What is Game Localization Testing in its 3 Most Basic Levels?
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Skipping game localization testing is like launching a rocket without checking the fuel – it might get off the ground, but it’s bound to crash and burn sooner or later. Therefore, before you attempt to skip it, it’d be wise to think twice.
So, what does the phase involve and why is it so critical? In this article, we break it down in its 3 most basic levels, based on the types of mistakes you’ll most likely encounter. Cause believe us when we say it – you 100% will.
Grab our Game Translation and Localization Definitive Guide while you’re at it, and let’s get right into it!
What is game localization testing & why is it so integral when localizing your game?
Slip-ups and mistakes are natural occurrences, from both a linguistic and cultural perspective. Therefore, catching them right in their tracks before your new, exciting gaming product launches overseas should be your top-of-mind. Rushing through this process is highly discouraged, since doing so can put your gamers’ experience at risk, which could lead to losing players, bad PR or financial losses later down the road.
In order to test your game, there are 2 types of LQA testers you’ll need:
The 3 main levels of the game localization testing
LQA is concerned with testing a video game’s quality on various different levels: the linguistic, visual and functional level.
Linguistic Quality Assurance
On its first level, linguistic QA reviews whether a game’s text has been localized correctly and consistently. Here are some types of mistakes that linguistic testers keep an eye out for during this phase:
Visual Quality Assurance
On the second level, there’s the Visual QA which is mainly concerned with ensuring that visuals, graphics and text appear correctly on the screen. Localization testers are likely to encounter at least some of the following errors:
Functional Quality Assurance
And then, from an engineering perspective, there’s the Functional QA level. Functional errors generally refer to bugs that could be having an adverse effect on the UX experience. The LQA reviewers might identify the following:
Generally, functional errors can be prevented when you plan for them correctly from the earliest stages of game development. As a developer, you can make your game more localization-friendly through the use of Universal Code set (Unicode).
For more tips on preparing a game for localization and going through the process as a whole completely unscathed, check out The Game Localization Process & 22 Tips to Make it Easier.
Don’t let mistakes slip through the cracks & cause you major trouble!
Now that you’re aware about the kinds of errors that can creep up in your game and the major troubles they could lead to, it’s time to be proactive and let professionals guide you through them!
Whether you’re only getting started or need your game tested ASAP, at Pangea Global, we’ve got the right game localization know-how, expertise and tools to help you do it right.
Ready to transform your gamers’ experience in the most lucrative gaming languages and more with game localization and linguistic QA testing? Contact Pangea with your questions and requests using our form!
