Tales from the Night Shift QA - Leaving the Lab

Prologue

When I started at the QA Lab, I was part of the day shift working on the DLC content of a AAA first person shooter. About four months later, the project reached completion.

Normally, that would have meant unemployment, but management proposed that I transfer to the night shift to work on a AAA sandbox game. This was my first job in the video game industry, and I was desperate to not have it end. I accepted the night shift position. At first, I wasn’t met with open arms on the night shift: the other testers called me day walker.

I spent the next couple years attempting to return to the day shift. For the great majority of testers, the night shift was a one way ticket. I know only of two testers that were transferred from night to day. After some time, I gave up on the day shift since it seemed unfeasible. Moreover, the graveyard shift had grown on me and my best friends were all there.

Chapter 1 - Back to the day shift

The publisher owned three QA Labs: two in the US, and the one where I worked in Québec City. We co-tested the annual AAA shooter game with one of the US labs. However, one year, that major project went south. That left Québec city with the “Friends and Family Games”.

The work on our slate suddenly disappeared, and we ended up with only a few projects to work on, and almost all contract employees were let go. Down to a skeleton crew, Management decided to fold the night shift into the day shift making me a day walker once more. Returning to normal human time was amazing: I was now on the same life cycle as my wife and kids! I tried to make up for lost time with my children..

At the QA lab, I was working on the reboot of a AAA plastic guitar game. We were four functionality testers from Québec working as dev testers for a studio in the UK. I was having a fantastic time working directly with the devs, and I got to be friends with a few of them (shout out to Richard). I soon had the top bug count on the project.

Chapter 2 - the ramp up

The guitar game reached its alpha milestone and the QA Lab was rehiring the testers that were previously laid off. It was really nice to have some of my old friends come to work on the project: Anne, Dylan, Donavan and Jourdain to mention a few. Two project leads joined the project: my friend Patrick, who appeared in Tales of the night shift QA - wasted at work and the muscle head that appeared in Tales of the night shift QA - the ultimate shemale.?

Also to note here: the rumor of the night shift being reopened started circulating in the QA Lab. I made a point to tell all of management that as a family man I did not want to go back to the night shift.

My manager calls me into his office. He tells me that I’m being promoted to associate lead for the night shift on the project. I tell him that I’m not interested in either the lead position or the night shift, and that I’d like to remain a guitar playing tester on the day shift. He tells me that I’ve been gripping about my raise, and that now I’m refusing the 1.50$ / hour increase being a lead. I reply that that raise is a stippen, that disappears when I lose the title at the end of the project, and that the stippen? is not worth all the extra hours, effort and accountability that the position requires. Thanks but no thanks.???

Chapter 3 - the meeting

One Thursday (day of the week is important here), the Project Leads, and Donavan, who was appointed day shift associate, call half of the testers into a meeting room. Looking at the people in the room, I had already figured out what was going on, and I was furious. Everyone in the room, save Muscle head and Donavan were all the old night shift testers. Before the leads could speak, I said in my most passive-aggressive tone possible: “Why the fμck am I here?”

“We’ll get to you in a second Jason” they replied. “No, we’re going to talk about me right now!” I said. The atmosphere in the room was very uncomfortable for everyone.

“Starting Monday, you will all be on the night shift.” they say. “Monday! So we get a whole week-end to turn our sleep cycle around. Oh-gee-thanks! A whole 72 hours!” I replied.

Chapter 2.5 - the other meeting

Donavan and Patrick both told me of the meeting that they had with management prior to ours. Both Donavan and Patrick told management: “..but Jason is going to be really pissed!” where management replied that wasn’t their problem, and if I had an issue with going to night shift, I’d have to take it up with them.

Chapter 4 - HR

As soon as the meeting ended, I went to the HR’s office. She was waiting for me; she knew that I’d be coming; she had this prepared. Clever Girl!?

She tells me that since I did not fill out the proper paperwork to transfer, I wasn’t going to be able to stay on the day shift, and that she was sorry and there was nothing she could do, as she smiled ever so smugly.

Checkmate. There was no fighting back. After all that time on the night shift, you’d figure that I’d know that such a form would have existed. I asked to have the form. She said that a manager was going to contact me.?

Chapter 5 - the manager

The next day, one such manager did. He had a printed letter that basically said that if I could maintain my bug flagging numbers up, that in 6 months they’d generously grant me the day shift position. I signed the paper and left the office.

I knew that the contract was fake. That transfer to day shift form was custom made for me, meaning that it never existed before. They were never going to honor it. That was my theory and I wasn't going to stay around to test it. I updated my functionality QA resumé and sent it to all the video game studios in town.

Chapter 6 - the nibble

The following Monday afternoon, just before leaving for work, I got a reply. One of the game studios reached out saying that they could meet me the next day on Tuesday. I reply right back: “Tuesday sounds terrific!”

I leave for the first of the re-night shifts again, and I’m in a great mood. I got the nibble that I needed, and now I have to hook the fish. First night shift goes great. I’m all smiles at this point.

Next day, I have my interview. It must have gone well since I landed the job as Dev QA (and worked there for the next five years). They asked me when I could start. “Right now is doable.” They laugh, and the new HR lady says: “How about in two weeks, so that you can inform your current employer of your departure.” “Oh yes, silly me. I’ll be here Monday morning in two weeks' time.” The day after, they sent me a contract, which I signed without hesitation. It was an obvious step up.?

I told Patrick, off the record, that I was going to leave in two weeks, but that I wasn't telling management until my last two days (to get back for the 72 hour night shift turnaround). Two days prior to my departure, I went to see HR. However, the clever girl was out on a business trip, so I talked to her replacement, who was a really nice temp agent, and not being part of the equation, was very happy for me.

Chapter 7 - the confrontation

I did promise the story where I came close to getting my teeth knocked in. So here it is!

I come into my last shift ever at the QA Lab, and I’m all full of the troublemaking itch. The night shift testers were coming in as the day shift testers were getting ready to leave.

I’m picking on Dylan, as usual, and I’m bragging about my bug count to him at that moment (which I often did). Note:? Dylan’s bug count was excellent and we had a friendly competition between us. However, the competition was one-sided since I had started a few months prior.?

I’m telling him in my snooty voice: “I have seven hundred bugs Dylan! How many do you have?” (knowing very well that he was around 250)

A little further away, the project leads, Pat and muscle head, are having their passoff. Muscle head hears me and barks: “Jason, get over here! I want to talk to you!” I see that muscle head is all puffed up like the Alpha male and a smile breaks on my lips. I turn my gaze towards them as I approach their desks. Pat senses what’s going on and immediately says to muscle head: “It’s Jason’s last shift. He’s gone after tonight. Let it be.”

Muscle head’s body lost its tension for a second, seemingly disappointed that there was no longer a need to chew me out. I strut up to their desk, and I adopt the defiant pose: puffed up chest, chin raised high, both fists on my sides superhero style. “No Patrick, I’d like to hear what he has to say.”

Muscle head puffs up again and says: “You keep saying that you have seven hundred bugs, but that’s not true!” I reply: “You are correct. If you query ‘reported by’ and select ‘Jason De Ciccio’, the result reads seven hundred and thirty two issues. Therefore, I have seven hundred and thirty two issues, Sir.”

• “That doesn’t impress me.”
• “Pardon me?”
• “Your bugs don’t impress me.”
• “Well Sir, you drive a Mustang, and that really doesn’t impress me!”

I burst out in laughter, and I’m not laughing with him. Pat starts laughing with me. Muscle head is also laughing, but it’s that forced laughter that comes out when you're furious. I see his fists are clenched and his knuckles are white. He’s not happy. I imagine that he’s considering clobbering me, but he’d lose his job, and I was leaving anyway.

I end with “Hey, it was nice to have worked with you. Have a good one buddy!” as I defiantly turned my back and went to my work station grinning from ear to ear. We ended the night shift and my night shift friends and I went out for beers. I was happy with how I left.

Epilogue

I’m still grateful of the skills that I learned working there, and of the many friendships that were created back then. Thanks to all of you for making the QA Lab a weird place to work!

There is one more Tales from the night shift QA short stories coming soon. Until then, have fun people!