Hi Guys,

I've been sent a questionnaire asking me some questions (I applied for a QA tester job) and two questions have me a bit stumped, well one to be precise, the other seems like a bit of a trick question. Any help is greatly appreciated, here goes.

[font=Calibri]1) [/font]Thinking about a main menu in a game, discuss the positives and negatives for a menu pointer stopping at the top and bottom or wrapping from top to bottom. List an example of both that you have seen.

Really no idea about this one, or really what it means.

[font=Calibri]2) [/font][font=Calibri]A game you have just bought has a fatal problem that you cannot get past. [/font]

Detail the trouble shooting methods you would use and anything else you would do to ensure you get a working game.

Is the answer really as simple check the disk is not scratched?

Help is appreciated, thanks

The point of a job application/interview is to demonstrate what you already know, not what we know. If you can't answer the questions, say so; be honest. Otherwise you're just asking to get a lot of job responsibilities piled onto you that you may not be prepared to cope with.

Yeah this is testing your problem solving skills, so answers from here won't be very beneficial. You say you don't know what the first question really means though, so I'll help clarify with that.

Say you have a main menu with 4 options:

- RESUME
- EXTRAS
- OPTIONS
- QUIT

By default, 'Resume' is highlighted. The question speaks of the highlighter 'wrapping' from top to bottom. So in this menu, if 'Resume' is highlighted and you press 'Up', the highlighted option will become the 'Quit' option. The question is asking for the pros and cons of this system versus the alternative (where the highlighter would remain on 'Resume' when you press the up button), and examples of games where you have seen each. Hope that helps you make sense of it.

i understand the point the recruitment process and half expected my request to net such a response. I dont think honesty is the best policy when trying to break into the games industry.

Perhaps you might provide some advice on where I might be able to find the answer for myself?

sorry fox just seen your post. thank you very much!

[font=Calibri]1) [/font]Thinking about a main menu in a game, discuss the positives and negatives for a menu pointer stopping at the top and bottom or wrapping from top to bottom. List an example of both that you have seen.

Really no idea about this one, or really what it means.

[font=Calibri]2) [/font][font=Calibri]A game you have just bought has a fatal problem that you cannot get past. [/font]

Detail the trouble shooting methods you would use and anything else you would do to ensure you get a working game.

Is the answer really as simple check the disk is not scratched?

1. Then you are not suited for the job. Not yet, anyway. You need to play more games, use more computer programs, read more reviews, discuss games analytically with others.
2. If that's the only thing you would try, then you are probably not suited for the job.

The point of a job application/interview is to demonstrate what you already know, not what we know. If you can't answer the questions, say so; be honest. Otherwise you're just asking to get a lot of job responsibilities piled onto you that you may not be prepared to cope with.[/quote]

@ApochPiQ
Actually, my opinion differs a bit from yours there. Amongst the good qualities of a QA comes the ability to adapt to new things (things you have not experienced) and this comes in two ways:
- Communication
- Research

Adam demonstrates that, when given a scenario he can't grasp, he is willing to go the extra mile to find the answer. A bad candidate with a lot of knowledge would have answered flawlessly many questions, but because of his attitude, he would have dropped on that specific question.
Seeking enlightenment is good, but, obviously, Adam can't pretend he has many examples in mind afterwards.

With that said though:

@Adam0812
Everyone is right about the fact that you cannot rely on our guidance to correctly answer these. But you may seek information on how someone else would do it (#2) and see if you have overlooked things, and WHY (this is the crucial step to improving).

IMHO the correct approach in an interview type situation is to admit that you don't know the answer, then explain your process for how you'd go about finding out. That covers the honesty that is so important, while simultaneously ensuring that you get a chance to prove that you do have that "extra mile" quality.