So like, what is up with play testers?

[BlindSide]

Man, play testing is such a chore! Loads of gamers think that working for QA would be an uber cool job, wow you get to play the latest games before anyone else! But you're actually playing mostly broken versions of the game and you're playing certain bits over and over to make sure they work and it just takes all the enjoyment out of it!

I did playtesting on LittleBigPlanet and Killzone 2 and though it was pretty cool to be playing them well before they were released and when it was only a few users playing them it got a bit of a chore when you had specific tasks to carry out and the bugs kept rearing their ugly heads meaning you'd have to start all over again....

So it's kinda like trying to achieve OCD on the new World Of Goo demo? (Which rocks, play it people.).

[buhatkj]

I don't see why test-driven development and scrum's fast iteration can't go together. I would be amazed to see ANY piece of software that was fully designed before implementation began, and even more amazed if it didnt get substantially changed in scope or specification many times during development. The very idea is to me outrageous for anything other than a VERY small game. Honestly not just with games, but any software project.
In any case, I do agree playtesting can be pretty tedious, which is a good reason to invest in System testing as well as Unit Testing. That way play test time can be reserved more for finding those ethereal balance issues, and wierd edge cases, instead of replaying the same things over and over again to make sure they still work....

[rogerborg]

I would be amazed to see ANY piece of software that was fully designed before implementation began, and even more amazed if it didnt get substantially changed in scope or specification many times during development. The very idea is to me outrageous for anything other than a VERY small game.

Why's that then?

At some point, your customer - be they internal or external or even your own right hemisphere - has to tell you every detail of what they want. It's far cheaper for them to do so before you start implementing their vision.

Sure, customers don't want to do that. They want to say "Oh, give me X plus Y, only twice as good for half the price" then sod off to strangle prostitutes while you read their mind to determine what they really want, and what they're likely to accept. The best thing you can do - for their benefit - is to refuse to accept that, and insist on very detailed requirements right up front.

While I'm dreaming, Alyson Hannigan will be in the requirements gathering meeting acting as my secretary and taking dictation. She loves it.