QA

Test Objective:
Verify tank movement responsiveness and physics-based terrain interaction, including inclines, obstacles, and uneven surfaces.

Test Environment:

• Platform: Windows 11
  
  

• Engine: Unreal Engine 5.3
  
  

• Build: v0.3-alpha
  
  

• Map: Desert_TestField
  
  

• Input Device: Xbox Controller & Keyboard+Mouse
  
  

Test Conditions:

1. Accelerate/Brake/Reverse using both control schemes
   
   

2. Rotate turret while moving
   
   

3. Traverse steep slopes (30°, 45°, 60°)
   
   

4. Collide with small debris and terrain geometry
   
   

5. Test at 30 FPS and 120 FPS
   
   

Expected Results:

• Smooth acceleration and turning
  
  

• Tank remains grounded unless airborne by design
  
  

• No unnatural jitter or clipping through terrain
  
  

Actual Results:

• Smooth movement on flat ground
  
  

• Minor sliding on 45° slopes
  
  

• Unexpected air time on 60° slope edges
  
  

• Turret rotation lags slightly on 120 FPS
  
  

Defects Identified:

• BUG-001: Tank collides with small debris (sandbags) and flips unnaturally
  
  

• BUG-002: Turret rotation desync at high frame rates
  
  

• BUG-003: Tracks temporarily clip through terrain when reversing uphill
  
  

Recommendations:

• Add a stabilizer or physics constraint for flipping behavior
  
  

• Update turret tick logic to be framerate-independent
  
  

• Adjust collision capsule and track physics material

Test Objective:
Ensure the shell-firing mechanics, hit detection, and physics-based explosion system work consistently across various scenarios.

Test Environment:

• Platform: Windows 11
  
  

• Engine: UE5.3
  
  

• Build: v0.3-alpha
  
  

• Level: Urban_TestArena
  
  

Test Conditions:

1. Fire at static and moving targets
   
   

2. Observe shell trajectory at different elevations
   
   

3. Measure impact force and explosion radius
   
   

4. Test shell collision on metal, stone, and destructible objects
   
   

5. Test networked multiplayer desync (2-player test)
   
   

Expected Results:

• Shell trajectory follows correct parabolic curve
  
  

• Accurate collision detection and damage radius
  
  

• Detonation VFX/SFX triggered on impact
  
  

Actual Results:

• Trajectory is visually accurate
  
  

• Shells sometimes pass through fast-moving objects (edge case)
  
  

• Explosion VFX occasionally triggers twice
  
  

Defects Identified:

• BUG-004: Intermittent shell collision miss at high velocities
  
  

• BUG-005: Explosion effect plays twice due to double-hit registration
  
  

• BUG-006: Explosion force not applied to destructible props reliably in MP
  
  

Recommendations:

• Refactor projectile blueprint using CCD (Continuous Collision Detection)
  
  

• Add a cooldown or single-event flag on explosion trigger
  
  

• Ensure RPCs for explosion force are replicated and authoritative

Test Objective:
Test the clarity and consistency of UI feedback related to damage, health bar, and kill messages.

Test Environment:

• Resolution: 1920x1080 and 2560x1440
  
  

• Platform: Windows 11
  
  

• Device: Keyboard + Mouse
  
  

• Game Mode: Free-for-All Deathmatch
  
  

Test Conditions:

1. Take damage from direct shell hit
   
   

2. Take damage from splash/explosion
   
   

3. Heal via pickup
   
   

4. Observe killfeed and feedback VFX
   
   

Expected Results:

• Damage indicator flashes red in screen corners
  
  

• Health bar decreases smoothly
  
  

• Killfeed displays correct player name and weapon
  
  

Actual Results:

• Visual feedback consistent
  
  

• Health bar updates with delay during explosions
  
  

• Killfeed shows weapon ID instead of readable name
  
  

Defects Identified:

• BUG-007: Health bar animation desync under GPU load
  
  

• BUG-008: Killfeed displays blueprint ID instead of localized string
  
  

• BUG-009: Damage VFX overlaps with HUD elements on 1440p
  
  

Recommendations:

• Optimize health bar update logic with event-driven model
  
  

• Fix string binding in killfeed widget
  
  

• Add adaptive HUD scaling
  
  

Test Objective:
Ensure that player actions (movement, firing, deaths) are replicated accurately and consistently in multiplayer sessions.

Test Environment:

• Test Setup: Listen Server & 3 Clients
  
  

• Network Sim: 100ms latency, 5% packet loss
  
  

• Map: OpenField_MP_Test
  
  

• Build: v0.3-alpha
  
  

Test Conditions:

1. Join/leave mid-match
   
   

2. Fire and destroy opponent tanks
   
   

3. Use voice commands
   
   

4. Observe movement sync and kill confirmation
   
   

Expected Results:

• Smooth replication of all actions
  
  

• Minimal rubberbanding under simulated lag
  
  

• Correct state persistence when rejoining
  
  

Actual Results:

• Minor desync in turret rotation
  
  

• Rubberbanding on high-ping clients
  
  

• Players occasionally spawn under map after reconnect
  
  

Defects Identified:

• BUG-010: Turret rotation not fully replicated (client-authoritative logic)
  
  

• BUG-011: Spawn location fails to reset on reconnect
  
  

• BUG-012: Voice commands not heard under packet loss
  
  

Recommendations:

• Move turret rotation to server-side prediction
  
  

• Implement spawn validation on reconnect
  
  

• Use voice packet buffer or switch codec for robustness

Symptoms:

When using Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) and Houdini on a Dell Aurora R16, the programs crash once the system memory usage exceeds 40%.

System Specifications:

• Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900KF @ 3.19 GHz

• Installed RAM: 32.0 GB (31.7 GB usable)

• System Type: 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Testing Procedure:

Benchmark tests were conducted using Houdini with the Axiom plugin. A total of 10 tests were performed and averaged to measure performance and identify issues before and after modifications.

Before Modifications:

• Axiom 3.2 - Quality Assurance - OpenCL - 5GB

• Houdini Version: 20.0.590 (Windows - x86_64)

• Device: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900KF (1.1)

Performance Metrics:

• Total Time: 822.681 seconds

• Average Time Step: 8.227 seconds

• Minimum Time Step: 1.463 seconds

• Maximum Time Step: 13.012 seconds

• Average Performance: 3,900,105 voxels/s

• Minimum Performance: 3,723,173 voxels/s

• Maximum Performance: 4,017,740 voxels/s

• Average Active: 31,672,401 voxels

• Minimum Active: 5,779,456 voxels

• Maximum Active: 49,299,456 voxels

After Modifications:

• Axiom 3.2 - Quality Assurance - OpenCL - 5GB

• Houdini Version: 20.0.590 (Windows - x86_64)

• Device: Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900KF (1.1)

Performance Metrics:

• Total Time: 577.891 seconds

• Average Time Step: 5.779 seconds

• Minimum Time Step: 0.987 seconds

• Maximum Time Step: 9.214 seconds

• Average Performance: 5,629,395 voxels/s

• Minimum Performance: 5,268,067 voxels/s

• Maximum Performance: 6,011,014 voxels/s

• Average Active: 31,672,401 voxels

• Minimum Active: 5,779,456 voxels

• Maximum Active: 49,299,456 voxels

Solution Implemented:

1. Extended the TDR Delay:

   • The Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) feature in Windows was adjusted to allow more time for the GPU to complete its tasks. This can be modified via the Windows Registry.

2. Steps:

   • Open the Registry Editor (regedit).

   • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers.

   • Add a new DWORD (32-bit) value named TdrDelay.

   • Set the value to 120 (seconds).

3. Disabled CPU SpeedStep and SpeedShift:

   • These features dynamically adjust the CPU's power consumption and performance. Disabling them can stabilize performance by preventing the CPU from downclocking under load.

4. Steps:

   • Enter the BIOS setup during boot (usually by pressing F2 or DEL).

   • Locate the settings for SpeedStep and SpeedShift.

   • Disable both features.

   • Save and exit the BIOS setup.

Effect of Modifications:

• The system now operates normally, albeit with a performance degradation of approximately 29%. This trade-off ensures stability and prevents crashes during high memory usage.

Probable Cause:

The crashes were likely due to the GPU timing out and the dynamic frequency scaling of the CPU. Extending the TDR delay provided the GPU with sufficient time to complete tasks without causing a timeout, while disabling SpeedStep and SpeedShift prevented the CPU from dynamically adjusting its frequency, which can cause instability under heavy load conditions.

By implementing these changes, the stability of UE5 and Houdini on the Dell Aurora R16 was significantly improved, allowing for more reliable operation during demanding tasks.