This is a suggestion to ANet to help prevent the many bugs that come with each patch.
Setting up regression tests would be a great way to avoid so many bugs that have been previously fixed, or introduced into existing code because of new code.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regression_testing
From the article:
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Regression testing is a type of software testing that seeks to uncover new software bugs, or regressions, in existing functional and non-functional areas of a system after changes such as enhancements, patches or configuration changes, have been made to them.
The intent of regression testing is to ensure that a change such as those mentioned above has not introduced new faults. One of the main reasons for regression testing is to determine whether a change in one part of the software affects other parts of the software.
Common methods of regression testing include rerunning previously completed tests and checking whether program behavior has changed and whether previously fixed faults have re-emerged. Regression testing can be performed to test a system efficiently by systematically selecting the appropriate minimum set of tests needed to adequately cover a particular change.
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Imagine if ANet had a big list of automated tests that:
- Checked if Mesmer clones stay alive when their target is stealthed
- Made sure PvE bonuses were affect by WvW upgrades
- Tested the drop rate of Fractal Skins
- Checked that boons like retaliation worked consistently in different zones/dungeons
- and so on…
Any discovered bugs would have their own test to ensure they’re never re-introduced. Any new features would have a list of tests to ensure they’re always working properly. This concept is not new; in fact there is a development process based around writing and implementing these tests: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test-driven_development
Every time they were ready to test a new patch, they run all of these automated tests against it, and the tests tell them if any bugs have been introduced (eg: WvW bonuses are NOT being reflected in PvE).
The hard part would be writing all these tests up front. There would be lots and lots of combinations to test for, but if it can be automated (and it can…) it would be totally worth it. In fact, I would be surprised if ANet didn’t already have something like this in place… unfortunately, I do not think they are testing enough of their functionality. I realize that, as an MMO, GW2 would require tons and tons of tests to fully check. I am not trying to go overboard and say everything needs to have a test. But I think the examples I gave above are realistic (they are all also recent).
I love you ANet, but you have to feel bad when players find a glaring bug that your QA department should have caught. Make things easier on yourself. You can save yourselves the trouble of having the player base point them out.