Paid Video Game Testing- Why Does Every Gamer Want to Be A Game Tester?

Video game testing is one of those jobs that every kid and gamer instantly wants. The idea of playing video games and getting paid for it is the only concept that matters to them, and they will do anything to make that dream a reality. But in actuality, there is more to game testing than just simply playing...

Obviously, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out why gamers want to be paid game testers. They simply want to be paid to play video games, period. That is as far as the thought process goes. They think, "As a professional video game tester I would get paid to sit down, relax, and play video games."

That type of job would be truly great, but that's not what a game tester does. They may sit, they may even relax, but they won't quite be "playing". They won't actually be playing video games for money; they'll be testing them for a paycheck.

"Whats the difference?" Well, in a word, work. Unlike testing, playing a video game does not require you to do any actual work. While playing, you sit back, relax, and just let the game wash over you. On the other hand, while testing, you will have to actually pay attention to the game you're playing. That doesn't mean paying attention to the storyline or plot; it means being aware of everything that is going on on-screen. It means watching, focusing, evaluating, and analyzing everything that you are seeing.

Why must you have a heightened awareness when testing video games? Because of what you have to do while testing the games; which is filling out bug and glitch reports.

In order to find bugs and glitches, you have to be in tune with the screen and know exactly what is going on; hence, the reason for the awareness. You must be able to spot anomalies on the fly and be able to determine "normal" from "abnormal". If you can't do that, well, then you won't be able to continue in a career in video game testing. However, before you decide to simply give up, try to practice & improve those skills a bit more.

Practicing can be done with any game on any system; preferably a next-gen console such as the XBOX 360 or the Playstation 3. You just have to play the video game as a professional video game tester would, with heightened awareness. Relax and take in the whole screen. Make sure that you can clearly see every nook and cranny of the screen and that nothing obstructs your view. Also, you should be sitting in front of the TV and not at an angle. The best form of practice obviously comes from actual testing jobs, but don't let that fact stop you from practicing the "testing" process. Who knows, you may even find some glitches or bugs in the game that no one ever came across.

Being a professional video game tester is obviously a dream job. After all, how many people get to say "Time to Go to Work" and then just flip on their video game console or computer?

Sean Saunders Spends Most of His Time Playing Video Games And He Now Has A Very Successful Career as a Professional Video Game Tester. If You Too Would Like To Get Started With Paid Video Game Testing, Visit Gamer-Testing-Ground.com, The Number One Resource For Video Game Testers Everywhere.

Innovation And Invention In Virtual Rock Band Video Games | Techdirt

Reader David Kopp writes in to point us to a story in the Boston Globe that yet again highlights the...   Read more...

Technorati Tags: get paid to play video games, how to become a video game tester

Video Game Tester Jobs- Can You Get Them From Home?

Video game testing is truly great. Honestly, what's better than getting paid to play video games from your own home?

We all know that anyone can become a video game tester. The question is: can you be one from the comfort of your own home?

Many people would have you believe that you can't get video game tester jobs at home. Some would say that the only way to be a tester is to apply for a job with a game developer and hope that you get assigned to a "testing" position. Others will say that you have to go specifically to testing centers in order to get a testing job. Which group is right? Well, they are both right and they are both wrong. Although those two methods will work in getting a video game tester job, they are not the "only" methods of getting one. The other method is, of course, being a game tester from home.

Yes, contrary to what you may have heard, you can actually be a video game tester from the comfort of your home. However, the downside is that there aren't as many options for a home tester as there are for other testers. Though the job market may be plentiful for many game testers, it is a bit more barren for home testers. Is that to say a home video game tester will have great difficulty finding a job? No, not at all. It only means that they must try harder and look for gaming companies and developers that are actually open to home testing.

The differences between an at-home video game tester and a regular tester are few. However, those few are significant to say the least. Aside from the obvious convenience factor that comes from working at home, there is also the work & "gift" factor.

Generally speaking, home testers are prone to getting a bit more work than the average tester; work being filling out more reports, questionnaires, and other things like that. Is this the case for each & every home game tester? No. It really just depends on the developer or company that hired them.

The other difference is the "gift" factor, which will usually leave the tester with a new video game after each job is completed. Testing centers won't usually give out free copies of a video game, nor will most developers. Although, for an at-home tester, receiving a free copy of a game is expected.

There are two ways an at-home video game tester can receive a game: he will either just keep the copy he was given to test or he will receive a complimentary copy when the game is completely finished. Either way though, he will still get a copy to keep. Game developers are very busy, which means they don't bother with requests for testers to send back each tested game. Therefore, when you are done testing a game, you just send your reports to them and then add the game to your collection. So basically, the more tester jobs you get, the more video games you will get to keep; sounds great, doesn't it?

There may be some "cons" to being a home video game tester, but the "pros" outweigh them in a big way. Being able to play video games and get paid for it, at home no less, is a beautiful thing. As a matter of fact, it's a dream job for most gamers. Unfortunately for most of them, though, a dream job is all it will ever be.

Sean Saunders Spends Most of His Time Playing Video Games And He Now Has A Very Successful Career as a Professional Video Game Tester. If You Too Would Like To Get Started With Paid Video Game Testing, Visit Gamer-Testing-Ground.com, The Number One Resource For Video Game Testers Everywhere.

Technorati Tags: become a video game tester, video game tester career, video game tester jobs

If you have any questions regarding the content in this website, about the products that are mentioned, or just any questions at all don't hesitate to contact me at the following address. I'd also love to hear any feedback on the site if you've found it helpful or have some ideas about how I can improve the site in some way.

Please contact me at  info@testgamer.com!

Technorati Tags: contact, us

TestGamer.com is dedicated to providing quality information on the subject of Video Game information and in particular, on the subject of testing games

Here you will find helpful reviews, informative information and tips and much more. This site is in the format of a 'weblog' so that each time I post new information, it will come to the top of the front page. This means that you can check back here frequently to see new updates to the information found here.

You can navigate through the Test Gamer site by using the menus on the sides of the page. Also don't hesitate to follow the links you see in bold throughout each post to learn more about the product being spoken about.

I hope you find the information I provide valuable and helpful.

Technorati Tags: about, us

Our Commitment To Your Privacy

Your privacy is important to us at Test Gamer. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. To make this notice easy to find, we make it available on our homepage and at every point where personally identifiable information may be requested.

Our Commitment To Data Security

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Our Commitment To Children’s Privacy

Protecting the privacy of the very young is especially important. For that reason, we never collect or maintain information at our website from those we actually know are under 18, and no part of our website is structured to attract anyone under 18. Under our Terms of Service, children under 18 are no allowed to access our service.

Collection of Personal Information

On visiting www.TestGamer.com, the IP address used to access the site will be logged along with the dates and times of access. This information is purely used to analyse trends, administer the site, track user’s movement, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. Importantly, IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.

Links to third party websites

We have included links on this site for your reference. We are not responsible for the privacy policies on these websites.

lterations to this Privacy Statement

The content of this statement may be altered at any time.

Technorati Tags: privacy

Affiliate Marketing Links

I may have a marketing connection or link to a brand, topic or product herein. Through the use of affiliate links contained herein, I may collect fees from purchases made. We strive to provide information to aid the consumer and any customer reviews of products are from the merchant's site and are not paid for or solicited.