What steps can you take to avoid bugs in your online game?

Bugs are the bane of any game developer, especially when it comes to online games that have to deal with network issues, server stability, and player interactions. Not only can bugs ruin the gameplay experience, but they can also damage your reputation and revenue. So how can you prevent or minimize bugs in your online game? Here are some steps you can take to improve your code quality, testing, and debugging processes.

1 Plan your code architecture

Before you start writing any code, you should have a clear and consistent plan for your game's architecture. This means defining the core features, modules, components, and interfaces of your game, as well as the coding standards, conventions, and documentation you will follow. A well-designed code architecture will help you avoid confusion, duplication, and complexity, and make your code easier to read, maintain, and debug.

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Said Jalilzade

Software Developer
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Prioritize thorough testing across various devices and platforms. Implement robust version control systems to track changes and revert if necessary. Encourage open communication among developers to quickly address and fix reported bugs. Utilize automated testing tools to identify potential issues early in the development process. Regularly update and maintain your game to address any newly discovered bugs.

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Prajna P.

Localization tester at PTW
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Coding is the backbone of the software launched in the market. If coding is done properly then we can actually avoid crashing and non functioning of any features of a particular software.

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Zainul Abideen Iftikhar

Offering Game Development Services | Unreal & Unity
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A well-designed code architecture will help you avoid confusion, duplication, and complexity, and make your code easier to read, maintain, and debug.

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Ara Espinar Doncel
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You can set code standards for the project, use design patterns, follow a well structured arquitecture etc and it's true that it'll reduce the bugs significantly but there are many types of bugs, some even not related to the code itself. While it's very important to follow those techniques, a good QA is even more critical for the project since the professional testers will identify the bugs, repro steps and even offer possible solutions for the problem.

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2 Use version control and code reviews

Version control is a system that tracks the changes you make to your code over time, and allows you to revert, merge, or branch your code as needed. Version control is essential for online game development, as it enables you to collaborate with other developers, test different versions of your game, and deploy updates without losing your work. Code reviews are the practice of having another developer check your code for errors, bugs, or improvements. Code reviews can help you catch and fix bugs early, as well as learn from other developers and improve your code quality.

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Ara Espinar Doncel
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Version control is critical to avoid unexpected and or high impact bugs that will damage the quality of the game if not fixed before releasing the specific version. It helps to separate the development cycle from the release calendar by giving time to QA to test the versions aside from the progress on the last development branch. It also helps a lot to avoid losses in case of rollback, having multiple branches containing separate individual functionalities is key to avoid the introduction of those pesky bugs and give time to devs to fix whatever is needed.

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3 Test your game thoroughly

Testing is the process of checking your game for errors, bugs, or defects, and verifying that it meets your design specifications and user expectations. Testing is crucial for online game development, as it ensures that your game works properly across different platforms, devices, browsers, and network conditions, and that it can handle various scenarios, inputs, and outputs. You should test your game at different stages of development, using different methods and tools, such as unit testing, integration testing, functional testing, performance testing, usability testing, and beta testing.

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Ara Espinar Doncel
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Extensive testing is the only way to ensure game quality and even if the testing has been conducted on all phases of the development in great detail, given how complex are the games nowadays, bugs are to be expected nonetheless. Active testing, unit tests, integration tests, performance test and so on are very time consuming to design and to execute but the prevention of errors can even save the entire project from losing players interest due to a bad experience.

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4 Debug your game systematically

Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors, bugs, or defects in your code. Debugging is inevitable for online game development, as no code is perfect and bugs can arise from various sources, such as logic errors, syntax errors, compatibility issues, or user feedback. You should debug your game systematically, using a structured approach and tools, such as debugging tools, breakpoints, logs, error messages, and exception handling. You should also document and communicate your debugging steps and results, and learn from your mistakes.

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5 Update your game regularly

Updating is the process of adding new features, content, or fixes to your game. Updating is important for online game development, as it keeps your game fresh, engaging, and competitive, and shows your commitment to your players. However, updating can also introduce new bugs or break existing features, so you should be careful and cautious when updating your game. You should update your game regularly, but not too frequently, and always test your updates before releasing them. You should also inform your players about your updates, and listen to their feedback and suggestions.

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6 Seek professional help

Sometimes, you may encounter bugs that are too complex, too frequent, or too critical for you to handle on your own. In such cases, you may need to seek professional help from experts, such as game developers, testers, or localizers. Professional help can help you solve your bugs faster, more efficiently, and more effectively, and save you time, money, and stress. Professional help can also help you improve your game quality, performance, and accessibility, and reach a wider and more diverse audience.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What steps can you take to avoid bugs in your online game?

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2

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4

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1 Plan your code architecture

2 Use version control and code reviews

3 Test your game thoroughly

4 Debug your game systematically

5 Update your game regularly

6 Seek professional help

7 Here’s what else to consider

Game Development

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What steps can you take to avoid bugs in your online game?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Plan your code architecture

2 Use version control and code reviews

3 Test your game thoroughly

4 Debug your game systematically

5 Update your game regularly

6 Seek professional help

7 Here’s what else to consider

Game Development

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