Comments on: The Long Road to BioWare: A Designer’s Origin Story, p4 http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/ A look at story-based gaming Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:47:57 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Dave Feltham http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-694 Dave Feltham Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:59:27 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-694 You know I'm not even going to make a weak attempt at answering that and hope that Jay pokes one of our fine QA folk to answer some questions with how we do things here. BioWare has some of the best QA people in the business and one of the better integrated workflows than what I've seen, experienced or heard about. You know I’m not even going to make a weak attempt at answering that and hope that Jay pokes one of our fine QA folk to answer some questions with how we do things here. BioWare has some of the best QA people in the business and one of the better integrated workflows than what I’ve seen, experienced or heard about.

]]> By: Gregor Lamche http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-622 Gregor Lamche Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:47:11 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-622 Sounds interesting, but when I look at Dave's statement at the end of the article, every second tweet will be: "Getting coffee, ... mmm coffee." Greg Sounds interesting, but when I look at Dave’s statement at the end of the article, every second tweet will be: “Getting coffee, … mmm coffee.”

Greg

]]> By: BioWare http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-621 BioWare Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:38:07 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-621 Yup! I broke the great article into 4 parts and David provided a great Twitterish account of a day in the life of which I'll be putting up today as a final article. Stay tuned. Yup! I broke the great article into 4 parts and David provided a great Twitterish account of a day in the life of which I’ll be putting up today as a final article. Stay tuned.

]]> By: Gregor Lamche http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-618 Gregor Lamche Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:48:13 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-618 Again a nice read. :) There will be a next part? Part 5 of 4? PS: What do people always ask how to get into the game industry? They just could use one of those many sites out there that tell them how to do it. (www.sloperama.com / www.gamasutra.com / or at least wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_design) Just saying. Greg Again a nice read. :)

There will be a next part? Part 5 of 4?

PS: What do people always ask how to get into the game industry? They just could use one of those many sites out there that tell them how to do it. (www.sloperama.com / http://www.gamasutra.com / or at least wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_design)

Just saying.

Greg

]]> By: [Bioware Blog]Level Design For Mass Effect 2 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-616 [Bioware Blog]Level Design For Mass Effect 2 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:30:49 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-616 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: Top Posts « WordPress.com http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-614 Top Posts « WordPress.com Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:00:48 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-614 [...] The Long Road to BioWare: A Designer’s Origin Story, p4 Part 4 of 4, by David Feltham In this article Dave discusses what a Level Designer does and how Level Designers work [...] [...] [...] The Long Road to BioWare: A Designer’s Origin Story, p4 Part 4 of 4, by David Feltham In this article Dave discusses what a Level Designer does and how Level Designers work [...] [...]

]]> By: Destenoth http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-608 Destenoth Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:47:21 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-608 Thanks a lot, Dave, I've really enjoyed reading this. Very informative. Thanks a lot, Dave, I’ve really enjoyed reading this. Very informative.

]]> By: BioWare Blog: The Long Road to BioWare: A Designer’s Origin Story (Part IV) http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-607 BioWare Blog: The Long Road to BioWare: A Designer’s Origin Story (Part IV) Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:54:22 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-607 [...] http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/22/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/ [...] [...] http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/22/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/ [...]

]]> By: David Vizcaino http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-602 David Vizcaino Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:25:50 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-602 Dave Feltham, I am really enjoying your story. It gave me much better insight into become/being a level designer, especially since I want to break into the game industry, and ESPECIALLY since I would love to work at Bioware (as a writer). I can't wait to see your day-by-day account of what it's like. I don't know how to enter the game industry as a writer so I want to study game design or game art and the likes, but I'd like to know, what school did you learn or study your networking and other skills at. I plan on going to Full Sail after I graduate high school, but your account has been the most in depth I've seen on the game industry and how to get into it. If you'd like email me at david[period]e[period]vizcaino[at]gmail.com Dave Feltham,
I am really enjoying your story. It gave me much better insight into become/being a level designer, especially since I want to break into the game industry, and ESPECIALLY since I would love to work at Bioware (as a writer). I can’t wait to see your day-by-day account of what it’s like. I don’t know how to enter the game industry as a writer so I want to study game design or game art and the likes, but I’d like to know, what school did you learn or study your networking and other skills at. I plan on going to Full Sail after I graduate high school, but your account has been the most in depth I’ve seen on the game industry and how to get into it. If you’d like email me at david[period]e[period]vizcaino[at]gmail.com

]]> By: C J http://blog.bioware.com/2009/06/23/the-long-road-to-bioware-a-designers-origin-story-p4/#comment-601 C J Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:42:56 +0000 http://blog.bioware.com/?p=1867#comment-601 Hey David, I lurved the series; very motivating and informative! I must say though, I do have a question with regards to QA and the way your QA system is structured. I'm currently a tester for a game being made by a start-up studio. Whenever, we get a task, sometimes they're incredibly simple (i.e. make sure a character's animations are working fine), to something more general (i.e. find any bugs in a level where people might get stuck, particles aren't rendered correctly, etc.). Whenever, I test something that falls under the general category, I can't help but feel like I'm wailing on a keyboard and mouse and I'm therefore wasting a lot of time and effort on repetitive action that might take time away from finding actual bugs. My question is: have you guys found that implementing test scenarios and methodologies helps the QA process, or does it not really help? Hey David,

I lurved the series; very motivating and informative! I must say though, I do have a question with regards to QA and the way your QA system is structured.

I’m currently a tester for a game being made by a start-up studio. Whenever, we get a task, sometimes they’re incredibly simple (i.e. make sure a character’s animations are working fine), to something more general (i.e. find any bugs in a level where people might get stuck, particles aren’t rendered correctly, etc.). Whenever, I test something that falls under the general category, I can’t help but feel like I’m wailing on a keyboard and mouse and I’m therefore wasting a lot of time and effort on repetitive action that might take time away from finding actual bugs.

My question is: have you guys found that implementing test scenarios and methodologies helps the QA process, or does it not really help?

]]>