Interview with Lead Tester, Jeanne!
We interviewed our Lead Tester, Jeanne!
Her Interactive: What do you do as Lead Tester?
Jeanne: In a nutshell, it’s my job to make sure when someone plays their game; the only thing they focus on is solving the mystery. To help make that happen, the test team analyzes everything that impacts game play – art, sound, design, install, story, character, logic, navigation, compatibility and puzzles, just to name a few. I also participate in design walkthroughs where I gleefully try to be as difficult as possible to catch early logic and motivation issues, create test plans and test cases, hire and work with talented testers, and spend a ton of time in the game finding, reporting and regressing bugs.
Her Interactive: What do you do in your spare time? Any hobbies?
Jeanne: Travel and birding. Using birding as an excuse to visit places I want to see. Traveling to see new birds. It’s nicely symbiotic.
Her Interactive: If you could have a super power or super skill, what would it be and why?
Jeanne: Telekinesis, no doubt about it. There’s even flying potential if you’re clever enough.
Her Interactive: If you received an anonymous threatening note after exploring a suspicious location, what would be your first reaction?
Jeanne: Well, that depends. Is anyone else around? When did I receive the note? Am I still on site? Did I make it home first? Is the note hand written? Typed? Collaged? Does it address me by name or was it intended for someone else? What’s the threat level? Severe? Mild? Laughable? The tester in me just can’t answer definitively without pushing back for variables.
Her Interactive: Name one memorable bug you found in Tomb of the Lost Queen.
Jeanne: This bug was actually found by one of our testers, but it’s definitely the most memorable bug for me, even if it wasn’t a show stopper: Dylan has no leg hair. Such a short description, but so vivid and trust me, once it was pointed out, it was all I could see every time I spoke with Dylan. Fortunately our art team was able to get this fixed so Dylan appears nice and rugged in the game.
Her Interactive: What is your favorite kind of puzzle or challenge in-game?
Jeanne: Give me a logic puzzle any day. I’d argue that testing is one big logic puzzle, which suits me just fine.
Her Interactive: If confronted with one of the following options, which would you choose?
A) Expose and catch a criminal
B) Sleep in a haunted place
C) Hunt for treasure in a dangerous location
Jeanne: It’s absolutely C) Hunt for treasure in a dangerous an exotic location. I’m always looking for travel opportunities.
Her Interactive: Which Nancy Drew game character would you say you are most like?
Jeanne: I’m going with George. She’s intelligent, independent, creative, resourceful and loyal. Those are all traits I hope people use to describe me someday.
Her Interactive: Do you like Easter Eggs and enjoy putting them in fellow team mates’ drawers?
Jeanne: For the record, I’ve been exonerated of this crime. It’s also too understated for me. I’m more of a ‘leave a clue in the drawer to draw the victim away from her desk on a prolonged scavenger hunt, ultimately leading back to her desk which is now filled floor to ceiling with Easter Egg grass and plastic eggs which all need gathered and cracked open to expose a multitude of tiny jackalope figurines you must painstakingly piece together in order to reveal the final solution’ kind of girl. You just remember that…
Her Interactive: What is your favorite TV show?
Jeanne: Firefly. Though it’s been said before, there is no other answer here (Tim and I utterly agree on this).
Her Interactive: What is your favorite movie?
Jeanne: Firefly. Oh wait, this is the favorite movie question, not TV. Sorry, I meant to say Firefly.
Her Interactive: How come you are so adverse to texting?
Jeanne: B/C @TEOTD I prefer to be AFK, or SLT. Besides, I can’t read any of it without a translator.
Thanks Jeanne for all your hard work!
