever-increasing percentage of the Testology clientele, and they frequently see many of their tested products feature on Apple’s “Best of” lists.
Testology has worked on hundreds of multi-platform products for some of the most revered developers and publishers in the industry. With a unique and passionate perception of QA, Testology are able to create and execute complete, or supportive, test phases for developers and products of all sizes, establishing a reputation as the “go to guys” for testing. Testology has over 85 unique projects passing through its UK based office every month, with all testing being done in-house by over 100 expertly trained testers who understand the business philosophy, as well as the job at hand – an important part of the Testology ideology.
Testology’s services focus on functional testing, compliance testing (console and mobile), experience development and product feedback, and device/browser compatibility. Each product is treated with a custom attentiveness so that no two-test phases are the same. This approach is intensified by a commitment to “service” through communication, availability, and flexibility.
Testronic delivers a complete spectrum of QA, localization, compatibility, and customer support solutions at the highest level, to a wide variety of games industry companies, large and small. Games tested by Testronic’s PC Compatibility lab entertain over 50 million global players per month.
Our PC compatibility lab supports thousands of potential configurations and hardware peripherals, managed by expert technicians who will work with you to identify a test plan that suits your needs and budget.
VMC offers Achievement Unlocked program members insights into the history and future direction of the games industry; proven QA best practices, processes, and tools that result in solid, enjoyable games. VMC can also leverage our years of experience to provide developers with technical guidance that will save you time and maximize Intel’s technological capabilities.
VMC provides global, end-to-end, pre- and post-launch production support services for every stage of product development and release. VMC partners with companies of all sizes to get better products to market faster, and to deliver exceptional support for every stage of the product lifecycle. Our scalable, strategic outsourcing services are customized to align with how your business operates. VMC can provide you, the future game leaders with useful information to address a wide variety game-production issues.
Quality is engrained in our company culture and directly aligns with your commitment to create exceptional user experiences; we offer comprehensive testing for functionality, compatibility, compliance, certification, localization and usability in our secure facilities. Our experienced test teams blend hands-on play, efficient automation, and relevant reporting to deliver qualitative and quantitative data about your game's performance. Players also expect a fast, pleasant, and effective support experience and VMC offers our multi-channel player support service through live game operations to support your community.
By participating in the Achievement Unlocked program, VMC aims to support game developers as they establish brand recognition for their original games, learn how to protect their intellectual property (IP), provide high-quality gaming experiences to players, and broaden their exposure to increase their chances for commercial success.