How to Write Bug Reports? In-depth Review

Bug report writing is one of the significant and crucial assets in the game testing and developing domain, and game testers must get familiar with how to write a bug report. A good bug report should include the essentials of how to reproduce the bug, where it is located, and different ways of addressing the problem and avoiding a negative gaming experience.

In the following article, we will discuss the process of how to write a bug report, the principal aspects of properly composed bug reports as well as the peculiarities of preparing them for the games. It is to be noted that the platform of WeTest provides extensive bug-reporting solutions designed exclusively for game designers and testers. The professional team of game testers guarantees comprehensive testing with detailed documentation of the discovered problems in textual reports to improve the outcome of the testing process and the quality of the game.

Why is it Important to Have Bug Reports in Game Development

Bug reports remain one of the essential documents in the process of game production. They act as a link between testing and technical teams, hence facilitating the reporting of problems observed during the testing phase. A good bug report is not only useful to explain the issue to the developers but also to offer the background information and steps that would allow the developers to solve the issue promptly. The following section outlines the key components that should be included in the process of how to write a bug report.

1. Summary

The summary is a brief general description given to the bug in question and usually does not exceed two sentences. It should be concise and for that reason, it should not elaborate too much on the nature of the issue. Such a summary gives the developers an idea of the problem’s fundamentals and its relative importance in tackling it.

2. Steps to Reproduce

Issues that require long descriptions and several sets of instructions on how to reproduce the bug are among the most crucial in a game bug report. This section can explain the elaborated, chronological series of events that contributed to the bug’s appearance. Precise wording has to be employed here as these steps will be used by developers to replicate the issue and trace its source.

3. Expected and Actual Results

Specifically, outlining the expectations and outcomes proves vital for comprehending the bug’s influence on the game. The expected result should retain an account of what should have happened in an ideal setting while the actual result shall indicate what in reality was witnessed. This way enables the developers to see and appreciate the difference and rate the bug’s severity.

4. Environment and System Information

It is crucial to report informative environmental details and configuration to elucidate the circumstances of the bug to the developers. This may include the game version, OS, hardware and software characteristics, and settings or configurations that you may have applied.

5. Visual Documentation

Maintain a photo record of the issue where possible, along with screenshots, screen movies, or other display captures. All these elements can enhance the effectiveness of the bug report since they enhance how developers perceive the problem and its manifestation within the game.

6. Additional Information

Here you may provide any additional useful information that would be beneficial to the developers in identifying and fixing this issue. This could include such things as error messages, log files, or any other relevant data that may help in the investigation.

Additional Tips for Effective Game Bug Reports

When it comes to the methods a game developer should pay attention to the following during the process of how to write a bug report:

1. Be specific: To ensure developers get it right and set up an environment to recreate and analyze the problem, give as much detail as possible in the context of the game.

2. Use clear and objective language: To solve this type of problem, it is essential not to use words that have emotional connotations and concisely describe the problem.

3. Include relevant game context: Include details about the state in which you had the issue, the level, and the mission/scenario, because this is helpful if the developers want to recreate your environment.

4. Prioritize reproducibility: Ensure that your steps to reproduce are described clearly, and briefly and do not differ from one another as this is critically important for the developers.

5. Separate multiple issues: Do not report multiple bugs in one single report because it will be complicated to know which bug to address when to simplify the process, make one report for each bug.

6. Be patient and cooperative: Game debugging can also prove to be a difficult task; therefore, be ready to offer more details or further explanations if need be from the development staff.

Conclusion

These general recommendations and tips will help you to comprehend how to write a bug report and contribute to efficient problem-solving by game developers, as well as provide users with a pleasant gaming experience. Precise bug descriptions also help to avoid time and cost overruns and are beneficial for the final product of the game.