The world of a video games tester is different than most people think. Most testers do not sit at home on their couch and get paid to play video games. This is a real job, and like most other jobs you are required to report to the job location, work your scheduled shift, and produce results. There are however some unique duties and obligations that make these testing jobs different than most people imagine them to be.It is important to clarify that tester jobs are very important. No gaming company in their right mind would attempt to market a game knowing it was full of problems or “bugs”. It would ruin them financially as well tarnishing their reputation for product quality in the very competitive gaming marketplace. As a video games tester, your primary job is to find and report on gaming “bugs” so that they can be fixed before the game is released to the public consumers.Now you would think that given this responsibility of ensuring the quality of games before they are released to the public would mean game testers would be highly paid. Unfortunately they are not, however the low starting pay does not mean there is no variety in the types of game testers jobs.Being a tester does imply that you do get paid to play video games, however often not in the way you might imagine. Most of us get confused by terms “game beta testing” and actual “game testers jobs”. It is very important to realize that beta testing of games is generally done by volunteers, playing the full version of the game just prior to its release to the customer, sometimes playing at home, and for free. Notice the words “for free” and “volunteers”, in other words you are not being paid to test out the game. This is a totally different set of job conditions as those experienced by most paid video game testers.If you are actually interested the side of the gaming industry where you get paid to play video games, and not the beta testing, then the kinds of duties and responsibilities you would perform as a new games tester may include:repetitive tasks such as turning the gaming device on and off multiple times to ensure it works after extend periods of use
playing and replaying the same level in the game numerous times to check for any glitches, freezes or other “bugs” in the game level
testing out the controller pads for durability and ease of operation -checking out in-game communications such as instant messaging features
looking for missing graphics in the game animation, character flaws, etc.
providing detailed reports on any problems that you find during your testing
not sharing information about your testing with anyone outside your workplace under the penalty of instant firing and possible criminal charges.Depending on your level of testing expertise, you may never get to test out the full version of the game and sometimes get stuck having to test out the early versions, minus any graphics or video clips. Nothing is said that you will even get to game test the types of games you happen to enjoy playing.As with any job, once you become more experienced and demonstrate good skills as a video games tester, the odds will increase that you will be given more demanding and interesting game testers jobs. At this point you may also be given some choice in the types of games that you wish to test depending on the company product line. So you must be willing to “pay your dues” to get the type of testing jobs you want.Clearly there appears to be many misconceptions out there about what a games tester actually does, the amount they get paid, and even the types of personal qualities you need to be a successful game tester. Hopefully this article has helped to clarify some of the misinformation about video game tester jobs.
Gambling Myths 101
Myths and rumors come with every gambling game. However undesirable, they can be a good source of recreation. The major cause of these beliefs and tales is the uncertainty related with gambling.Slot machines were first played in the late nineteenth century. Since then the machines have changed with more reels and increased number columns and slots, however, the basic concept of operating them remains the same. Players seem to devise various strategies to be a winner. The most common strategy advocated is to play safe with one’s money. Play the machine till a pre-decided sum of money and if the trend of losing does not change save the rest of the money. Another advice given by the experts is to prefer casino cards to casino meters. Other self proclaimed ‘experts’ boast to beat slot odds. This can hardly be true as the slot results are generated randomly through electronic number generators.Blackjack is a pro-player game. The techniques and strategies suggested by some cannot be claimed to be foolproof. Playing with a single deck is believed to be easiest. With the increase in the number of cards the house advantage also increases and the out come of the game becomes highly unpredictable. Card counting requires skill and one needs to be a master of blackjack to carry out this technique. Though it involves simple mathematics, it can take hours to judge other player’s hands to play a safe bet. Another technique is shuffle tracking. It is believed that mostly shuffles do not lead to random arrangement of cards and there is probability that certain sequences go unshuffled. This technique can be quite unreliable. Another argument is that the seating arrangement can affect the outcome of the game. This appears to be a myth and is discarded by most strategists.Lotteries have the worst odd than any other gambling game. The most common myth suffered by the player is that “I can Win”. This myth forces millions to participate and can also lead to ha\heavy losses for a few. Another myth is playing one’s lucky numbers. This number can be the birth date, wedding date, or any other anniversary. Some people may also refer to numerologists.Horse racing is one of the most popular and expensive forms of betting. The technique most people employ while betting on a horse is ‘Handicapping’. This involves studying the horse’s history – its performance, pedigree, medical history etc before betting on it. A rather fashionable practice to bring good luck is to wear fancy hats. The ladies wear colorful hats at the Kentucky Derby traditionally as a good omen.While myths can be quite harmless and funny at times, a more unethical technique desperate players employ is cheating. The various methods used include the us of a tampered dice, commonly called a ‘loaded dice’, marking the cards with juice or special ink, or resorting to tricky shuffles. Cheating is essentially antisocial and should eb curbed.Myths and folklores related to the games are good as long as they are healthy. However, if the player looses his rationality completely, they can be dangerous as well, leading to heavy financial losses. Myths are a mixture of hidden facts and lots of speculation and one should treat them as a part of the game.
Competitive Weight Loss Programs – Gamble on Yourself and Do it in Teams
Are you running in circles with your weight loss program? Why not try these tips to keep you motivated: gamble on yourself and do it with teams.Gamble on YourselfTake a cue from the poker trend. Wager against a friend and see who can shed the most pounds. This technique is really proven to be an excellent motivation to lose weight faster. Men do really well when they make weight loss a competitive game.The best part of having a competition is that you motivate each other toward a common goal. Involve your family and be inspired by the show “The Biggest Loser.”Try it in Teams and Make it Long TermTake this competition to the next level and try it in teams. You will want to win the bet and you will also learn to watch each other’s back. By working as a team, you will learn to avoid letting down your teammates. Healthy competition can, indeed, bring the absolute best in people.Losing weight is all about better healthy. Set aside the scenario where someone who can lift the most wins. It would be futile to have someone win the prize and end up tearing his rotator cuff. Instead, I recommend swimming relay or a 5-K run.I also recommend a long-term competition. Weigh yourselves and try again after six months or a year. Do not just compete for two weeks. It will just be the usual weight loss game where the winner ends up regaining what he lost.