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[MaximumZero]

Yeah, but isn't it the duty of every programmer to test, break, and understand how the breakage happened in their product? We were getting mini-error-logs in Java within 8 weeks of starting the class!

[i2amroy]

My big problem with games is when the programmers fail to miss major problems. I mean if you say your game supports Mac and the instant you release the latest patch every single Mac player gets an error and crashes whenever they try to join a server, you would think that you would at least bother to run a single patch test on a Mac before releasing it! I mean it's when the errors are blatantly obvious and can even impede the very playing of the game and the game developers don't bother to run a single test on a different operating system that they claim to support is what annoys me.

[Yoink]

My big problem with games is when the programmers fail to miss major problems.

I agree, it's much more fun when you have a major problem or two left in to spice up your gameplay.

[GalenEvil]

I look at bug-hunting as an adventure much akin to DF Adventure mode. Most of the time I encounter "hoary marmot"-level bugs which are easily tackled and wrestled into submission before I dissect them piece by piece. Some other times it is a "Mountain Titan (Beware his webs!)"-level bug that is so convoluted in the reproduction steps that it is extremely difficult to rend asunder and strike down (on my list). Those still are able to be squashed like the pitiful bugs they are. Most rare is the "Grand Master Ambusher Kobold"-level bug that is nigh impossible to track down unless it literally hits you in the face by shear coincidence of you looking at the right spot at the right time.

Regarding the recently above, and reason for posting this : For large, often high-budget, applications there is a balance to be found between product testing and the release date. There essentially can never be enough testing and sometimes things have to be cut short (in bug checking/testing) in order to release on time.

I do not agree that anything should be released saying it is compatible with X device when in fact it crashes hard at every turn on X device, but it could be a PR -or- time management issue that prevented [Company] from effectively testing on even the more common configurations of X device.

Actually, I am not entirely sure why I started this post. I am sorry if any of this is out of context with the problem, and most importantly if it makes absolutely no sense at all...

[Skyrunner]

Some bugs are over my level of programming, and I get mired down and give up. :S

It's like sending a titan at a fledgling fort of six dwarves. Where the seventh went... well, don't ask me that. >.> <.<

[i2amroy]

My big problem with games is when the programmers fail to miss major problems.

I agree, it's much more fun when you have a major problem or two left in to spice up your gameplay.

*Facepalm* The problems I run into when my brain runs faster then my fingers can type. I think there used to be a sentence in there that I aborted mid-typing, resulting in the present monstrosity.

[GalenEvil]

I think I read it as intended, and possibly got confused by Yoink lol.

I read it as

My big problem with games is when the programmers fail to find major problems.

or as

My big problem with games is when the programmers miss major problems.

In either of those contexts, removing or altering a word causes it to make proper sense as I believe was intended.  Then I read Yoink's post and somehow disillusioned myself into forgetting what was quoted as contextual or being just tongue-in-cheek humor.

[kaijyuu]

I don't envy PC developers, since getting something compatible with all the random hardware out there is a ridiculously huge headache. People whine about "missing major problems" but unless the developers have a large beta beforehand to find these problems, they're likely not going to know they exist. Testing all the "major" graphics cards out there, for example, would be something like a dozen different graphics cards. And when a bug only occurs with a specific version of x graphics card, or something wacky like that, it's kinda hard to blame them for missing it.


Bugs in console games have no excuse, though

[miauw62]

Ugh, my internet is unstable. I keep losing connection D:

[Derekristow]

Yeah, but isn't it the duty of every programmer to test, break, and understand how the breakage happened in their product? We were getting mini-error-logs in Java within 8 weeks of starting the class!

No way, that's what they hire game testers for!  Programmers are too lazy to ram their faces against every wall in Skyrim to see where the collision breaks .

I do feel for Bethesda, though.  Testing such a massive amount of content that has no real linear path is probably a massive pain, and you'd never be able to catch everything before release.  In terms of an error log, I found this after a quick googling.  Hopefully it helps, if you hadn't seen it already.

[Vorthon]

Ugh, my internet is unstable. I keep losing connection D:

Same here.

We can be unstable internet buddies!

[Loud Whispers]

Ok, who broke Britain?

WHY IS IT SO DAMN HOT HERE

AARRGHGHHGHG

[Darvi]

It's not only Britain, they seem to have broken the entirety of Europe.

[Euld]

The US has been broken for a while too.  In fact, the east part was so broke that it broke the west side for a while.  I guess everyone's deity/deities have been fooling with the air conditioning again.

edit again: ehhh not going there, probably would start an argument anyway.

[miauw62]

It's not only Britain, they seem to have broken the entirety of Europe.

The breaking of Europe broke my computer. Was playing TF2, suddenly, BAM, computer dies. Restart.
BSOD. Fatal error.
Restart, select repair thingy. Computer dies again.
Then i let it cool down a bit and ran the repair utility again, and now its back.