Would you consider making a living as a GAME TESTER?

[CORVETTE GIRL]

If so- Do you think you could be making enough $$$ to make a living with that salary? How much $$$ can Game Testers really make out there? <i></i>

[zhype]

Game testing isn't that fun as it might appear. You have to play the same part over and over again to see if there are any mistakes in the game. <i></i>

[Nakor BlueRider]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't pay too well either. It's an interesting thought, though. <i>There are many rules of<
>physics that govern our world.<
>There is only one exception.<
>His name is Nakor.</i><
><
>--Nakor, the Blue Rider<
>Visit the Chataway Café<
><
><i></i>

[frog hopping kilik]

I've already looked into this, because I've actually considered game testing as a possible job I might pursue once I get out of college. There were interviews with a bunch of game production people in a previous issue of Gamepro I got, among whom was a game tester, and I also asked another game designer guy who came to my school about it. Game testers are, as the designer guy put it, the scum of the game production industry. They get no recognition or respect, they only make somewheres in the $30K/year range, and they have ridiculously long and hard (and almost certainly boring) hours. You might end up having to work 13 hour days a lot of the time, or something like that, doing nothing but meticulously going through every part of the same game imaginable, just to make sure nothing you can possibly do in the game causes it to crash. Blargfa. <
><
>There is an upside to game testing, though. A lot of game designers or people with higher-up, more interesting positions started out as game testers. If you get your foot in the door doing the grudge work of testing, you can get a chance to prove you know what you're doing, as well as to make some connections with the higher-ups. Then, when a new game idea comes around, if you've made a good impression, somebody in charge might think of you first, and you'll get the opportunity to move up to bigger and better things. I was told by the designer guy that this can definitely happen, and does.<
><
>So in any case, if you're willing to put up with doing a crappy and draining job for a while first, game testing can be a good way to get into a game production job you might actually enjoy, and which can make you a decent salary, too. <
>~Self-Appointed Roundtable Minister of Zeeky and SECURITE~<
><i></i>

[NOAImawario]

I had no idea that a game tester was a job that was that frowned on.... <
> <
> <i></i>

[zhype]

Game tester isn't a fun job. I'd rather be a game reviewer for a magazine. <i></i>

[soloist]

Familiar with the position I am and thus why I<
>opted not to fulfill it. Opportunity present-<
>ed itself via EGM some time ago when<
>this topic was covered and I submi-<
>tted an application to become a<
>tester for Borderbound. Afte-<
>r learning the repetition i-<
>n terms of gameplayin-<
>g and the comute (p-<
>icture travelling t-<
>o San Rafael in<
>California da-<
>ily from NJ)<
>I opted n-<
>ot to, e-<
>ven th-<
>ough:<
><
>(the cost was covered) <i></i>

[frog hopping kilik]

Blechh... I'd hate commuting, even to a GOOD job, let alone a crappy one. Fugeddaboudit. <
>~Self-Appointed Roundtable Minister of Zeeky and SECURITE~<
><i></i>

[Ingrid]

I can't imagine having to commute across the country on a daily basis. How can that be cost efficient for the company employing such tester? Something doesn't make sense there, particularly because there isn't a high salary involved in the position...so the daily flying expense would not be cost efficient at all. <
><
> <i>Edited by: Ingrid  at: 6/10/04 2:21 am<
></i>

[Bomberguy221]

No. I play games for fun, not for bugs. If I want bugs, EZBoard provides, and I don't have to travel to see them.<
><
>Being a beta tester is fun if the game is near release (like in MMORPGs), but if that were my JOB, I would get sick of games so fast. Someone I know is interested in the gaming industry, and I hope that he doesn't have to go this route to get in. The college education will probably help. <i></i>

[NOAImawario]

Quote:If I want bugs, EZBoard provides<
><
> <
> <
> <i></i>

[TStodden]

This is been something I've been seriously looking at. Of course it would be exausting work, with potential 80-hour work weeks & possibly closer to 100-hour work weeks when it comes to crunch time (Overtime is 1.5x for anything over 40, but some companies pay DOUBLE TIME (2x) for anything over 60 hours), so don't expect to have much of a social life.<
><
>If you don't mind being the "company scapegoat" when gamers complain about bugs that weren't fixed before the release & practically living in the office, it wouldn't be bad considering you're playing games around 3-6 months before the public.<
><
>If I could find a Game Testing position that would help pay for moving expenses (very rare) or somewhere that in the Seattle area, I'd so take it! <
><
>Twin Galaxies Rule Board Member<i></i>

[Ingrid]

TS~ So you have been considering the idea of moving to Seattle, huh? <i></i>

[TStodden]

I haven't considered it, but the reality factors usually crush that idea. <
><
>Even if I could live with my great aunt in Tacoma for a while, reality just keeps crushing it. <
><
>Twin Galaxies Rule Board Member<i></i>

[Ingrid]

Think she wouldn't let you stay long? <i></i>