[Guide] How to Report Bugs like a Pro

Davlos

Hi everyone,

I used to QA for a AAA studio, and having written about 3,000 bug reports over a 12-month period, I'd like to think I know a thing or two about it.

Of course, @LieutenantToast posted a brief guide on bug reporting, but I'm going to expand on it a little.

First rule:

Please use the "Search" tool in the top right corner of the forums to see if anyone has already posted the bug you're reporting before you open a new thread, and check out any "Known Issues" list we may have stickied!

Borrowed from Toast's thread. Please remember to do this. Nothing wastes dev and QA time more than to read the same duplicate issue over and over again. If you ever get to work as QA, you'll learn to dread the moment someone marks your bug in JIRA as "Duplicate". It's a mark of shame which your team lead and colleagues will mock you about for days until it's their turn to see their JIRA get Duped. Or worse still, Not a Defect.

Second rule:

Keep your reports short, concise, and squeeze in as much description as possible. The reproduction steps (also known as repro steps) need to have as much description as possible. It's very helpful for devs to know exactly what you did which led up to the bug so they can hunt down the root cause of it. I'll show you later in examples that will follow.

Several quick and dirty pointers

Make your bug easier to search for when devs need to compile lists of bugs! Tag your threads with [UI] or [Crash] or [Combat] to put your bug into a category to make life easier for different dev teams.

Examples while using @LieutenantToast Template

Subject: [UI] Matchmaking-specific UI is missing after completing one multiplayer session



Description
Build Version: Version if available, or just write down the date of the bug when it was encountered
OS: Windows 7/8/10
Location: Main Menu (or wherever you are in the world. If coordinates are provided, use them!)
Description: Matchmaking UI is missing when player immediately re-queues after completing one multiplayer session

Bug Reproduction Steps

1. Launch build
2. Enter main menu
3. Press Play button while solo or in party to queue for a session
4. Complete the session successfully
5. Load into main menu
6. Immediately press Play button
7. Observe that matchmaking-specific UI such as invite to party or Play button are missing.

Workaround (if any)

Wait 1-2 seconds after session is complete before pressing Play button.

Subject: [Core XP] Aim down sights view is incorrectly offset when using telescopic sights attachment



Description
Build Version: 20 September 2018
OS: Windows 10 Home
Location: Wherever you are in the world. If coordinates are provided, use them!
Description: Attaching telescopic sights to any weapon will result in misalignment of weapon aim when it is in ADS

Bug Reproduction Steps

1. Launch build
2. Enter weapon customization menu
3. Select any weapon
4. Change sights from iron sights to telescopic sights
5. Save selection
6. Enter any multiplayer session
7. Spawn as any player class with weapon that has telescopic sights attached
8. Aim down sights
9. Observe that sights are vertically offset, and shooting the weapon will have bullets land several inches above center of screen.

Workaround (if any)
None.

Subject: [UI][Intermittent] Minimap disappears when session starts



Description
Build Version: 20 September 2018
OS: Windows 10 Home
Location: Warp gate spawn town
Description: Minimap disappears when a session begins. Opening and closing map with M key 2-3 times causes the minimap to return

Bug Reproduction Steps

1. Launch build
2. Enter main menu
3. Press Play button while solo or in party to queue for a session
4. Spawn in world
5. Observe that minimap disappears upon spawning

Workaround (if any)
Opening and closing map with M key 2-3 times causes the minimap to return.

Subject: [Environment] Player clips into world floor at riverbed region



Description
Build Version: 20 September 2018
OS: Windows 10 Home
Location: Riverbed region
Description: Player clips into world floor at riverbed region while approaching from the east. Does not take Storm damage.

Bug Reproduction Steps

1. Launch build
2. Enter main menu
3. Press Play button while solo or in party to queue for a session
4. Spawn in world
5. Warp gate activates and players drop into world
6. Player drops at mage tower
7. Player loots, does not enter combat and approaches riverbed region from the East
8. Observe that player clips into world floor and does not take damage. Also does not take Storm damage.

Workaround (if any)
None.

MrPancake

Thank you for sharing this.

DrEpoch

Such a great Guide!

LieutenantToast

These are some excellent callouts - thanks for providing more examples for folks to take a look at for reference! Sending ya to the "Best Of" section

yrroth

Well put together Guide.