# QA Automation for Games

## Overview

Automated testing in games requires different approaches than traditional software. Games have complex state, real-time interactions, and subjective quality measures that challenge automation.

## Testing Pyramid for Games

```
        /\
       /  \     Manual Playtesting
      /----\    (Experience, Feel, Fun)
     /      \
    /--------\  Integration Tests
   /          \ (Systems, Workflows)
  /------------\
 /              \ Unit Tests
/________________\ (Pure Logic, Math, Data)
```

### Unit Tests (Foundation)

Test pure logic that doesn't depend on engine runtime:

- Math utilities (vectors, transforms, curves)
- Data validation (save files, configs)
- State machines (isolated logic)
- Algorithm correctness

### Integration Tests (Middle Layer)

Test system interactions:

- Combat system + inventory
- Save/load round-trips
- Scene transitions
- Network message handling

### Manual Testing (Top)

What can't be automated:

- "Does this feel good?"
- "Is this fun?"
- "Is the difficulty right?"

## Automation Strategies by Engine

### Unity

```csharp
// Unity Test Framework
[Test]
public void DamageCalculation_CriticalHit_DoublesDamage()
{
    var baseDamage = 100;
    var result = DamageCalculator.Calculate(baseDamage, isCritical: true);
    Assert.AreEqual(200, result);
}

// Play Mode Tests (runtime)
[UnityTest]
public IEnumerator PlayerJump_WhenGrounded_BecomesAirborne()
{
    var player = CreateTestPlayer();
    player.Jump();
    yield return new WaitForFixedUpdate();
    Assert.IsFalse(player.IsGrounded);
}
```

### Unreal Engine

```cpp
// Automation Framework
IMPLEMENT_SIMPLE_AUTOMATION_TEST(FDamageTest, "Game.Combat.Damage",
    EAutomationTestFlags::ApplicationContextMask | EAutomationTestFlags::ProductFilter)

bool FDamageTest::RunTest(const FString& Parameters)
{
    float BaseDamage = 100.f;
    float Result = UDamageCalculator::Calculate(BaseDamage, true);
    TestEqual("Critical hit doubles damage", Result, 200.f);
    return true;
}
```

### Godot

```gdscript
# GUT Testing Framework
func test_damage_critical_hit():
    var base_damage = 100
    var result = DamageCalculator.calculate(base_damage, true)
    assert_eq(result, 200, "Critical hit should double damage")
```

## What to Automate

### High Value Targets

- **Save/Load** - Data integrity is critical
- **Economy** - Currency, items, progression math
- **Combat Math** - Damage, stats, modifiers
- **Localization** - String loading, formatting
- **Network Serialization** - Message encoding/decoding

### Medium Value Targets

- **State Machines** - Character states, game states
- **Pathfinding** - Known scenarios
- **Spawning** - Wave generation, loot tables
- **UI Data Binding** - Correct values displayed

### Low Value / Avoid

- **Visual Quality** - Screenshots drift, hard to maintain
- **Input Feel** - Timing-sensitive, needs human judgment
- **Audio** - Subjective, context-dependent
- **Fun** - Cannot be automated

## Continuous Integration for Games

### Build Pipeline

1. **Compile** - Build game executable
2. **Unit Tests** - Fast, isolated tests
3. **Integration Tests** - Longer, system tests
4. **Smoke Test** - Can the game launch and reach main menu?
5. **Nightly** - Extended test suites, performance benchmarks

### CI Gotchas for Games

- **Long build times** - Games take longer than web apps
- **GPU requirements** - Some tests need graphics hardware
- **Asset dependencies** - Large files, binary formats
- **Platform builds** - Multiple targets to maintain

## Regression Testing

### Automated Regression

- Run full test suite on every commit
- Flag performance regressions (frame time, memory)
- Track test stability (flaky tests)

### Save File Regression

- Maintain library of save files from previous versions
- Test that new builds can load old saves
- Alert on schema changes

## Test Data Management

### Test Fixtures

```
tests/
├── fixtures/
│   ├── save_files/
│   │   ├── new_game.sav
│   │   ├── mid_game.sav
│   │   └── endgame.sav
│   ├── configs/
│   │   └── test_balance.json
│   └── scenarios/
│       └── boss_fight_setup.scene
```

### Deterministic Testing

- Seed random number generators
- Control time/delta time
- Mock external services

## Metrics and Reporting

### Track Over Time

- Test count (growing is good)
- Pass rate (should be ~100%)
- Execution time (catch slow tests)
- Code coverage (where applicable)
- Flaky test rate (should be ~0%)

### Alerts

- Immediate: Any test failure on main branch
- Daily: Coverage drops, new flaky tests
- Weekly: Trend analysis, slow test growth