Automated Regression Testing within Video Game Development

Automated testing reduces the costs of software development. We propose a testing model that is specifically designed for the creation and execution of fully automated regression tests within video game development without the need of test isolation. The proposed model combines the usability and veracity of record and playback techniques and the possible test coverage of tests written in a game specific scripting language. The model has an intuitive structure that enables professional video game testers to create meaningful tests by using only a rudimentary set of programming skills within a graphical user interface. The resulting tool establishes a network connection with one or several concurrently running applications under test while the required performance can be distributed between several dedicated computers. The application under test is modified to process incoming function calls and to generate output that is used to dynamically control the course of the tests and to evaluate if the tested application operates within acceptable parameters.