How to fill out a good bug report.

[Fawne]

While sometimes it feels like KingsIsle is content to sit there and feed off the delicious tears of their players I can assure you this is not the case. Often times it takes them longer to fix a problem because they first have to re-create it, and then they can isolate it, and THEN they can fix it. We can help them solve these problems more quickly by giving them more information to help with the recreation and isolation parts. This 'form' should provide the information they need to hurry along the first two steps of the process. That's right YOU can help KingsIsle fix their stuff faster! Who'd have thought?!

First and foremost:
Look around the test forum to see if someone else is having the same problem as you, and post this information on that thread. It doesn't help KingsIsle if they have to read 20 posts about the same problem searching for new information. It's much easier to read one with information from many different users.


Is this happening in Test or Live realm(s)?
Test

What type of computer is it?
Laptop/desktop/power book?
Laptop (Built for media/gaming)


What make/model is your computer?
Should say on the front of the case, laptop users may have to look underneath.
HP users will have to go to their Start menu, Right click 'Computer' or 'My Computer', go to Properties and find the Model there.
HP Pavillion dv6 Notebook PC


What type of processor are you running? How much RAM?
Click your start button, Right click 'Computer' or 'My Computer' go to 'Properties'. The information you seek should be under 'Processor' and 'Memory' (or RAM)?
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T6400 @2.00GHz
3.00GB of RAM


Here's the hard part
What is your Graphics Driver? Is it up to date?
Windows 7 and Vista: Click your Start Button and go to Control Panel. Click 'Hardware and Sound' and click 'Devices and Printers' this will bring up a list of all your hardware. Under 'Display Adapters' you should find your graphics card.
Classic view:
Click your Start button and go to Control Panel. From there look for 'Device Manager' or 'Hardware Manager' and double click it. This will bring up a list. Look under 'Display Adapters', your graphic card should be there.

Windows XP: Click your Start button and go to Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, and when prompted click 'System', this will bring up a panel with several tabs. Click the 'Hardware' tab, you'll see a button called 'Device Manager', this is where you want to head. A list of all your drivers will come up, you'll want to expand the one called 'Display Adapters'. There's your graphics card!

If you don't know if your graphics card is up to date then odds are it isn't. SOME systems handle updates automatically, however, up top there should be an 'Update Driver' option when you click on your graphics card. Click this *ONCE* and then give it a minute. It may prompt you to do a few things make sure to actually READ THE PROMPTS before clicking 'yes or no'. The Geek Squad is rather expensive, and that's where I guarantee you'll be headed if you mess up ^-^.

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 45300
Up to date: Yes


What type of problem are you having?
Hard part is over! Just tell them, with as much detail as you can (or pictures) what is going on, how frequently it occurs, and if it's circumstantial (If it only happens under water, if it only happens if you go first in battle, etc).
When I'm fighting in underwater environments partial effects (wand attacks, sparkles, etc) don't show up, or if they do show up they strobe/flicker dramatically.


I'm sorry there's no information for Mac users, but I'm not at all familiar with Mac computers. Would someone who is mind making an alternate form? Thanks!! :D
Edit! --- PyromancerJonathan has created a Mac guide! Click Here!
PS- This is an actual problem I'm having, I decided to use it as an example as well XD.

[Bird Crazy]

Thanks Fawne. I know I never thought to include this information, but will in the future.

[adiw]

I have heard from people some awful bug reports that were given.

[rockydodgers]

yup, they can't fix bugs without any detail.

[kaz24557]

I'm sorry there's no information for Mac users, but I'm not at all familiar with Mac computers. Would someone who is mind making an alternate form? Thanks!! :D
PS- This is an actual problem I'm having, I decided to use it as an example as well XD.

Hi Fawne,

I'm a Mac user but unfortunately the one time I did contact KI with a problem and told them I had a mac and played using crossover games they told me that they did not support 3rd party applications and that was end of story. So I really don't know how we are meant to give any feedback for genuine glitches because as soon as they see that we are Mac I don't think it will be looked at.

[Frost God]

I saw some bad bugs on the recent TR. But nothing to get into right?

[JohnnyGreenDay]

Hi there!

I included all of the information above on my first report, except where this is happening and the type of computer (mine's laptop). This has truly taught me how to improve my writing skills on explanatory prompts.

Thanks for posting this, and have a good day!

[Stormshield]

Lol if everyone wrote bug reports like these, we would have a perfect world and moreover a perfect game! Thanks for poring this Fawne. Let's hope it makes the work of KingsIsle a little more relaxing.

[Phundamental]

You also have to take into consideration people who build their own computers. I built an AMD Quad Core running XP Pro with 4GB of Memory and a 1GB Video Card. The name brand would be me (Tee-Hee!). Anyways give them specs if you don't have the make and model. And everything else.

[Willy]

THanks for this awesome guide fawne!