One bug, one solution

The various project presentation sessions and playtests were rich in observations. One of the major concerns is undoubtedly the game’s technical viability, and the playtests are an opportunity to spot any bugs that may not have been identified by the production team, in the hope that they will be as few as possible, and as “blocking” as possible.

Types of bugs in a video game

There are several types of technical problem in a video game (blocking bug, UX problem, display bug, etc.), and they don’t all have the same importance, the same symbolism for designers, or the same impact on the player experience. A blocking bug is an anomaly in which the program doesn’t run as expected, and the player gets stuck. Example: a door won’t open, the character is stuck, an object can’t be picked up, etc.

A UX (user experience) problem translates into a lack of understanding between the player and the test proposed by the game designer. The player doesn’t understand where he has to go or what he has to do, for example.

Finally, display bugs are also a program-related problem, but they don’t prevent the game from being played: you can see through a wall, a texture doesn’t appear, an object floats in the air.

Perception of bugs: divergence between Designer and Player

It’s interesting to analyze the difference in perception of these incidents between the production team and the players. A video game is immersive not only because it is interactive, but also because of the universe it proposes. And the quality of this universe depends in part on the fluidity and smooth running of the computer program that makes it up. That’s why designers dread bugs. Yet they are not perceived in the same way by gamers. One example is glitches, which allow players to “cheat”. Seen as a failure by programmers, on the other hand, they are an opportunity and therefore valued.

During the playtests, several failures took place, and the reactions of players and designers who were in the same room differed. For example, we noticed that the testers were very accepting of display anomalies, whereas the designers were very sensitive to them. Conversely, UX issues raised more questions and comments from players.