Virtual Ping Pong

Mike Smith asked:


It’s 2008 and the gaming world has never looked better. Technological advancements are rapidly changing the way video games are played and experienced. With bold innovation, game developers are channeling the best in hi-tech electronics to deliver mind-blowing video game titles. In addition to the games, video game consoles are now a platform for entertainment in its many forms. Social networking and home theater technology has changed gaming consoles. As a result, video game consoles also come with a host of video game accessories that are not only important for chatting, watching movies or viewing photographs but also enhance game play.

Home theater entertainment is about hi-def and nothing less. HDMI is the new video game cable standard, set by Sony’s Play Station 3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360. Characterized by astounding picture quality, high definition games truly introduce virtual reality. Systems using older technology, like the Wii cables, aren’t really able to match the quality of a high definition signal. Nevertheless S-video cables, component cables and composite cables, which have all been used in the past, are integral to many video game consoles.

With the advent of multiplayer gaming through Xbox Live and, more recently, the Play Station Network, the need for gamer communication was heightened. A good gaming headset is essential for a hardcore gamer when battling through a multiplayer environment. Keeping in touch with team-mates scattered across the globe is made much easier with a Bluetooth headset. The wireless advantage is obvious - clutter-free convenience. Handheld systems have long relied on headsets to provide the audio output to gamers. The Nintendo DS headsets and PSP headsets are sleek earphones with a microphone for social networking.

As games become longer and infinitely more complex, the need for a storage medium, that is, video game memory, has been felt. The early 8 MB memory cards for the Sony Play Station One have been replaced by 80 GB hard drives that use high speed SATA 2 technology. Multiple flash card readers that support a variety of formats are now the standard for video game consoles. The advantage of a built-in card reader is that the gamer can choose the best memory card, rather than be forced to use a proprietary one. Another advantage of removable storage is the expanded ability of the console to handle videos, photos and music. A memory card can be quickly and easily loaded from a computer, and the multimedia accessed anytime, anywhere. A variety of memory cards for various consoles e.g. GameCube memory card, PSP memory etc. are readily available in the market now-a-days.

Sean Saunders asked:


Step One: Be Proactive!

You won’t land any video game tester jobs if you just sit around and wait for a “Game Testers Wanted” ad to appear in the paper. It won’t happen. So instead of sitting back and waiting for a miracle to occur, just get out there and find the perfect video game testing job for you.

Head straight to the game companies and developers and apply for testing jobs. Since they aren’t looking for you, the only logical step is to actively search for them. Once you find them (which shouldn’t take too long), apply for a game tester position with them and then repeat the process for as many different companies as humanly possible.

On your application/resume, brag about all of your video game achievements, such as the consoles you own, the games you’ve played, the games you own, the MMORPGs you are apart of, and anything else that shows how much experience you have with video games. And if you want to help your cause even further, create a website/blog that talks about video games, gives reviews, previews, cheats, hints, tips, etc.

You have to remember that experience and professionalism count for a lot in this industry. Therefore, the more experience you have and the more professional you are, the better your chances are for getting a video game tester job.

Step Two: Step Out of Fairy Tale Land and Into Reality

You have to realize that video game testing is a job. Yes, it’s a really fun job, but it is still a job nonetheless. This means that you have to treat it as such and take every part of it seriously. Don’t merely sit down and play the game to have a good time. Sit down and play the game so that you can collect a paycheck when you’re through.

Many “wanna-be” testers believe that being a professional video game tester is a “no work, all play” type of career. Honestly, they couldn’t be more wrong. Although there aren’t huge amounts of work that a game tester must wade through, there are still a few things that he/she has to complete. For instance, filling out reports. Surprised? Well, most aspiring young testers are when they hear that there is actual work involved with video game testing.

Contrary to what you may have thought, you won’t be simply playing games and giving your opinion on whether they are good or not. You will actually be testing them. You will play through a game, find any bugs or glitches, and then fill out reports on any problems that you come across. This is to help the developers and programmers locate and fix those problems. You don’t have to be an English professor or a college graduate to write bug reports, but you will have to have basic writing skills. Aside from the reports, you will also be required to fill out numerous questionnaires; which are typically opinion based.

As soon as you accept the fact that you’ll be doing actual work as a video game tester, you will have much more success finding testing jobs.