QA Analyst/ Developer
Resume:
Introduction
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I have been playing computer games for at least 35 years with my first game being Pong. When the arcade games started to be popular I was constantly looking to try the newest one out there on the market. Like everyone, I did have my favorites, Crusin, Starwars (the ray trace one) and Galaga. Each required some form of strategic thinking as well as a decent amount of twitch control. Though I never was in any competition for these games I was not unskilled in their play like most casual gamers.
My first computer game, other then remakes of the arcade games, would have been the Sid Myer games of Pirates and Civilization, I still own the board game of that one. They gave me a real thirst for games that involved strategic thinking and some skill with targeting. It was not till the time of Id games of Doom and Heretic that I really started to appreciate what could be done with games. Soon after the world of gaming opened up with the internet and the birth of online gaming. Many were like Yankee Trader from the BBS days, but it was starting to be a real online gaming community which allowed the games we have today to flourish.
It is my intent to submit to you information about the various games that I have worked on and have tested. The reason I wish to submit this information to you is because it is my wish to be able to test games. Not just play them, but to test them, to help in the development process so that when the games are released to the public they can be as polished and as bug free as possible. There is nothing worse for a game then to be unplayable after millions of copies have been sold. I want to help in some small way from seeing something like this happen to any gaming company.
Game Work Experience
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Game: Straight Shooter
Company: Bankers Trust Company
Developer: games2train
Year: 1996
Website: http://www.games2train.com/site/html/tutor2.html
Straight Shooter was a game from games2train to instruct potential employees how to handle problems in the business world. It was my paid job to take the blue-prints for the level and to create it using software that was similar to the level design software used for Doom2 and Duke Nukem. On the levels that I did not personal make I was tasked to make sure that all of the graphics for the levels were lined up correctly and to look for any and all artifacts that might be created. These artifacts would include areas where you could walk through joining points, looking for areas in the map that might have too many points as to crash the game or to create fan artifacts. After the map had been tested in this way I was then tasked to play the game to make sure that all door locks and quest controls were working correctly.
As to the level building software, I was in charge of instructing other designers on how to be able to use the software as the original designers did not fully document its use.
I was involved with this project from the very start of the project. The project lasted for 10 months and averaged about 40 hours per week.
Game: Monkey Wrench Conspiracy
Company: Think3
Developer: games2train
Year: 1997
Website: http://www.games2train.com/site/html/tutor.html
I was both a level designer, not coder or quest programmer, for Moneky Wrench by tHink3 as well as tester. It was my paid job to take the blue-prints for the level and to create it using software that was similar to the level design software used for Doom2 and Duke Nukem. On the levels that I did not personal make I was tasked to make sure that all of the graphics for the levels were lined up correctly and to look for any and all artifacts that might be created. These artifacts would include areas where you could walk through joining points, looking for areas in the map that might have too many points as to crash the game or to create fan artifacts. After the map had been tested in this way I was then tasked to play the game to make sure that all door locks and quest controls were working correctly.
I was involved with this project from the very start of the project. The project lasted for 8 months and averaged about 40 hours per week.
Game Testing Experience
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Game: Never Winter Nights
Game Type: RPG with Online Capability
Developer: BioWare
Company: Atari and Wizards Of The Coast
For 4 years between 2005-2009 I ran 2 NWN online servers. Those servers were Badlands 1095c and Firinn Of Elisair. While running those servers I created over 600+ different areas that were used in the online server as well as the debug and compile the scripts that were needed for the proper functioning of the servers and their databases using NWNx.
Creation of the areas involved working with the toolset that was available with the game itself. As such I would have to place all objects that were not included with the tile set and to test that they would not cause a person that was playing to become stuck. I would also have to lay and test all of the area transitions to make sure that they would work properly. The layout of the areas was not linear but more in a grid pattern so all area transitions had to have their own unique tags and unique destinations or the person playing would not show up where they were supposed to be.
As to the quests that were in the servers, while I did write most of them, they were done using the wizards that were includes with the toolset, I would still have to look at the code level information to make sure that all of the information was correct and accurate. The reason for the code level review was because not everything that needed to be in the scripts could be done by the wizards themselves. Since I am not a coder I relied on the help of other script coders and my willingness to learn the basics of the code so that I could debug them and check for accuracy and or inconsistencies.
The reason that the servers went down was due to the fact that people went on to other online games and that of Never Winter Nights 2 from Obsidian Entertainment.
Game: Never Winter Nights 2
Game Type: RPG with Online Capability
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Company: Atari and Wizards Of The Coast
I was used as a free beta tester for NWN2 with Atari and Obsidian Entertainment before the release of NWN2. During the summer of 2006 I and about 1400 others were used to test the NWN2 toolset as well as portions of the game for playability. We were tasked to test the software in any way that we could and then to submit bug reports and suggestions using their online bug submission software. Once one round of testing was completed a new build would be issued to us and we would start the process again, many times going over the exact things that we had previously done and tested to make sure that the bugs that we submitted would and had been corrected.
The testing for NWN2 lasted for 3 months before the open beta and initial release of the software.
Game: Virtual Villagers 3 : The Secret City
Game Type: Life simulation, god game, puzzles and strategy
Developer: Last Day of Work
Company: Last Day of Work
I was personally invited to participate in the testing of Virtual Villagers 3 : The Secret City. Compensation was that of a registered copy of the final version. Testing duties included looking for graphic errors, genetic mutations (the game involved villagers having children) as well as testing the game play. During the course of testing which lasted about 4 months we tested 12 different builds of the software before final release. The early versions of the software did not have all of the quests fully implemented so that we were able to test specific parts of the game. Bug reports were done using their online forum as well as the forum to discuss possible suggestions and ideas with the game creators.
Game: Lord Of The Rings Online
Game Type: MMORPG
Developer: Turbine, Inc., Codemasters
Company: Turbine, Inc.
I was chosen to be in the beta test of the free version of Lord Of The Rings Online, a game that is based on the world created by JRR Tolkien. The testing was not paid but we were expected to submit bug reports using their own online bug tracking software. We were tasked to find trees that were not in the right place, find objects that were not in their proper place. We had several events where we were to try and crash the game servers to check how stable the servers could be under very unrealistic harsh conditions. We were instructed to test various quests and quest line stories and to give feedback and suggestions on the forum.
To make testing more of a challenge and more like a real server there were numerous invitations sent out to other online gaming communities and online game sites to make sure that the server would not be devoid of life as well as to simulate the types of individuals that would be playing the game. Testing lasted for 3 months until the release of the final version and the conversion of subscription play to that of free to play.
Game: Vindictus
Game Type: F2P MMORPG
Developer: Nexon
Company: Nexon
Open Beta Participation for 2 weeks where tasked to play test the game. Participants were to look for graphic and game play issues. Participants were to be innovative on how to do certain quests to see if the game would crash and if the quest was completable. If bugs or crashes were found participants were to post the information with as much detail as possible on the games forum for the developers to be able to see.
Game: Loong
Game Type: F2P MMORPG
Developer: gamigo
Company: DACN
Closed beta and open beta participations. Participants were to look for graphic and game play issues. Participants were to be innovative on how to do certain quests to see if the game would crash and if the quest was completable. If bugs or crashes were found participants were to post the information with as much detail as possible on the games forum for the developers to be able to see.
Accompishments
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1982 Won 2nd place for Commercial Art Design at the WV State VICA competition
I was contacted by ZiffDavis magazine in 1996 for their permission to include one of my Doom levels as a featured mod. This mod would be included on the CD that they sent out with every magazine.
The game server Firrin of Elisair was nominated for the Hall Of Fame at NWN Vault.
Education
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Nicholas Co. Vocational School, Craigsville, WV, Sep 1980 - Jun 1982
Certified Commercial Artist in Commercial Art, 3.5 Grade Point Average
Richwood High School , Richwood, WV, Sep 1979 - Jun 1982
Diploma in High School , 3.2 Grade Point Average
In Conclusion
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For the past 16 years I have been doing graphic and web html work mostly on a freelance basis. I enjoy looking at most everything with the eye of a designer to see how something is put together and many times how it might be made better. I have a strong love of history and the designs used in the past and how those elements can be included in today's world. I also have a interest and hobby in the area of Heraldry and how the designs were used and pieced together to sometimes convey a meaning or story.
While I do not have any certification in game design or in online design, I do have experience that may prove useful in projects that you may currently have in development. It is my desire to start being more active in the testing of software and to see it through to its completion.
Thank you for your consideration,
William C Drummond II
1031-B Nursery Rd
Chipley Fl 32428
*******@*********.***
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