What steps can you take to avoid bugs in your online game?

1 Plan your code architecture

Before you start writing any code, you should have a clear and consistent plan for your game's architecture. This means defining the core features, modules, components, and interfaces of your game, as well as the coding standards, conventions, and documentation you will follow. A well-designed code architecture will help you avoid confusion, duplication, and complexity, and make your code easier to read, maintain, and debug.

4 Debug your game systematically

Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors, bugs, or defects in your code. Debugging is inevitable for online game development, as no code is perfect and bugs can arise from various sources, such as logic errors, syntax errors, compatibility issues, or user feedback. You should debug your game systematically, using a structured approach and tools, such as debugging tools, breakpoints, logs, error messages, and exception handling. You should also document and communicate your debugging steps and results, and learn from your mistakes.

5 Update your game regularly

Updating is the process of adding new features, content, or fixes to your game. Updating is important for online game development, as it keeps your game fresh, engaging, and competitive, and shows your commitment to your players. However, updating can also introduce new bugs or break existing features, so you should be careful and cautious when updating your game. You should update your game regularly, but not too frequently, and always test your updates before releasing them. You should also inform your players about your updates, and listen to their feedback and suggestions.

6 Seek professional help

Sometimes, you may encounter bugs that are too complex, too frequent, or too critical for you to handle on your own. In such cases, you may need to seek professional help from experts, such as game developers, testers, or localizers. Professional help can help you solve your bugs faster, more efficiently, and more effectively, and save you time, money, and stress. Professional help can also help you improve your game quality, performance, and accessibility, and reach a wider and more diverse audience.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?