CT-GaMe — Game Testing glossary

165 terms the exam expects you to know, defined in plain language.

A

AI Testing Tools(ai testing tools): Tools that simulate player behavior or monitor NPC decision-making.
Adaptive AI testing(adaptive ai): Testing that an NPC's behavior changes appropriately over time, such as learning player patterns.
Ambient Audio(ambient audio): Looping and layered sounds that establish a game's atmosphere and create a sense of place.
Ambient Audio Testing(ambient audio testing, ambient audio, environmental audio): A testing activity that verifies looping and layered sounds produce seamless transitions and appropriate environmental changes.
Ambient and Environmental Audio(ambient audio, environmental audio): Looping and layered sounds (e.g., wind, rain, crowd noise) that create a sense of place and change appropriately with location or time.
Artistic Graphics Testing(artistic testing, artistic graphics testing): A testing approach that assesses the visual fidelity and aesthetic quality of game assets for consistency with artistic intent.
Audio Defect Types(audio defects, common audio defects): Common audio issues including timing errors, missing sounds, volume imbalances, and poor transitions between tracks or states.
Audio Localization Testing(localization testing, audio localization testing): Testing that ensures subtitles match spoken words in different language versions of the game.
Audio Output Configuration Testing(audio output configurations, audio output configuration testing, output configuration testing): A testing practice that verifies game audio across multiple speaker and headphone setups.
Audio localization: The adaptation of audio elements such as voiceovers and lip-sync for a specific locale.
Audio testing(audio testing): Testing game audio on low-end hardware, under different OS settings, and with platform-specific codecs to identify glitches.
Automated Pixel-by-Pixel Comparison(automated comparison, pixel-by-pixel comparison): A technique that compares screenshots or frames against a baseline image to flag differences for human review.
Automated Playtesting Tools(automated playtesting tools, automated playtesting frameworks): Dynamic tools that execute thousands of game sessions to uncover balance issues or exploits.

B

Baseline Comparison(baseline): The practice of comparing profiling data against a baseline to measure the impact of changes.
Baseline Image(baseline): A reference screenshot or frame used in automated comparison to detect graphical regressions.
Black-box Testing(black-box testing): A dynamic testing technique that tests input and output without knowledge of internal code structure, such as equivalence partitioning.
Boundary Analysis for Random Ranges(boundary analysis on random ranges): Testing extreme values and boundaries of random ranges, such as 0% or 100% chance.
Boundary Value Analysis(boundary value analysis): A software testing technique that examines input values at the boundaries of equivalence partitions to detect errors.
Boundary Value Analysis for Games(boundary value analysis): A black-box technique that tests the edges of equivalence partitions for numeric game parameters like health or score.
Boundary Value Analysis for Random Ranges(boundary value analysis for random ranges, bva for random ranges): A test design technique that examines input values at boundaries of random ranges (e.g., 0% and 100% chance) to detect off-by-one errors in random number generation.

C

CPU Bottleneck(cpu bottleneck): A performance limitation caused when the processor cannot keep up with game logic, physics, or draw calls.
CPU/GPU Utilization Testing(cpu/gpu utilization, cpu/gpu utilization testing): Measuring processor and graphics card usage to identify performance bottlenecks.
CPU/GPU utilization: The percentage of processor and graphics card capacity used, indicating performance bottlenecks.
Camera-Angle-Dependent Defects(camera-angle-dependent defects): Visual flaws visible only from specific camera angles or distances.
Checklist-Based Testing(checklist-based testing): A technique using a list of items or conditions to verify, ensuring consistent coverage of known risk areas.
Client-side mechanics(client-side mechanics): Game mechanics that run on the player's device and require cross-platform consistency testing.
Collaboration Between Testers and Developers(tester-developer collaboration): Essential process to reproduce and resolve issues during game development.
Common Audio Defect Types(audio defect types, common audio defects, common audio defect types): Categories of audio issues including timing errors, missing sounds, volume imbalances, and poor transitions.
Compatibility testing (graphics)(compatibility testing): Verification that a graphics product works across different environments, per ISTQB glossary.
Constraint Verification(constraint verification): A testing technique that checks procedural generation outputs against predefined design rules to ensure they are satisfied.
Constraint Verification for Procedural Generation(verifying procedural constraints): Ensuring that procedural generation algorithms respect design constraints, like avoiding impassable terrain.
Core mechanics(core mechanics): Fundamental actions players perform repeatedly that define the gameplay loop.
Cross-Platform Performance Testing(testing across target platforms, multi-platform testing): Testing on multiple hardware configurations to ensure consistent player experience.
Cultural Adaptation(cultural adaptation): Part of localization that adjusts symbols, colors, and legal requirements for a target market.
Cultural appropriateness(cultural appropriateness): The requirement that game content must be culturally acceptable and not offensive in each locale.

D

Debug Builds(debug builds): Specialized game builds used in dynamic testing that provide additional logging and diagnostic capabilities.
Decision Table Testing(decision table testing): A black-box test technique that tests combinations of conditions leading to different game outcomes.
Decision Table Testing for Game Logic(decision table testing): A black-box technique using tables to map combinations of conditions to game outcomes, useful for AI and rule-based mechanics.
Designer Review of Game Balance(game balance review): Activity where designers review and adjust game balance to ensure fairness and fun.
Desynchronization(desynchronization): A defect where client and server disagree on the game state, often due to network latency.
Deterministic mechanics(deterministic mechanics): Mechanics that always produce the same outcome from the same input.
Developer Unit Testing(unit testing by developers): Testing performed by developers to verify individual units of code in game development.
Device and Platform Matrix Testing(device matrix, platform matrix, device and platform matrix testing, audio matrix testing): A systematic approach to test audio on a matrix of target devices and platforms to catch hardware-specific issues.
Dialogue and Voice-Over(dialogue, voice-over, vo): Character speech, narration, and ambient chatter that must be clear, properly lip-synced, and correctly triggered by game events.
Dialogue and Voice-Over Testing(dialogue and voice-over testing, dialogue testing, voice-over testing, dialogue and voice-over): Testing that verifies dialogue clarity, lip-sync, correct triggering by game events, and subtitle accuracy.
Distribution Verification(verifying distribution, distribution verification): Testing over many trials to confirm that random outcomes approximate their expected statistical distribution.
Dynamic Music(dynamic music): Music that adapts to gameplay intensity or narrative context, requiring smooth transitions and seamless loops.
Dynamic Music Testing(dynamic music): Testing of music that adapts to gameplay to ensure smooth transitions and seamless loops without audible clicks or gaps.
Dynamic Testing Techniques(dynamic testing, dynamic testing techniques): Dynamic testing executes the game to verify its behavior, using black-box, white-box, and experience-based techniques.
Dynamic Testing Tools(dynamic testing tools): Tools that interact with a running game to observe behavior, performance, and detect defects.
Dynamic resolution scaling(dynamic resolution scaling): A technique that can cause unexpected visual artifacts during gameplay when resolution changes dynamically.

E

Emulator Limitation for Locale Testing(emulator limitation): Issue that locale-specific defects may not appear on emulators, requiring testing on actual devices or OS settings.
Equivalence Partitioning(equivalence partitioning): A black-box testing technique that partitions input values into valid and invalid classes to reduce test cases.
Equivalence Partitioning for Games(equivalence partitioning): A black-box technique that divides input data into partitions that the game should treat equivalently, e.g., health bar partitions.
Error Guessing(error guessing): A technique where the tester anticipates defects based on understanding of the application and common failure patterns.
Experience-Based Testing(experience-based techniques, experience-based testing, exploratory testing): A category of testing techniques that rely on the tester's knowledge, intuition, and experience to identify defects.
Exploratory Testing(exploratory testing): An approach to testing emphasizing personal freedom and responsibility to continually optimize value of work through simultaneous learning, design, and execution.
Exploratory Testing with Charters(exploratory testing with charters, exploratory testing): Testing with clear charters to validate constraints, especially in procedural generation, ensuring reproducibility.

F

Fixed Seed Testing(seeding the random generator, fixed seed, reproducible testing with seeds, reproducible tests, fixed seed testing): A technique of fixing the random generator seed to create reproducible test sequences.
Frame Rate Testing(frame rate (fps), frame rate testing): Evaluating the number of frames rendered per second to ensure smooth gameplay.
frame rate (FPS)(fps): A metric measuring the number of frames rendered per second, critical for smooth gameplay.

G

GPU Bottleneck(gpu bottleneck): A performance limitation caused when the graphics card is overloaded with rendering tasks like shading or texture fill.
Game AI fundamentals(game ai fundamentals): Basic AI concepts underlying NPC behaviors, such as decision-making and movement patterns.
Game Development Roles(game development roles): Multidisciplinary team including designers, artists, sound engineers, programmers, producers, and testers.
Game Tester Role(game tester): A role responsible for identifying defects, verifying functionality, and ensuring game quality throughout development.
Game Testing Artifacts(game artifacts, design documents, storyboards, level layouts): Non-code items examined in static testing, including game design documents, storyboards, level layouts, and test plans.
Game-Specific Risks(game-specific risks): Risks specific to game testing such as broken mechanics, graphical glitches, or audio issues.
Gameplay Graphics Testing(gameplay testing, gameplay graphics testing): A testing approach that ensures visual cues, collision detection, and graphical feedback support player interaction and game mechanics.
Geometry Defects(geometry defects): Flaws in object shapes such as holes, incorrect positioning, or misshapen forms.
Graphics Compatibility Testing(compatibility testing): Testing that verifies correct rendering across different GPUs, resolutions, and operating systems.
Graphics Defect Documentation(defect documentation): Capturing defects via screenshots or video for evidence and reporting.
Graphics Defect Reproduction(defect reproduction): Process of repeatedly triggering a suspected defect to confirm it is not transient.
Graphics Performance Testing(performance testing): Testing that measures frame rate, memory usage, and rendering times to identify bottlenecks and ensure performance targets.
Graphics Testing Tools(graphics testing tools): Specialized tools that capture and compare frames to detect rendering artifacts.
game performance testing: The process of evaluating non-functional aspects of a game such as frame rate, load times, memory usage, and network latency.

H

Hard-coded strings(hard-coded strings, hardcoded strings): Text strings embedded in code that prevent localization because they cannot be easily translated.

I

I/O Bottleneck(i/o bottleneck): A performance limitation occurring when data loads from disk or network are slow.
Intermittent Graphics Defects(intermittent defects): Defects that appear only under specific frame rate or memory states.
Internationalization(i18n): The design and development process that makes a game capable of being localized.
Internationalization (i18n)(internationalization, i18n, internationalization (i18n)): The design process that makes a game capable of being localized by avoiding hard-coded strings and supporting language switching.

L

Lighting Defects(lighting defects): Errors in lighting including incorrect shadows, overexposure, or flickering lights.
Lip-sync Accuracy(lip-sync accuracy): The synchronization of voiceover timing with character lip movements in localized versions.
Load Time Testing(load times, load time testing): Measuring the time taken to load game levels, assets, or save states.
Locale-Specific Sorting Defect(locale-specific sorting defect): Defect where alphabetical sorting does not follow target locale rules, e.g., 'Ötzi' sorting after 'Z' instead of after 'O'.
Locale-specific data formats(locale-specific data formats): Formats for dates, currencies, numbers, and sorting orders that vary by locale and can cause errors.
Localization(l10n, localization): The process of translating and adapting a game for a specific target market.
Localization Testing(localization testing): Testing that verifies a game correctly adapts locale-specific data formats such as dates, currencies, numbers, and sorting orders.
Localization defects: Defects in localized games that can be linguistic, cosmetic, or functional.
Low-End Hardware Audio Testing(low-end hardware, low-end hardware audio testing): Testing audio performance on devices with limited processing power to identify latency or crackling issues.
load time: The duration required to load game content, affecting player experience.

M

Management Tools(management tools): Tools that help organize test cases, track defects, and report results.
Manual Visual Inspection(visual inspection): A primary testing method where testers play through a game to detect graphical anomalies such as texture seams or lighting issues.
Mechanic Interaction Testing(mechanic interactions): The practice of verifying the combined effects and dependencies between different game mechanics.
Memory Bottleneck(memory bottleneck): A performance limitation arising when the game exceeds available RAM, causing swapping or texture streaming delays.
Memory Leak(memory leak): A defect where allocated memory is not released after use, gradually consuming memory and potentially causing crashes.
Memory Usage Testing(memory usage, memory usage testing): Monitoring memory allocation over time to detect leaks and excessive consumption.
Meta mechanics(meta mechanics): Systems that govern or modify core mechanics, providing progression and depth.
Multi-Resolution and Multi-Platform Testing(multi-resolution testing, multi-platform testing): Critical testing practice because graphical defects often appear only at specific resolutions or on certain hardware configurations.
Multi-platform testing(multi-platform testing): Testing to ensure graphics work consistently on different hardware and software configurations.
Multi-resolution testing(multi-resolution testing): A testing approach to verify correct rendering across various screen sizes and aspect ratios.
memory usage: The amount of RAM consumed by the game, which can lead to memory leaks if not managed.

N

NPC behavior specification(npc behavior specification): A clear description of intended NPC actions and reactions serving as the test oracle.
Network Latency Testing(network latency, network lag, network latency testing): Assessing network round-trip time and lag under realistic conditions.
Network Testing Tools(network testing tools): Tools that simulate latency and packet loss for multiplayer games.
Non-Determinism in Game Mechanics(non-determinism in game testing): Game mechanics that produce unpredictable outcomes due to randomness or procedural generation, requiring statistical or seed-based testing.
Non-Determinism in Game Testing(non-determinism, non-determinism in game testing): The property of game mechanics that makes it impossible to test every possible outcome due to randomness or algorithmic generation.
Non-determinism(non-determinism): The property of game mechanics that makes it impossible to test every outcome due to randomness or algorithmic generation.
Non-deterministic AI(non-deterministic): AI that uses randomness, causing variable behavior across test runs.
network latency(lag): The delay in data transmission over a network, impacting real-time multiplayer responsiveness.

O

OS Audio Settings Handling(os audio settings, os audio settings handling): The game's ability to correctly respond to changes in operating system audio settings like sample rate or spatial sound.

P

Per-Frame Timing(per-frame timings): A metric displayed by profiling tools showing time taken by each subsystem per frame to identify the limiting factor.
Performance Baseline(performance baselines, performance baseline): A reference metric established early in development to detect regressions.
Performance Profilers(performance profilers, frame-rate monitors): Tools that monitor frame rate, memory usage, and other performance metrics during dynamic testing.
Platform-Specific Audio Codec Artifacts(platform-specific audio codecs): Compression or latency issues introduced by specific hardware or codecs not present in the development environment.
Platform-Specific Graphics Defects(platform-specific defects): Visual issues that occur only on certain platforms like PC, console, or mobile.
Platform-specific test checklist(platform-specific test checklist): A checklist covering resolution, frame rate, and graphical fidelity for each target platform.
Procedural Mechanics(procedural mechanics): Game mechanics that generate content algorithmically, such as terrain or quests.
Profiling Tools(profiling tools): Software that identifies code or asset bottlenecks in game performance.
Pseudo-localization(pseudo-localization): A testing technique that replaces text with placeholder strings to catch internationalization issues early.
performance profiling tool(profiling tool): A tool used to identify code or asset bottlenecks in CPU, GPU, memory, or I/O.

R

Random Mechanics(random mechanics): Game mechanics that rely on chance, such as loot drops or critical hit chances.
Random mechanics testing(random mechanics): Verification of random outcomes by comparing observed vs. expected distributions.
Random number generator seeding(seed random number generators): A technique to make tests deterministic by using a fixed seed for random number generation.
Real device testing(real device testing, actual target hardware testing): Testing on actual target hardware to catch platform-specific driver issues not found in emulators.
Regression testing for NPC behaviors(automation is valuable for regression testing): Automated testing to ensure NPC behavior changes do not introduce new bugs.
Rendering Defects(rendering defects): Visual anomalies like screen tearing, pop-in, or incorrect draw order.
Right-to-left languages(rtl languages): Languages such as Arabic and Hebrew that require mirroring of the UI layout.

S

SFX synchronization(sfx synchronization): Alignment of sound effects with corresponding visual events in a game or multimedia.
Screenshot comparison tool(screenshot comparison tool, automated screenshot comparison): An automated tool that detects visual regressions by comparing screenshots across builds.
Seamless Ambient Audio Loops(seamless loops, seamless ambient audio loops): A property of ambient audio where the loop point has no noticeable click or gap, preventing common defects.
Seed-Based Testing(seed-based testing): A testing technique using fixed random seeds to reproduce and verify fixes for non-deterministic game behaviors.
Seeding(seeding): Technique of fixing random seeds to reproduce specific scenarios in non-deterministic game mechanics.
Server-side mechanics(server-side mechanics): Game mechanics that run on the server and are authoritative to prevent cheating.
Session-Based Test Management (SBTM)(session-based test management, sbtm): A structured method for managing exploratory testing sessions with charters, timeboxes, and debriefs.
Sound Effects (SFX) in Game Audio(sfx, sound effects): Short, non-musical sounds triggered by in-game actions, providing immediate feedback and requiring synchronization with visual events.
Sound Testing Tools(sound testing tools): Tools that analyze audio output for glitches or synchronization issues.
Sound testing(sound testing): Verification of audio elements including SFX synchronization and surround sound channel integrity.
Specialization in Game Testing(game testing specialization): Focus areas like gameplay testing, graphics testing, or sound testing as outlined in the CT-GaMe syllabus.
State Transition Testing(state transition testing): A black-box test technique that models game states and the events that cause transitions.
State Transition Testing for Game Flows(state transition testing): A black-box technique that models game states (menu, playing, paused) and events causing transitions to test valid and invalid flows.
Statement and Branch Coverage(statement coverage, branch coverage): White-box testing metrics that measure the proportion of code statements and decision branches executed by tests.
Static Analysis Tools(static analysis tools): Tools that detect code defects like null pointer dereferences or memory leaks without executing the game.
Static and Dynamic Test Techniques in Game Testing(static testing techniques, static testing, static and dynamic test techniques in game testing): Testing methods that analyze game code without execution (static) or run the game to find defects (dynamic).
Statistical Analysis for Random Outcomes(statistical analysis for random outcomes, statistical analysis): Method to verify that random outcomes, such as drop rates, meet design specifications through repeated testing.
Statistical Oracle(statistical oracles, statistical oracle): A test oracle that uses statistical analysis to verify that random system outputs follow an expected distribution over many iterations.
Statistical Testing(statistical testing): A test strategy using many iterations to verify that random outcomes follow expected distributions.
Surround Sound Channel-Specific Defects(surround sound): Defects that occur only in specific surround sound channels, such as inaudible or misdirected audio.
Surround sound channel integrity(surround sound channel integrity): Correctness of audio channel mapping and output in a surround sound system.

T

Target Device Profiling(target device profiling): The practice of profiling on representative target hardware rather than a high-end PC for accurate results.
Technical Graphics Testing(technical testing, technical graphics testing): A testing approach that verifies rendering performance, hardware compatibility, and correct operation of graphical features across target platforms.
Test Charter(test charter): A mission or area to explore during an exploratory testing session.
Test Level(test level): A specific phase of testing that targets a particular scope and purpose within the software development lifecycle.
Test Levels(test levels): Phases of testing that define the scope and stage of testing activities.
Test Type(test type, test types): A category of testing defined by its objective or quality characteristic being evaluated.
Testing Game Mechanics with Artificial Intelligence(testing game mechanics with artificial intelligence): The use of artificial intelligence to automate the verification of game mechanics.
Testing the Non-Functional Aspects of Games(testing the non-functional aspects of games): Evaluation of performance, usability, and other non-functional attributes of a game.
Text Overflow in Localization(text overflow): Defect where translated text is truncated or overflows UI elements due to differing string lengths.
Text expansion: The phenomenon where translated text is longer than the source, often causing layout issues.
Texture Defects(texture defects): Visual imperfections in game textures including missing, stretched, or wrong resolution textures.
Texture artifacts(texture artifacts): Common graphical defects in multi-resolution testing, such as incorrect scaling or misaligned textures.

U

Use Case Testing(use case testing): A black-box test technique that describes sequences of interactions between the player and the game.
Use Case Testing for Player Interactions(use case testing): A black-box technique that describes sequences of player-game interactions to validate end-to-end workflows.

V

Virtual Surround Sound Upmixing Effects(virtual surround sound, virtual surround sound upmixing, upmixing effects): The masking or alteration of intended audio cues caused by virtual surround sound or upmixing technologies.
Volume Balancing Between Audio Categories(volume balancing, audio category volume balancing): Adjusting relative levels of dialogue, music, and sound effects to prevent any category from overpowering others.

W

White-box Testing(white-box testing): A dynamic testing technique that uses internal code structure to design tests, such as statement and branch coverage.