Game Design - Assignment work

Game Defects

Function Defect -

Within a game, a function defect is a defect that occurs when a function does not act as it is supposed to. For example, the player goes to open a door to progress through the game. The sound for opening a door may play, but the door may not actually open. This means the player will not be able to progress. It is for this reason that these defects are often game-breaking, making them a top priority for the development team to fix.

Assignment Defect

An assignment defect is a defect where a value within the game's code is incorrectly assigned, leading to something within the game not functioning as it should. For example, a player has 20 bullets in their gun. The player shoots all of the bullets, but can still shoot the gun after running out of bullets. This is an assignment defect due to the value for ammo being incorrect, allowing there to be more than what the HUD shows the player.

Checking Defect

A checking defect is extremely similar to an assignment defect, where the game does not check values correctly. One example of this is where you go to pick up two items, but the game only recognizes that you have picked up one.

Timing Defect

A timing defect is, as the name implies, where game elements are out of time with one another. For example, you shoot a gun, but the sound effect for the gunshot doesn't play until a few seconds after you have shot the gun.

Documentation Defect

A documentation defect is a defect which occurs when a piece of text contained, for instance, within a dialogue box is misspelt. This bug is most common when games that have been translated are being tested, as many pieces of text may have been mis-translated. However, this defect is not limited to text, there may be some instances where a piece of audio seem muffled, or are of bad quality, or possibly there could be an issue with a specific graphic within the game.

Defect Triggers

Configuration Trigger

A configuration trigger is when there is a certain configuration within the game's settings that has not been tested yet, meaning there is a possibility for bugs to occur.

Normal Trigger

A normal trigger is caused by hardware issues with the player, such as the player playing the game on a machine that does not meet the minimum requirements for the game.

Start-up Trigger

A start-up trigger is a trigger that occurs when the player is starting up the game, as the name implies.

Stress Trigger

A stress trigger is occurs when the game or game server is under a lot of stress. This can be caused by many things, such as too many entities being spawned inside the game, or the machine's hardware just not being good enough to handle the game.

Exception Trigger

An exception trigger is a trigger that occurs when the game cannot read it's own code, thus resulting in a glitch or a crash. This trigger is most prevalent in modded games.

Operating Regions

Pre-game

This is before the player has started the game up. For example, a desktop, or a console main menu.

Start-up

This is as the game is starting up, such as when the opening sequences of the game are playing, showing the logos of the companies behind the game.

In-Game

This operating region covers all of the actions carried out within the game by the player.

Post-Game

This operating region covers where the player ends the game. This can be achieved in a few different ways, such as when the player reaches the end of the game, and the credits play. Or maybe the player decides to stop playing and exits the game.

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