Requirements for a Tester / Quality Analyst

Testing as a Freelancer 
Someone asked me if it was possible to work as a Freelancer and test sites. According to me i have never understood if any job can be done as a Freelancer unless you are doing it as an honorary job, without expecting any payment. NO job can be done without commitment and focus on the end product as a goal.

A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. This is what freelancing means from wiki. In my view, testing is an ongoing process and it usually takes some time to completely build a site. During the process of development, at every stage testing has to do be done. So, to maintain continuity and understanding , if freelancers come and go- testing bits and parts then, i guess, quality cannot be assured. To have the site properly tested, it is essential to have a tester who is there with the product to know about the entire cycle of requirements and changes.

I would strongly suggest that anyone who wants to take up a testing job, prepare yourself for availability and commitment. READ the word TESTER backwords quickly and it suggests what your job is. YES, it is RETEST, RETEST, retest and retest......

Computer Knowledge
Integrating test cases in the format developers require. Sometimes, it's only in the form of screenshots. So, knowledge of tools to take screenshots and editing them. Sometimes, it is in written format in excel sheets. More advanced formats can be used in the form of tools to keep track of the each and every team member in tools like Fogbugz, Testuff etc.
Knowledge of  Browsers to do cross browser testing on different Operating systems.Internet browsing is always helpful.
As you proceed, detailed testing requires adequate software knowledge too.

English
English is understood to be global language and a common mode of communication. A tester MUST have a command over the language without spelling mistakes.Proper punctuations, capitalization , sentence formation is the first step to effective communication.

Logical Deductions :
The tester's job is NOT only to follow the process actually described or specified in the requirements. It is also, to look into every possible way, the feature could be abused or used in a way to break the site. Check out Realm Of Empires to understand this.

- Have two accounts A and B
- Have no spies in account B
- Send an attack from account A to account B
         a) Only knights
         b) Knights and spies
         c) ONLY 500 spies
- Go to account B and on the header of the village - 2 incoming attacks are displayed because, spy attack is hidden : OK till here
- Go to the map in Account B
- Hover over the village of account B

Expected result : It should show 2 incoming attacks because the spy attack is supposed to be hidden
Actual result : It shows 3 incoming attacks.

So, you can see here, this will never be specified but has to be logically deduced that if this feature is not available , then it should not be shown anywhere in the application. Also, check out the reports of the application. The many features to be made available or not to be made available with different types of flags,was mind boggling to develop and test.

Communication :
The MOST important aspect of a successful tester is to communicate well. You may know and understand that there is something wrong, but that is of NO use unless you can explain it to the developer to replicate the bug. Remember, no developer likes to be pointed out that their is a bug and have very little patience to listen to a Tester's rant about any issue, however critical it may be. So, there is a methodology followed:

Title of the bug : Very important to catch the developers attention. It should convey the essential of the BUG. It's just like twitter. In a few words it should convey everything

1) Title :  Account created with Incomplete data of user
2) Steps to replicate:
     a) Navigate to Home page( give URL)
     b) Click on Create your account
     c)  Page displayed asks to your first name and last name as mandatory fields        
     d)  Leave them blank
     e) Click to register
3) It is a very good process to have screenshot to follow your test case.
4) Expected result : The mandatory fields should get a red astrix or some text asking to fill those fields.
5) Actual result : User gets registered

This is simple example. As you proceed to actually test a site, every small thing has to be tested. Attention to details is a MUST. Requirements of the client has to be read word by word and test scenarios have to be thought out, combining many different features. Sometimes even a single line in a requirement by client can have 10-15 test cases.

Availability: Deadlines are ONLY for testers. Always be AVAILABLE for testing.

Be ready to test whenever developer completes his work. A 24-48 hr turnaround of testing in my opinion is valued by the company. I again reiterate - Developers/Clients have very little patience. Once the product is ready, they want  it to be tested and released IMMEDIATELY !! If you are working from home, being available is a must.

Adaptability :
If you want to work as a tester with developers across the globe, be ready to adapt according to the developer, their time zones, a bit about their culture. Basically, if you are not confident stick to being ONLY professional. A tester has to adapt to the working style of developer and not vice-versa.


COMMITMENT and HARDWORK
Last but the most essential step to progress, BE COMMITTED to your job. OWN the work you do. Take absolute responsibility of the work. Love your job atleast for the time you do it. Hardwork will follow itself. Avoid finding excuses.REMEMBER, the sites success is in the hand of the TESTER. And it is not an easy job to shoulder such a huge responsibility. YOU ARE THE HAND who is running the world without letting it COLLAPSE.

Your Better Half or ....Shadow ?

Christmas celebrations, holiday mood is in the air. In a party hosted last night, every couple was asked to come on stage and they were asked questions about life in general.

Well, the event turned out to be an absolute fun. So, it was our turn. My husband was asked, "Speak a few lines about your better half "

What he said took everyone aback. O ! O ! before you start running your imagination - read on

"Which better half do you want me to speak about ? From Monday to Friday  my better half is my company, my boss, my colleagues, my customers. Saturdays, its the grocer, the bank manager, friends,social obligations, the car mechanic at times too. AND SUNDAYS its my sleep,tryng my hands at cooking, books, and ofcourse my kids ", he said.

Oh boy ! this left the host of the party speechless for a moment. Gathering his wits, he asked me ,"Where are you in his life ? How do you feel you did not even get a mention ?"

I was still gathering myself from the impact of his reply, and expecting exactly the question that was directed to me. 'Oh GOOGLE, please help me', i said. My brain must have looked up every google page with the speed of light searching for an answer. And, the reply returned was 'NO results match your search'

Then i looked up saying 'Oh God, please help me. I know not what to answer'. God said, 'Ask your heart'. Now, i asked my little heart, how best to answer this. And my heart full of pride said,

"I am his SHADOW, always around him. Sometimes pushing him from behind, sometimes at his side walking shoulder to shoulder, sometimes ahead of him- leading him, and sometimes merge with him.You need a special pair of eyes to see this magical effect of women being  their husband's shadows . All his better halves, he has mentioned have the pleasure of spending only some time with him. I, as a shadow, spend every moment with him."

The loving look in my husband's eyes made my life and the admiration i received from everyone must have made him jealous too.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas. Hope you and your better half...errr i mean your shadow, have a great time. And, if both of you would like to spend some time together getting cosy and enjoying a game, come over and join Realm Of Empires , an online strategy game. We have many couples playing the game. Read about the  RoEmance , that has brought couples together. And of course, if you want to spend just a few hours join the Tournament Realms on 24th on 26th December,2011.

Hiring ?? Hire a SHARK !!

This is the craziest suggestion you must have ever read. Every TEAM needs a SHARK to keep all its employees on their toes.

Rewriting one of my favorite stories heard some time back.

Fish for Japanese..

Waters close to Japan does not inhabit Fish. Boats went farther and farther away to get fish. The fish that was brought back took days and the Fish was not FRESH.The taste was not acceptable. Moreover, most of it went waste.

So, freezers were installed on boats. However, the taste of frozen fish was not appealing.And frozen fish fetched lower price.

Now what next !!

Tanks were installed in boats. Fish were now stuffed in tanks and kept alive. Fish had no place to move in the overstuffed tanks. Slowly they got sluggish , dull and tired, though still alive.

The sale was better but still did not pick up. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

So, what would YOU recommend the fishing companies ??

 Well, this is what they did - They put a small SHARK in the tank of fish. Yea.. Yea.. the Shark did eat a few of them but ALL other fish reached the port energetic and lively !!

What kept the fish full of life even though facing extreme danger ?
CHALLENGE indeed !


Such is HUMAN behavior also. Challenges keep them energized,motivated, better performers. When there is a Shark in the team, everyone tries to cross their threshold limit to compete with the Shark. Challenges are enjoyed by competent and persistent employees. The more the challenge given to them, the more alive they are.

 Hire a shark for your tank and see how many you can spot, having the potential to reach their goals.


As we speak about CHALLENGES, if you want to experience the challenges in a fun filled atmosphere, join Realm Of Empires , online real time strategy game,  to know how far you can go without buckling down. And soon their are, not to be missed, 6 hr tournament realms organized on 24th and 26th December 2011. 


What a way to say goodbye to 2011 !!

" Missed You "

.... chirps the little bird

Many a times wanted to get back to twitter but somehow chirping took a back seat. Two days back i got this mail saying 'Missed you' from Twitter. I was trying to avoid twitter, thinking- i really don't have the time.But these words 'Missed you', seemed to have got stuck in my head and kept repeating. I guess, simple words do have magical powers, though i very well know it is an auto generated mail.

Anyways, what made me curious to get back was to get to know the people Twitter had suggested. Revered tweeple, i hope to blog more and chirp a bit too. 

 

Love and Hate relationship between....

                                      Developer AND Tester

Err... did i just burst the bubble? What else would you expect from someone working as a tester at Realm Of Empires for last few years with developers round the globe !

A developer codes according to requirements outlined, meanwhile the tester writes test cases according to the requirements. The product is ready for testing and the developer is quite happy with the job done saying it should be a smooth sail and no testing is required at his end
AND  lo !!   there comes the trouble maker.. err.. i mean the tester who is already prepared to break the code. Uhh.. what a destructive mind the tester has...

Now begins the warming up session !!

Tester : There is bug in this X browser, the image is not loading

Developer :  Really ! you must be on an outdated version of the browser.Try a newer one. It works on my machine.

( Anyways , he knows that something is wrong so he asks to assign a case to him ;)

Tester : I *think* this feature in not working according to requirement. ( gives complete explanation ) btw, i usually use this word *think* even if i am sure of a bug, because that renders the blow a little softly on the developer. Actually i sypathise with the developer. NO ONE on this planet like their mistakes to be pointed out.
Developer : Umm... this is technical.. hmm.. technically what is done is correct.. anyways assign the case to me , i will try to see if i can simplify it.

The warming session is over now. Tester can now sense a subtle hint of the developer being irritated.... anyways

Tester : This page should not be accessible by everyone. Only admins should be able to see it but everyone can view it.
Developer : Yea, I know. Only admins can see it. How can others see it ?

Tester : By direct URL
Developer : Who will give them the direct URL ?

Tester : The way I found out :)

Developer : Not too happy to listen to this. Mumbles something under his breath and says he will look into it. 

Oh My God .. how much he HATES the tester at this point of time ! Damn , he had thought of taking an off and go on a date !! but the tester still continues......

Tester : The feature should accept only definite number of characters but it is accepting everything on the keyboard and is giving weird results.

Developer : ( by now he know he should have run a few tests himself ) With a resigned tone he says the code will be ready to check again in a few hours or a day or two

After a few days .......

bugs resolved and new code released... Looks much better. some small bugs are there which are soon resolved. The product is released...

Everyone is lavishly showering appreciation on  the Developer's performance on delivering such an amazing, smooth, bug free product. AND now comes the LOVE relationship. While gathering all the compliments he is saying to himself " Thank God, the tester saved me and i am a Hero today! "

The Developer /Tester relation is like lightning and  thunder. None can exist alone. But, after all the thunder and lightning the rain that follows is blissful and has a calming effect enjoyed by both of them together.

Always remember that Developer and Tester have joined hands to achieve a common goal. A good harmony always brings in the ‘success’

Realm Of Empires

Come and experience the success story of  Developers. New , exciting dynamics being rolled in less than a month.

 

Turn Off Email Notifications on Twitter

Twitter sends you an email when you get a new follower or a direct message.
Last week, it switched on default email alerts for
-when your receive a mention as in@wwwNomad
-retweet or when you’re tweets are marked as favourites.
If you are using twitter extensively then to avoid spam in your inbox, turn off notifications

Twitter.com > settings > notifications and uncheck.

Shake it off and take a step up!

A farmer's donkey fell down into a very deep, dry well. The pathetic cry of the animal could be heard by the villagers. They collected around the well and threw food to get some respite from his cries, but to no avail. For hours the villagers tried to figure out what to do.When they could not find any solution, they decided that the animal was old and the well had to be covered up anyway, to avoid further unhappenings.They all began to shovel dirt into the well. The donkey realized what was happening and cried even more horribly. Then, suddenly no more of his wails were heard.

One of them looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey did something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the villagers continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up.We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

*This story has been read from a book or has been narrated to me. It is not originally written by me.I have been inspired by this story, so sharing it with the world.

To my Ma...with love

I crave for the comfort of your lap again
I would love to swing in your arms again
I have grown taller than you Ma, but i am still very small
I still want to hold your finger when going for an interview call..

Remember the day, i got wet in the rain
Brother said, couldn't you have taken an umbrella...use your brain
Sister said, couldn't you have waited till the rain stopped
Now you will catch a cold, said father,and in his chair he rocked
And only you came running, wiping my hair with the dress you wore...
and all the time , shouting and waving your hand , on the rain you swore...

Oh, i remember the day i lied
You calmly explained me what was wrong and right
But, I know you cried through the night
Your tears taught me life's lesson 

'Build your life on foundation of Trust and the World will be yours'

Huge success and an Overwhelming response..

The popularity of the last Tournament realm X (which had to be closed in just 24 hours!) and due to the fun players on this realm are having, we will release another realm X, Realm X2 this Friday April 29th at 17:00 UTC.

Because a number of you wanted the servants entry requirement lifted, we will do so - you will not need to spend or have any servants to enter the realm. In fact, the Nobility Package will be free on this realm but power ups (spells) will be enabled(1).

PURPOSE OF THIS REALM
Our overall purpose of this realm is to release a larger version of the current realm X, (as was requested asked by many players). Most of the rules will be similar. We will aim for the realm to end naturally in 6-12 months.


SUMMARY OF REALM CONFIGURATION

1. Realm will be opened for registration for 1 week OR for 1000 players max, whichever happens first.
2. Speed will start at 1x and will progressively increase as follows:
   1. Speed will increase to 5x (2x troops movement) immediately when registration closes (that is, max 1 week since the realm opens)
   2. Speed may increase every month as per details below
3. No re-spawns after the realms is closed
4. You will need to have achieved a rank of Baron or higher to enter in some other realm
5. Sleep mode MAY be enabled at some point in time
6. There will be 1 rebel village per player
7. Simpler building requirements
8. handicap will be enabled at start but will be turned off 1 month after the realm opens
9. Gov cost will increase by 1 chest per gov/village
10. Clan size limit to 50 players
11. Realm will end when 1 clan remains or when wars stop.

REALM CONFIGURATION - DETAILS AND EXPLANATIONS OF SOME POINTS
Registration and realm size
We want to keep the registration open for one week however, if 1000 players register earlier than this, we will close the registration early. We want to keep the realm size to be max 1000 players, preferably less.

Speed
Because we want a longer registration time, speed will be slow at the beginning to allow most players to start on roughly equal ground. Immediately after the registration closes, the speed will match that of Realm X as it is now - 5x production&recruitment and 2x troop movement time.

Because this is a non-permanent realm, we will increase the speed, at our discretion, at most once monthly. We will analyze the current situation and decide if speed increase is necessary to bring an end game within our target of 6-12 months.

We will increase the speed by a maximum by 50% at a time (aka max 50% per month)

Sleep Mode
If the speed happens to increase to a point that we feel sleep mode is needed, then we will enable it.

End Game scenario
To avoid confusion, we want to end the realm when there is one last clan remaining however, if it so happens that more clans are remaining, and all choose to stay 'friends', ie, choose not to go to war with each other, then there is no need to keep the realm opened and it will close at this point. RoE is not sim-city but sim-war. No wars, no sim.

(1) every realm must monetize somehow so please no complaints about it - if a realm with spells is not your thing, please don't enter this one, further realm-x-style realms are likely.

An Enriching Experience!

  Strategy games: Develop Real Life Skills

When life pushes you, what do you do? Are you the kind of person who cries for help? Are you the kind of person who stands there like the deer in the headlights and hopes for a bailout that isn't coming? Or are you the kind of person who takes a deep breath and then pushes life right back?

This were a few lines written by Robert Lewis Webbe on the Forum of a very popular  online strategy game http://apps.facebook.com/realmofempires which inspired me to ponder on that fact whether On line role playing strategy games help you develop real life skills or not ?

For many people obstacles in their life prevent them from being able to complete certain task. Those people who play computer games however tend to look at problems not so much as obstacles but as challenges! Strategy games by their very nature regularly put obstacles somewhat similar to real life issues and players have to take decisions, create relationships, deal diplomatically, work in a team hence making them accept that they will regularly face problems which they will need to overcome in order to progress through the rest of the game.

It is this alternative way of looking at problems as challenges rather than as obstacles which has led many people to believe that playing such computer games actually provides valuable opportunities for online gamers to develop their life skills for the real world, and become people better adapted at dealing with the inevitable flood of obstacles and issues in their way.

This can be well argued by a successful person well suited to the real world and who has never touched any game that it is a mere waste of time. No doubt about it ! Real life is the best practice one could possibly get from real life situations, and no matter how realistic and well programmed a computer game is still a game but the life skills taught and the lessons learnt within an environment of a strategy game like http://apps.facebook.com/realmofempires is an echo of the skills real life will teach you.

The argument is that someone who plays a computer game is more likely to look at a problem in their own life, or a mistake that they may have made, as an opportunity to develop, learn, and get it right next time, whereas non gamers are, perhaps, on the whole more likely to simply see an obstacle, and ignore it, or just stop whatever project they're on.

However, the essential point to this is that, rather than simply being a leisure activity which wastes time, or is no good except for its own purpose, there is some merit in playing games, and in some cases they may have more to teach us than we currently realise. There are very much two distinct camps debating and both sides have valid truths.

Once we are able to put aside the essential differences and prejudices, we may find that not only do some interesting studies and understandings develop, but that the future of gaming may be influenced in such a way that valuable lessons for life are specifically introduced or developed further specially for the new generation who have lost the patience to deal with issues calmly and patiently in this fast net savvy world..

Strategy games: Learning tool

Can RTSG's be used as a learning tool?
My research is based on many online games however my experiences while playing http://apps.facebook.com/realmofempires/ has left an impact.I had a chance to interact with many players all around the world.


Why " Realm of Empires " and not WoW or a successful game for my research?
This game had just begun so I had the opportunity to build relations with players and understand them better. The most important thing is I did not have to play it for hours as in the case of other RPG's. An experience worth sharing.



Why do people play Real Time Strategy Games?

Bonding : In this mad world where sharing with near ones is becoming so limited that people often try to develop meaningful relationships with other players in the game - usually in the form of a supportive friendship or Emotional Support.

Fantasy : People have dreams and want to live a particular character.This desire to try out new personalities and roles brings them to this platform. They enjoy being in the company of other role-players. They build up a personal history and story for their characters.

Frustrations : Certain people who are not able to achieve real life objectives enjoy dominating other players by killing them on the battlefield, or by taunting and annoying them. They get immense satisfaction in destruction and enjoy the fact that they have been successful.

Emergent learning: People who dream to develop games play very extensively to get a hold of the aspects of such games.
Playing highlights the possibility of a kind of “emergent learning” where the pedagogy isn’t dictated as in traditional training software, but emergent in the sense that it occurs because of the rich system mechanics.

Achievement: The desire to become powerful within the construct of a game is what keeps some players to spend a lot of time in the game. They view games egocentrically—that is, they focus on their own position. The underlying theme is a desire to get bigger numbers. And the satisfaction comes from feeling powerful , authoritative and influential. Usually they never help anyone or are the first one's to cry and raise there voices if they lose.

Leadership: This factor measures the gregariousness and assertiveness of the player. Players who score high on this factor prefer to group rather than solo. They are often assertive individuals and usually drift to leadership positions when in a group. Because a group led by an indecisive leader often gets fragmented, the assertiveness of these players probably allows them to be effective group leaders in the game. They know the importance of focusing on others—namely, allocentrism. To look forward and reason backward is the motto they follow.

In groups within the MMORPG environment, leaders deal with both administrative as well as higher-level strategy issues, most of which arise and have to be dealt with spontaneously.

Administrative tasks include:

Role assignment and task delegation to run a group consisting of 100-500 players which is really challenging.

Crisis management is exercised when there is a war and quick decision making has to be exercised.

Logistical planning, and how rewards are to be shared among group members.

Higher-level strategy tasks include: motivating group members, dealing with negative attitudes, dealing with group conflicts, as well as encouraging group loyalty and cohesion. These issues are even more salient in long-term social groups, such as clans or guilds, which have formalized membership and rank assignments. In other words, MMORPGs provide many opportunities for short-term and long-term leadership experiences.

To sum it up:
Leadership skills enhanced from MMORPG experience.

Mediation: Resolving in-group conflicts. Reducing in-group tension.

Persuasion: Convincing the group to move to a different area, or change hunting tactics.

Motivation: Instilling loyalty. Providing encouragement.

Organising: For a guild or a clan to be successful it is very important for organising and working as a team.

Forward planning : To every action, there is a reaction. But, unlike Newton’s third law of motion, the reaction is not programmed to be equal and opposite in real life and neither in RPG's .

To analyze how other players will react to your move, you need to play out all the reactions (including yours) to their actions as far ahead as possible. You have to look forward far into the game and then reason backward to figure out which of today’s actions will lead you to where you want to end up.

The exploration and debate of whether individuals can learn leadership skills from their MMORPG experience is unending. It demonstrates that actual real-life skills can be learnt in virtual settings. It also allows educators and corporate training creators to think of MMORPGs as more than just games, and shows that MMORPGs should be thought of as potential educational mediums.

http://apps.facebook.com/realmofempires/ certainly has the perfect settings to be enjoyed by every genre.

Realm of Empires

Realm of Empires

Every good Mutimedia Real Time Strategy Game ( MMORTG) should have an atmosphere in which the player is comfortable and feels that he or she is part of the experience. An atmosphere of being a part of a tribe, a family is what makes you login every morning with your eyes still half open. And here is Realm of Empires the game which is known to give this experience.

Realm of Empires is not only an entertaining game but also a game designed to aid in the examination of the development of group processes, shared awareness, and communication in distributed and face-to-face groups. This game emulates the following principle - Command, Control, Communication, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance; scenarios and information gathering in group activities.

The use of Internet has resulted in real internationalisation of the game. Realm Of Empires has teams that are not just from different countries but even from different continents.

New alliances are formed, NAPS honoured/dishonoured, villages taken over in an attempt to become powerful little knowing that your own village is the next target by clan mates and allies of the player you have just taken over. The essence of Realm Of Empires lies in the Clan system which is innovating and I can only applaud the idea that stands behind it and the effort in making that idea something tangible. The stunning graphics makes playing this game a worthwhile experience.

Bottom line, Realm Of Empires has a lot of potential, proposes some new interesting game features for an MMORTG of this genre and might just have what it takes to be the next big hit.

Don't miss the Excitement of Epic Realm !!

Join the Tournament Realm at Realm Of Empires , this Friday, 15th April, 2011 at 17 UTC. Perfect time to enjoy a fabulous game ! 

Realm Of Empires

Double reason for me to celebrate. The release of a Tournament Realm having a different concept will be an exciting experience. Besides this, it has been three amazing, learning years of my life since I joined Realm Of  Empires. Well, i will go back into the memory lane some other day. As for now, let's see how the tournament realm is shaping up.

What is the difference between Regular game play and Tournament Realm ?

Regular Realm is like enjoying the cool breeze of the ocean in a ship. Tournament Realm is experiencing the exhilaration and excitement as in River Rafting !  In the Tournament Realm be prepared for constant turbulence and challenges.

In simple terms it will be a faster realm. In general , the speed of the realm is set in a way, that a player can manage his empire along with his work/ school schedule playing at an average of an hour a day, logging in for 15 minutes , 2-3 times a day. This Tournament Realm will have 5 times faster building speed and 2 times faster Troop movement compared to regular realms.

Till date we have had Tournament Realms lasting for only 48 hrs after which it was closed. This Realm has a different concept, aiming for an end game scenario. This realm will be closed when a clan/player is a winner. Besides the increased speed , there is also a limit to the clan size. This may probably give the game an interesting twist. Personally, i am looking forward to the social aspect of the game when clan size is limited and how human relations work out in a tough competitive and a challenging environment. 

HIGHLIGHTS
- The overall speed of the realm will be 5x speed. Troop movements will be 2x speed, and will increase in speed over time.
- The realm WILL close at some point after running for at least 1 month. 
- Beginner protection will be 2 days.
- A stewarded village will not be capable of attacking .
- Registration will be open for upto 1 week after which entrance will be closed to new players and re-spawning will be disabled.

Entrance requirements: 
- Must have achieved the rank of Baron or higher in any previous realm. 
- 100 servants (required to enable Nobility Package).


Local times for the start of the Realm are:
10:00 AM - Los Angeles, Vancouver
1:00 PM - New York, Toronto
6:00 PM - London
1:00 AM - Singapore, Manila (Saturday)
3:00 AM - Sydney (Saturday)

Today’s currency: Retaining Customer

Today I am sure no one needs to be told that "The more birds a yard can support, the fewer insects there will be to trouble the gardener the following year."

Retaining customer and having a flourishing business year after year is what each company strives for. Just think of a product, and voila !! it is offered to you at your doorstep. There is NO dearth of availability of any product.In this cut throat competition where it takes no time to replicate the same product by another company it has increasingly become important to provide prompt service/support. A satisfied customer is not only going to stay with you but will also bring along more customers. A very important thing to understand while handling support is, NO ONE contacts the company if they are having a wonderful day or to Thank you. You are under their fire ONLY when there is an issue. And usually, keeping calm when having an issue is not inherent to human nature. So, expect and be prepared to handle frustrated people.


Belongingness :
The first and foremost feeling to be imbibed in the person who is handling support is 'belongingness'. You ARE the company and NOT a mere representative! You are Not some struggling, immature, hapless person trying to make a living and it is expected that you will be able control what they can not control.

Handling customer expectations and issues in an online game 'Realm of Empires' has been an enlightening experience on how besides knowledge, it is the words and attitude that can mould a dissatisfied, sometimes abusive, hyper customer to someone who not only becomes a valuable customer but also helps spreading the word around. Some rules, we as a team, have adhered to and has helped us handling over million players.

Attitude :  We all know to follow the mantra 'Walk your talk'. Go a step ahead and 'Let your walk be their talk'.
In an online game, a disgruntled customer has nothing to lose and very easily loses his cool throwing a tantrum. It is your attitude which is going to make the customer either get worse or get back to normal. Remember, we all are humans and succumb to polite words. Always maintain your class. Your politeness, tact and skill will get your customer thinking about his approach and correct himself.


Response Time : It always helps if the issue has at least been addressed , even if not solved within 24 hours of being reported. It gives a sense of 'Yes, you are being heard'.

Content : Even when answering to an individual, it is important to keep in mind that your replies could be shared with a few thousand to a million customers. So, its best to keep the replies short and clear. Longer, complicated replies usually confuse the customers. Go by the saying “Say little, do much, and greet everyone with a pleasant countenance.”

Expectation management : Responding to  very polite, long term customers who share their ideas, concerns which cannot be implemented or carried out is crucial to keep the core base happy.This is something which is difficult as it hurts the sentiments of users, being turned down. Showing respect even when declining the requests helps.

'We're honored to have your suggestions and feedback. It's very motivating to be thought of so highly and having a fan base trying to help us grow our business.However, implementing these would not be technically ( giving  a reason) possible.'

Having a dedicated support engineer who truly understands the environment, the project plans and the deadlines proves to be an invaluable asset and plays a crucial part in success.Support forms the backbone of any company.

We are looking for interns for positions to work from home in support, marketing, business & creative writers, illustrators and programmers. Join the fun!

'The King's Speech': Entrepreneur's life

Success is not defined by your strengths. Success is conquering your vulnerabilities, your weaknesses.The 'road less traveled by' is taken by a very few people, but these are the people who make a difference. While watching this movie, i related 'The King' to the creator of Realm Of Empires with whom i have had the good luck to share the development of a successful game.

The compelling characters in the movie.
Prince Albert (Bertie) : The King
Lionel Logue : The Australian speech therapist
Elizabeth : Wife of The King

The story is about Prince Albert, lovingly called as Bertie , struggling to overcome his stammer and the fear that he would become a King without a voice, a King who cannot communicate with his own people. It's about a friendship that a King strikes with a commoner. The role that Lionel plays in Prince Albert’s life goes way beyond just being a speech therapist.The undying love, hope and support provided by Elizabeth to the King during his days of struggle is something every woman should learn from.

Most of the people choose to live a life in a normal way, just taking the least resistance path.Most fear to take the untreaded path. Not because they don't want to but because they do not want to experience the shocks and tremors when traveling the 'road less traveled'

Lionel, in his speech in the movie says 'No child is born with a stammer'. Similarly, no person is a born Entrepreneur. Starting up to become an entrepreneur is like conquering the stammer.

Bertie was obsessed to solve his speech problem.He experienced failure. Lived a life of pain, desperately trying to overcome his inability to deliver a speech and connect with his people. In the same way, an entrepreneur leaves behind the cosy life of 10-5 work schedule. The Monday-Friday schedule is given up and an all day, every waking hour or sleeping thoughts , every discussion even with friends and family is about the work. A diehard entrepreneur struggles and struggles to find the last piece to fit the huge jigsaw puzzle he has build over the time. The struggle motivates them to cover yet another milestone.

On his way to realise his dreams, every entrepreneur needs help, advise and a guide. The same way, Bertie had Lionel. Lionel's guidance and perseverance helped Bertie become a KING for the masses to look up to. Today's entrepreneur, needs to be connected with people who can be his guiding light. People who can help him un-earth his own potentials and push him to move forward at the time of despair.

It's my belief that every entrepreneur who has given his sweat, blood, tears to his work become KINGS.

Wishing good luck to the 'KINGS' !

Virtual Team: Not for Job Hoppers or Freeloaders !

While looking for potential people to join the team of Realm of Empires  ,an online real time strategy game on facebook, it was a surprising  jolt to hear people boasting of the number of jobs they had changed in ONLY one year. A particular example was of a person who had worked as support person, analyst, consultant, telemarketer and ofcourse having a degree in Computer applications he had also contributed his fair share in the development of a major educational website. And besides that, he also worked as a freelancer. The list of experiences in various jobs in his CV baffled me.

This guy was introduced to me by a common friend so it was a bit of a formal talk. Casually I commented, "In the last two years you have changed 7 jobs, that means an average of 3-4 months in a job." 

To this he chuckled and with a big grin he said  "Yeah, you see I am highly recommended and in big demand because of my educational background and experience in various fields". I was speechless!

I wanted to say 'Thank you' and finish the discussion but some motherly instinct to guide him to settle down got the better of me and I prodded him further,"In two years from now where do you see yourself. Is their a particular field you would prefer to have expertise in." He looked sideways, then his watch and said he had another interview lined up in 30 minutes.

This is just AN example of countless job quitters and freeloaders. Quitting a  job or two when exploring work to suit one's preferences is acceptable. But that too should have a valid reason specified. Having very short careers, probably fetching quick money in the short run is going to turn out to be a disaster in the long run. Expertise and Experience in a particular area is the key to creating a niche for yourself. Individuals focused on a grueling job for the initial few years usually take up higher positions, better pay packages , satisfaction and a huge self-esteem within a few years.

Any job you take up, the initial phase is usually of excitement. Then comes the time when you feel bored and stagnant. Your job becomes a habit, probably even monotonous doing the mundane job again and again. This is the time when many people quit.HANG ON...This is the time when you need to stay at the grind for a while. The immense satisfaction you get after completing the job in hand is worth the patience. This entire cycle of learning, overcoming the highs and lows, understanding the intricacies of your job, surviving the long and arduous hours of work will make you leaders who never quit.

An example from nature. Uproot a tree and plant it in your garden. It will wilt off. Plant a sapling. Nurture it and in a few years it will be a tree with fruits. It is not only the law of nature, but applies to every profession to have deep rooted job profile. Yes, education is the basic requirement but your life is build around the reputation you build for yourself. A strong foundation is not built in months by taking wild leaps.Nothing can be achieved in a hurry. Developing your core values and potentials is a gradual process. Have an indepth knowledge, enhance your communication and persuasive skills and build your network.

To all the freeloaders, you think you are smart but you are moving towards the path of self destruction.You are tarnishing your own image.Opportunities lost will never come back. And then you will think 'If only I had....'. Pause and think would you ever employee a person like you in your own company !!

Game Developers Conference 2011

Being a member of the gaming community, team member of Realm Of Empires, and closely watching the debates and discussions in GDC 2011, there are a few things in my opinion which are intangible assets and the key to success for small and mid sized gaming companies.

Team Work : The intangible aspects of 'Team spirit' and 'Emotional commitment' is the catalyst that has made even small teams successful. The team's passion and determination can help you ride through all crests and troughs of the challenging business.

Persistence and Resiliency: Be patient. In business, most overnight success takes seven to 10 years ! It's like nurturing a child day and night. Totally out of context but an example to mention. David Seidler is the oldest person to win the the best original screenplay category award for “The King's Speech”. Fruits of patience and hard work are always sweet.

Positivity : It is rightly said, we become what we think and aim for. Think big and expect to win. Losers lose Be in the company of winners and smiling, positive people.Winning is contagious! Nevertheless, there will be many a times you will fall and fail. But if you have even one winner to look up to it is guaranteed you will get up to join the race.Be gracious when losing in business, but never ever be satisfied with it. 

Act is if : In any business this is something to develop within yourself “act as if." Even if you do not have the experience yet to pull off being the Chairman or a key manager of a company, act as if you fit the part. Think as the CEO. Think ahead. Practice the walk of CEO and you will become the CEO.

Marketing yourself : First, create your own brand image. Be known within your community. Don't brag but share yourself and your knowledge. For this BE PREPARED ALWAYS ..to speak about yourself and your work. Easy it may seem but I have seen many a robotic and ineffective introductions and others making there impacts ONLY with their first interaction. You never know who is watching you. It may not be the person whom you are talking to. Be prepared in every situation even if it is a surprise. Practice, practice, practice. Always remember to thank someone known and important in the community. He could be someone you look up to or someone who has helped you in establishing your business. This is called 'piggybacking marketing'.A very effective way to market small businesses.

Timeliness and Quality : These two things should go hand in hand. Never compromise on Quality in the run to get the product ready on time.Deliver quality work. There is NO substitute to Quality work.However, pushing your boundaries, coming out of comfort zone and adhering to the committed time is worth the effort to create trust within the community for timeliness and quality work.

 

Lastly,very important for over all success. 

Stay abreast with the latest technology.Be flexible and adapt yourself to this dynamic world.Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road.

Virtual Team: The creative collabration

Email sent ! Meeting accepted ! hello, yea please share your screen !! A typical conversation between two people in the same office, in the same building two floors away from each other.
ANNOUNCEMENT : CEO on video conferencing from head office.. tune in ! And probably you are just sitting two rooms away from the CEO and see him 3 days in a month walk in and out of his room...

My point is, even if your colleague is one cubicle away or 2000 miles away, ALL teams are virtual. In a profession nothing is verbal. Non-verbal, un-written communications are forgotten and usually irrelevant. Every data required to work is available online via file sharing. Almost each one of us are working remotely in some capacity. This gives rise to the concept of being 'Location Independent' specifically for creative careers.

This shift towards becoming 'Location Independent' rather than being 'Location Dependent' has helped companies tap talent resource from all over the world. Is it really a cake walk to work in a virtual team spread all over the globe ? What are the basic skills to work in a virtual team ?

ACCOUNTABILITY is the key to success. This is the biggest challenge the team lead has when working with remote workers. It's a normal feeling for your manager to imagine you are chatting, eating, watching TV on the company dime. To build a trust, establish a regular way to communicate. Be responsive. Convey each days work, however negligible. Establish a pattern to be at your desk. Your desk should be your own personal space with absolutely NO intrusions when you are working. This leads me to the next very essential rule to stick to.

PRIVACY : When working remotely, it is very easy to slip to a relaxed pace of working. Don't take the slippery road. Stick to a discipline. Make your family members, friends, neighbors understand that working from home does not necessarily make you available for them always at any time of the day, specially during your working hours. Only when you maintain your privacy others will respect your private space. This will also ensure focus on your work increasing productivity.

With these two most important areas to adhere to, you are ready to conquer the world with your technical skills and knowledge by working on your communication skills.

COMMUNICATION: " Writing is today’s currency for good ideas.” When working remotely the biggest disadvantage is you are working blind. Faceless interaction can lead to misinterpretation.The lack of visualization and contact has to be balanced with very clear, continuous and effective mode of communication. Learn to write out your thoughts. Key to this is to know your work. Virtual teams require a good infrastructure to overcome the lack of personal interaction. During my experience of making Realm Of Empires extensive use of chats, screen sharing, video-conferencing , audio-conferencing in addition to one‐on‐one conversations and email has been constantly maintained by the CEO

And finally there is this last bump to cross. Adjusting to each others time zone. Well, it is difficult to bend your complete life style accordingly but if you look at the benefits of having flexible hours to maintain work / life balance it would not come in your way.

In my experience, to be part of an international team is very exciting. You get to know the various management techniques in different cultures,have a pool of diverse ideas, broader experience and exposure thereby maximizing your output.

We are looking for interns for positions in marketing, business & creative writers, illustrators and programmers. Join the fun!

Digital Nomad !

Ah yes ! The Digital Nomad !!

Casting away the shackles of my office bound life I packed my life into a backpack and hit the wide wired world and became a DIGITAL NOMAD. Freedom from the walled cubicles, freedom from rules and of course no more bad tea of the office too. Why do you need to be in the glassed walls of the aesthetically designed corporate offices when the whole wide world is in your own hand, at your door step, in your house, in the garden and even on the beach !

It was not an easy decision to take. Leaving behind a successful, respected, well paid career of more than a decade i always felt what if i failed in this new world i had stepped into. But it has been three years and there has been no looking back. Not only me, but my family too is much benefited by this working style. I would advocate that working online is the best recourse a woman can follow to fulfill her dreams and ambitions.

The fact that marriage and motherhood falls as a net on a flying bird is a global phenomenon. The beautiful smiling bird hatched out of the egg, was taught to sing in a soulful voice catching everyone's attention, flapped her wings hard to be high in the sky, relishing the fame and name... suddenly finds herself in the net of marriage and motherhood. There are a few lucky women, whose career progresses unabated. Sadly for others, career has to be ignored through the roller coaster years of early motherhood to the time when children have grown up.

Now what ? Can she still enjoy the intellectual challenge ? Can she still stand back on her feet with dignity that she craves for ?

This is for women looking for an intellectual challenge. ONLINE WORK in the managerial, administrative, professional occupations is being accepted and recognized globally.There are many online services that help you to get a job of your preference like Odesk.com ; Freelancers.com and many more.

Lift up your spirits and start working online as a freelancer soaring high across boundaries, breaking barriers and breaching bonds.As,my cup of tea near its finish and this beautiful day begins i thank my mentor to push me to begin writing again. I will be back again sharing my experiences on working with a virtual team.

Stay tuned !