Test phases

When testing video games there are three different test phases the that the game will go though: Alpha, Beta and Gold. The three phases are essential to create a bug free game.

• Alpha phase
• Alpha test is the very first type of testing a game will go though. The alpha stage is conducted after the programming is finished but before the modelling has begun. Essentially alpha testing the there mainly to test the scripting and the programming side of the game. One technique that the gaming industry use is something call white boxing. White boxing is when the developers construct a world only using the simplest models but using the all the mechanics of the game, this is to ensure that the games programming and scripting is all correct. Once the alpha phase is complete the game is thrown but into production to be created up to the point of which it will go into the Beta testing phase. 
• Beta Phase
• The Beta phase of video games testing is when the developer has finished most of the programming side of the game and is now in-between the middle of the games development to the finished product. The beta phase is the time when the testers are really to get in-depth with the game to ensure the there are no bug what so ever to ensure that when the release of the game has arrived then it will be bug free. Some developers choose instead of having a in-house team of testers to conduct the tests on the game they will do something called an open beta. An open beta is when the company will allow the general pubic and consumers to sign up to test their game on there own computers, the testers are sometimes granted with special rewards for doing so such as, being given in game items or early access to the game. Open beta is commonly used within bigger games such as MMOs or sandbox game for the simple reason that the game would be to big and would take to long for a group of 20 to 30 people to locate the bugs.
• Gold phase
• The Gold phase of testing is when the game has been complete and is on sale to the general public. It is main conducted to ensure that if any bugs have been missed in the game then the testers will try and continue to locate them.