Why game testing is important? The game development process is long and complex with game testing done at different points of the process. The Open Device Lab community is an important alternative to help the software development community. EJML presentation. Porto, Portugal, June, 2018.

1. Mobile devices, games and education:
exploring an untapped potential through the Open Device Lab community.
MSc. Raquel Paiva Godinho
Dr. Ruth S. Contreras-Espinosa

2. Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
Why game testing is important?
The game development process is long and complex with game
testing done at different points of the process.

3. RQ1
Based on the
currently available
devices, which
game market
segments could
they support?
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
Methodology
2nd Categories of analysis
”yes” the Lab makes reference to games
”no” the Lab does not make reference to games

4. RQ2
Do the ODLs make
reference to
games? If yes,
where has it been
included?
Methodology
2nd Categories of analysis
”yes” the Lab makes reference to games
”no” the Lab does not make reference to games
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

5. RQ3 - What is the
percentage of labs
offering gaming
consoles?
Methodology
3rd Categories of analysis
ODLs with games consoles
ODLs without games consoles
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

6. This study presents part of a case study research,
aiming to understand how we can use the Open Device Lab community’s
practices in an educational context.
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

7. Our goal is
to explore the community's potential for helping to improve
the quality of games.
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

8. Open Device Labs are a grass roots community movement.
They establish shared community pools of internet connected
devices for testing purposes of web and app developers.
They are free-to-use labs.
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

9. Open Device Labs hosted
by schools / universities
e.g. IT Tralee Open Device Lab, Ireland.
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

10. Open Device Labs hosted
by companies
e.g. Open Device Lab Nuremberg, Germany.
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

11. Open Device Labs hosted
by co-workings
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
e.g. Open Device Lab - IndyLab, Swansea, UK

12. The community
There are 151 ODLs in 35 countries.
Most of them are hosted by companies
7 ODLs are hosted by universities and schools
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

13. Methodology
- Visited the web pages of each ODL (website, Twitter,
Facebook, GitHub and Google+)
- Collected data from:
- 151 ODLs registered on the OpenDeviceLab.com
- 126 device lists
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

14. RQ1
Based on the
currently available
devices, which
game market
segments could
they support?
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
Methodology
1st Categories of analysis
- Per screen and game market segment
(Newzoo, 2016)
Entertainment screen (TV, consoles and VR)
Floating screen (tablets and handheld)
Personal screen ((smart)phones and watches)
Computer screen (web games and MMO)

15. RQ1
Based on the
currently available
devices, which
game market
segments could
they support?
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
Results
Percentage data of devices, in the ODL community,
per screen and game segment.

16. RQ2
Do the ODLs make
reference to
games? If yes,
where has it been
included?
Methodology
2nd Categories of analysis
”yes” the Lab makes reference to games
”no” the Lab does not make reference to games
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

17. RQ2
Do the ODLs make
reference to
games? If yes,
where has it been
included?
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
Example
"The Troy Open Device Lab (aka ODL) is
open to the public as a free resource for
testing your website, mobile app or
game on multiple devices"
(Troy odl, 2017).

18. RQ2
Do the ODLs make
reference to
games? If yes,
where has it been
included?
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
Results
Percentage of ODLs who make reference to games and where they do
that.

19. RQ3 - What is the
percentage of labs
offering gaming
consoles?
Methodology
3rd Categories of analysis
ODLs with games consoles
ODLs without games consoles
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

20. RQ3 - What is the
percentage of labs
offering gaming
consoles?
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018
Results
Percentage of ODLs that have game consoles.

21. Conclusions
- The Open Device Lab community is an important alternative to help
the software development community.
- The ODLs are a good option for mobile game testing, specially for
students, free lancers, and indie studios.
- There are few ODLs hosted by educational institutions.
- There are little information about the work conducted in these labs.
Raquel Paiva Godinho | Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa - ejml 2018

22. Questions?

23. Obrigada!
ruthsofhia@gmail.com | ruth.contreras@uvic.cat | @ruthsofhia
raquelpg@pelotas.ifsul.edu.br | raquel.paiva@uvic.cat | @raquelpgodinho