How to Write Test Cases for Game Testing?

Before a game is released to the public, mobile game testing is one of the most important stages in the game's development lifecycle. It guarantees the game's functionality, performance, and quality. A series of tests are performed to identify and report errors, validate gameplay mechanics, and guarantee cross-platform and cross-OS compatibility.

‍Writing perfect test cases is an art that requires a deep understanding of both the game mechanics and the user experience. Effective test cases are the base or backbone of any successful testing process. They provide a clear roadmap for testers to follow.

Test case writing

The art of writing a test case is a really delicate process, going from clear test cases to ensuring that the given test cases cover all the aspects of the requirements takes a lot of practice and following a set of uniform rules and regulations:

• Clear: It must have a straightforward objective and unambiguous steps.
  
• Concise: It should be as brief as possible without missing any necessary detail.
  
• Comprehensive: It needs to cover both positive and negative scenarios.
  
• Reusable: It should be designed to be used in multiple test cycles.
  
• Adaptable: It must be flexible enough to accommodate changes in the application.
  
• Traceable: It should be easily traceable to requirements and defects.

Striking the right balance between detail and clarity while you write test cases for mobile testing is really essential. Too much detail can make test cases confusing and difficult to maintain, while too little detail can lead to incomplete and missed defects. Here are some tips to maintain this balance of Detail and Clarity.

• Use clear language: Avoid using too many technical words unless necessary and explain clearly. Use a phrasing tool if you are not comfortable with English or if it’s not your primary language.‍
• Be specific: Include enough detail to guide the tester without any assumptions.‍
• Focus on the objective: Each test case should have a clear goal or result in mind.‍
• Modularize steps: Break down complex actions into smaller, manageable steps.‍
• Avoid repetition: Reference other test cases or steps when possible to avoid duplicating information.‍
• Review and Refine: Regularly review test cases to remove unnecessary details and clarify instructions. 

Planning your test cases

The planning of test cases needs to be done delicately and without any rush. When planning test cases for a mobile video game, we must know how to identify key game features and structure our test cases for maximum coverage.

Identifying key game features for testing involves understanding the game’s core mechanics and user interactions. Here’s how to pinpoint these features:

• Review game design documents
  Start with the game’s design documents to understand the intended gameplay experience.

• Engage with development team
  Collaborate with developers to identify features that are critical to the game’s success.

• Analyze user stories
  Look at user stories or use cases to determine which features will be most used and valued by players.

• Prioritize based on risk
  Consider the complexity and risk associated with each feature to prioritize testing efforts.

Structuring test cases for maximum coverage

To structure test cases for maximum coverage, follow the steps given below:

• Create a test matrix
  Map out all possible combinations of game states and inputs to ensure all paths are covered.

• Use equivalence partitioning
  Group similar inputs that should yield the same result to reduce the number of test cases.

• Apply boundary value analysis
  Test the extremes of input ranges where errors are more likely to occur.

• Incorporate exploratory testing
  Allow testers the freedom to explore and test beyond predefined cases to uncover unexpected issues.

Mobile Games vs. Desktop Games vs. Console Games

Writing effective test steps

For the game tester to correctly carry out the test cases, clear and concise test steps are essential. Here's an illustration of a scenario from a video game:

Scenario: Verify that the player can collect a health pack and gain health points.

Test case: Health pack collection and usage.

Preconditions: The player is in-game with less than full health points.

Test steps:

1. Navigate the character to the location of the health pack.
2. Perform the action to collect the health pack (e.g., press the ‘Collect’ button or move to the health pack).
3. Check the player’s health points to confirm they have increased accordingly.

‍Expected result: The player’s health points should be increased by the amount specified for the health pack.

Incorporating variables and conditions

Variables and conditions add flexibility to test cases and allow for a range of scenarios to be tested. For example:

Variable: Health pack value (e.g., small, medium, large)

Condition: 10 health points should be restored if the health pack is "small," 20 points if it is "medium," and 50 points if it is "large."

Test steps:

1. Navigate the player to the location of the health pack.
2. Perform the action to collect the health pack.
3. Verify that the health points increase by 10, 20, or 50 points, depending on the size of the health pack collected.

Expected results: The player’s health points should reflect the correct increase based on the health pack’s value.

Prioritizing test cases

Prioritizing is the baseline of test case creation. A good tester will keep multiple considerations in mind, especially for mobile game testing, as the testing time will always be limited to cover all the scenarios of a mobile game.

Considerations to keep in mind for mobile game testing

Since mobile games are interactive and can be played on a range of devices, they provide a unique set of challenges. When testing mobile video games keep the following specifics in mind:

• Touchscreen inputs
  Test for the precision and responsiveness of touch inputs. For instance, verify that taps are registered accurately within the game’s interface and that no lag could affect gameplay.‍
• Gestures
  Validate that the game correctly recognizes common gestures such as swiping for navigation, pinching to zoom, or long-pressing actions. It’s important to test these across different devices, as gesture recognition can vary.‍
• Orientation changes
  Assess how the game transitions between portrait and landscape modes. Check for UI consistency, graphic rendering issues, and whether the game resumes correctly after the change.‍
• Interrupt conditions
  Simulate interruptions like incoming calls, messages, or notifications to see how the game pauses, saves progress, and resumes. Also, test for any potential data loss or corruption.

Adapting test cases for different mobile platforms

Given the fragmentation of mobile devices, It’s crucial to adapt your test cases to cater to a wide range of platforms and devices.

• Platform-specific features
  ‍iOS and Android have different design guidelines and functionalities. Ensure that platform-specific features like back button behavior on Android or swipe-to-go-back on iOS are tested.
• Resolution and Aspect ratio
  ‍Games should be visually appealing and functional across various resolutions and aspect ratios. Test for any UI elements that may overlap or become unusable on different screen sizes.
• Operating system versions
  Older versions of mobile operating systems may not support certain game features. Test backward compatibility and decide on the minimum supported OS version based on your findings; this should also be mentioned in the game description.
• Hardware variations
  ‍The performance of a game can greatly differ between devices with varying hardware specs. Test on low-end devices to ensure that the game is optimized for performance and doesn’t drain battery life excessively.

Advanced techniques in test case writing

Now, let’s explore two advanced techniques for writing test cases for mobile video games: parameterized testing and using mind maps. These techniques will help you improve your test coverage.

Exploring parameterized testing

With the use of parameterized testing, you can effectively execute the same test case using multiple input value sets. This method works especially well for game testing because it allows you to interact with a range of circumstances and scenarios. Here's how to put it into practice:

• ‍Identify test scenarios
  ‍Start by identifying game scenarios that can be tested with different parameters, such as character attributes, levels, or item stats.‍
• Define parameters
  ‍Create a list of parameters and the possible values they can take. For example, a parameter could be ‘Character Speed’ with values ‘Slow’, ‘Medium’, and ‘Fast’.‍
• Design test cases
  ‍Write test cases that reference these parameters instead of hard-coded values. This allows for a more flexible and scalable testing approach.‍
• Execute with different data sets
  ‍Use a testing framework that supports parameterized tests to execute your test cases with the various combinations of parameters you’ve defined.

Using mind maps for test case generation

Mind maps are a creative and intuitive way to generate test cases. They help visualize the different aspects of the game and the relationships between them. Here’s how to use mind maps for test case generation:

• Create a central idea: The central idea should be the core feature or aspect of the game you’re testing.
  
• Branch out: Create branches for sub-features, user actions, game responses, and potential edge cases.
  
• Detail branches: Add leaves to each branch with detailed test conditions or variables.
  
• Identify test cases: Use the mind map to identify distinctive test cases, guaranteeing that you cover every branch and leaf.
  
• Organize and Prioritize: After creating a thorough mind map, you can use its structure to arrange and prioritize your test cases.

Automating repetitions

Deciding when to automate testing test cases is crucial for efficient testing. Here are some guidelines that you should determine to automate test cases:

• Repetitive Tasks
  ‍Automate tests that are run frequently and require repetitive actions.
  
• Stable Features
  ‍Focus on automating tests for features that are stable and unlikely to change frequently.
  
• High-Risk Areas
  ‍Give automation top priority for game mechanics that are crucial and have the potential to do the most harm if they malfunction.
  
• Data-Driven Tests
  ‍Use automation for tests that need to be run with multiple data sets.

Here’s a basic example of how you might automate a test case. The basic example of automating a test case for a mobile game in which the user must swipe to move a character from left to right is as follows:

from appium import webdriver
from appium.webdriver.common.touch_action import TouchAction

# Set up desired capabilities and the Appium server URL
desired_caps = {
    'platformName': 'Android',
    'platformVersion': '10',
    'deviceName': 'Android Emulator',
    'appPackage': 'com.example.game', # Replace with your game's package
    'appActivity': 'com.example.game.MainActivity', # Replace with your game's activity
    'noReset': True
}
driver = webdriver.Remote('http://localhost:4723/wd/hub', desired_caps)

# Start a session
driver.implicitly_wait(10)

# Define the swipe action using TouchAction
actions = TouchAction(driver)
actions.press(x=100, y=500) # Starting coordinates of the swipe
actions.wait(ms=1000) # Duration of the swipe
actions.move_to(x=300, y=500) # Ending coordinates of the swipe
actions.release()
actions.perform()

# Verify the character has moved to the right position
# This would involve checking the game state or character position
# For example, you might look for a specific element that indicates success
character = driver.find_element_by_id('com.example.game:id/character')
assert character.location['x'] == 300

# End the session
driver.quit()

Maintaining your test cases

The gaming industry constantly evolves, and so do mobile video games. Gamers will ask for frequent updates, new maps, characters, and abilities. Endless possibilities. An adequate mobile testing service should include regular reviews, change management, feedback loops, and dynamic test cases to adapt to the new updates.

Conclusion

In summary, every individual participating in mobile game testing needs to be proficient in creating well-written test cases. Good test cases serve as a roadmap, guiding testers through a concise and comprehensive assessment of the functionality, performance, and user experience of the game. You can write solid test cases for a polished and entertaining mobile gaming experience for your users by following the suggestions provided in this blog.

The field of mobile gaming is constantly evolving due to the frequent appearance of new trends and technologies. Testers of mobile games must embrace ongoing learning and adaptability in order to stay on top of trends.

This involves learning about new device functions, keeping up with the most recent testing tools and techniques, and actively looking for opportunities to broaden your knowledge and hone your skills.

In case you have any further questions or worries about how to write test cases for a game or any specific domains, your trustworthy mobile app testing company Alphabin is here to assist you in this marvelous journey.