From EncyclopAtys
!!!! WIP !!!! The last editing was from Moniq on 25.12.2020.
The team is using the system of roles. It means that, based on your abilities and will, you can occupy various roles in the team. This system tries to join abilities of all team members.
Contents
Theory
Besides testers themselves, the Test Team also consists of many members who participate in other Ryzom teams. This and the matter of the team work makes it a place where a cooperation is highly needed. Most of team members are however volunteers and it would be unproductive to stick each member with only one position. That is the reason why we use a system of roles.
- Coordinators, who coordinate the team
- Testers, who perform all testing
- Developers, who fix discovered issues
- Translators, who fix discovered translation issues
- Encyclopatysts and Marketing team, who document changes and publish news
- Artists, designers and lorists, who fix discovered visual issues and provide background information
Each team member can temporarily act in any role he or she want, in case he meets its requirements, and his or her work emerge from the current role. This also means that different roles focus on different tasks and information. Roles are not permanent and you can switch it any time you want. It is not needed to tell others what role do you actually act in, make your decision and do what is needed. This might be a little confusing, that is why following chapters give you basic overview about tasks of each role.
Testers
This chapter describes how to start with a new testing from a tester's perspective. It is expected that you have set up testing servers already (for testing on Yubo ang Gingo) and that you are a bit familiar with working on testing servers. Your work will mainly include:
- Participating on currently opened tests
- Re-testing issues reported by players or other Ryzom team members
- Testing for other Ryzom team members on-demand
While re-testing reported issues requires you own effort and testing on-demand is initiated by other member, regular testing starts on the [Team] Test board on the Kan Board. There you can find all active tasks of the team. Following steps will help you to find a test you can do.
Choose a server
There are three columns where to look for a test you can do.
- Testing on Yubo for tests situated on the developers server
- Testing on Gingo for tests situated on the testing server
- Testing on Atys for tests opened for live server.
Choose one column and your testing will be placed on corresponding server.
Choose a task
Review tasks in the selected column. Priority is set by its position, so tasks on top are more important than those at bottom. Task colour indicates its state, if it is green, the test is running. In case there are some issues discovered already, the task is orange and you should know that the testing round might be closed soon. Find a task that you want to try and open it by clicking.
Start working
When you open a task details there is a lot of component and features that are not necessary to perform a test. You should however pay attention to:
- Description where you can find some overall details
- External links where you will find links to Testing PAD and other related external documents
- Comments where some additional task details might be placed
Most of testing tasks contain link to one or more Testing PADs, usually called as PAD (<server_name>) and listed in External links section. Find a PAD corresponding to the chosen server and open it. It includes all necessary details and all your reports will go to that Testing PAD. The actual form of the Testing PAD is fully up to the Test Guide. All PADs from previous testing are linked here as Archive PAD <date> (<server name>) and every newer PAD replaces previous document including all issues opened by that time. Some help with Testing PAD organization can be found in the PAD help document or look at self-describing example PAD.
Please read Testing report tips to know more about what a tester's work covers.
Tasks without a PAD
Some minor tests might not have own testing PAD. In that case the task description should contain all necessary details and you put your testing report into the task Comments.
Developers
This chapter describes details useful for developers who would like to work on fixing found issues or unblocking testing tasks. In case you need the Test team to perform new testing, follow the How to request new testing article please. You need to be a Ryzom / Ryzom Core / Ryzom project developer (for example ARK team) or a member of either the Animation or the Event team. Your main work in the team includes:
- Request new tests
- Provide testing tools and necessary details
- Solve known issues
Choose a server
First you need to choose a server you will work with. Tasks that being prepared for testing on a server are stored in columns on left to server one. Waiting for Yubo column contains tasks that will continue to testing on server Yubo, Waiting for Gingo being solved on Gingo server and Waiting for Atys are going to be (re)tested on Atys.
Choose a task
There are two types of board columns you should focus on:
Non-Tester columns
Blocked for Yubo, Blocked for Gingo and Blocked for Atys. Here are new and troublesome tasks stored and those tasks are not in active testing at the moment. All such tasks are usually yellow (new) or orange (troublesome). Look for tasks with one of following tags on:
- ⏳ patch, orange tag, a task that needs to be patched to server first, to enable latest changes and fixes
- Clarify first, yellow tag, for tasks that requires a discussion or more details
- Bugs reported, orange tag, a task with reported issues to be fixed
- Bugs reported on Atys, pink tag, a task with reported issues on Live server to be fixed
Tester columns
Testing on Yubo, Testing on Gingo and Testing on Atys. All tasks here are currently in the testing. Look for tasks with orange Bugs reported tag on. Remember that in this case you affect actually running test, be careful and cooperative. Once you find a suitable task, open its details.
Start working
When you open a task details there is a lot of component and features that are not necessary for work of a developer. You should however pay attention to
- Description where you can find some overal details
- External links where you will find links to other related external documents
- Comments where some additional task details might be placed
In case the task is not being currently tested, all known issues should be listed as sub-tasks. Assign the sub-task in case you wish to start working on it.
Tasks with a PAD
Review current reports and issues in the appropriate Testing PAD (link to be found in External links section). Research a possibility to fix or clarify each reported issue and leave a note in the PAD (along with date and time) once there is any change you perform or you know about (fix, change, additional related details...). Do not mark issues as fixed, wait testers to confirm the fix. Some help with Testing PAD organization can be found in the PAD help document or look at self-describing example PAD.
Tasks without a PAD
Some minor tests might not have own testing PAD. Research a possibility to fix or clarify each reported issue and leave a comment about any change you perform (fix, change or additional related details you know). Wait testers to confirm the fix.
Translators
Following chapter describes how can members of the Translation team get involved in testing and help solve translation issues. Translators can find a work in almost all parts of the testing process, however more right the task is placed on the board, more complete the change is. It is not common, but members of the Translation team can also request the Test team to perform a testing focused on translations, to look for missing strings or any string related issues like text over-floating and incorrectly encoded strings. In such case please read How to request new testing article. You need to be a member of the Translation team to act in this role. Your work is based on discovered translation issues and will mainly include:
- Fixing known translation issues
- Help testers
- Confirmation
Choose a server
First you need to choose a server. There is usually not much to do on Yubo while changes are in early stages there and it can significantly change before it is fully developed and used strings are final. Your best options are to focus on Gingo, where a testing before release is done or Atys where we hunt for missing or wrong translations.
Choose a task
Depending on target of your work, you focus on different board columns:
Management columns, Blocked for Gingo and Blocked for Atys
Here are new and troublesome tasks stored and those tasks are not in active testing at the moment. Look for tasks with purple Translation issue tag. You can help by fixing wrong or missing translations or by investigating why it is not possible to fix the translation.
Testing columns, Testing on Gingo and Testing on Atys
All tasks here are currently running a test. Look for tasks with purple Translation issue tag. You can help by taking care of newly discovered translation issues and giving support to testers in related questions. Some tasks also needs to verify translation issues on Atys. Remember that in this case you affect actually running test, be careful and cooperative. Do all your reports into the latest PAD and remember to mention date and time.
Start working
Each task supposed to have a minor issue subt-ask you can assign (if there are any known translation issues), however specific details are part of the latest Testing PAD usually called as PAD (<server_name>) and listed in External links section. Find a PAD corresponding to the chosen server and open it. All necessary details and all your reports will go to the Testing PAD. The actual form of the Testing PAD is fully up to the Test Guide. All PADs from previous testing are linked here as Archive PAD <date> (<server name>) and every newer PAD replaces previous document including all issues opened by that time.
Fixing known translation issues
Review all known translation issues and fix as many as possible. If there is a case of string that you are unable to fix as a translator, please investigate reasons. Once your work is done, please add a summary comment with all details into latest Testing PAD so the Test Guide can update the upcoming test or progress the task.
Help testers
Testers might have questions related to currently missing strings or other things related to translation. Review the latest Testing PAD and help to resolve those issues or open discussion directly on team chat.
Confirm issues on Atys
There might be translation issues that need to be confirmed on Atys. If you have power or suitable character on Atys, please join the test opened on Atys in role of a Tester and verify what is needed along the current Testing PAD.
Encyclopatysts and Marketing team
Following text describes what should members of those teams focus on at the Test board in case they collect information for the upcoming release notes. Also members of the Project Ryzom Wiki can start to create documentation based on Testing PAD and task details.It requires you to join the Ryzom Wiki project or become member of the Communication & Marketing team to act in this role. Your work mainly includes:
- Create new documentation
- Update existing documentation
- Prepare patch notes
Choose a server
While Yubo is a testing server for purpose of development, there is nothing to find about completed changes. Important testing is being done on Gingo, all passed tasks approve a change to be released later on Atys. Also tasks being currently tested on Atys itself might give you information about latest bug fixes. You will also meet tasks that correspond to already published changes, however there are issues to solve and the Test team was unable to close those tasks yet.
Choose a task
There are two main columns you should choose tasks from:
- Blocked for Atys, where all tasks that successfully passed testing on Gingo server are. These changes are ready to release or being tested on live server, from point of view of the Test team. Look for new tasks (yellow) that has arrived from Gingo or been fixed on Atys. Remember that Orange coloured tasks have some work to be done so even your documentation might not be complete before all is solved.
- Done, where all completed tasks come at the end of own lifetime. These changes were re-tested on Atys and confirmed to be working as expected.
Once you find a suitable task, open its details.
Start working
When you open a task details there is a lot of component and features that are not necessary for work of a translator. You should however pay attention to
- Description where you can find some overal details
- External links where you will find links to other related external documents
- Comments where some additional task details might be placed
Tasks with a PAD
Review current reports and issues in the appropriate Testing PAD (listed in External links section) to see details about the change. Base your documentation on task description, task comments and latest Testing PAD details. Some help with Testing PAD organization can be found in the PAD help document or look at self-describing example PAD.
Tasks without a PAD
Some minor tests might not have own testing PAD. Base your documentation on details in task description and comments.
Artists, designers and lorists
Members in this role do not actively participate on the team work, however their abilities are very important in some specific situations. The Test Team might discover missing or broken objects, graphics or design issues, need to clarify details along the Lore or, with your cooperation, suggest solutions for troublesome situations. Our goal is a good player experience after all. You have to be member of an artist, a design or a lore team team to act in this role.
Coordinators
Being a team coordinator is the most complicated role, because it includes all the management work. Management of task on the board, creating and evaluating of tests, keeping eye on known issues and communication with other teams represented by team members in roles described above. You need to be experienced with work of the team. It would be hard to describe all within this article so please read the Being a Test Team Coordinator article.
