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Trenches comic: Tuesday Oct. 11, 2011

BogeyBogey I'm back, baby!Santa Monica, CAModerator mod
edited October 2011 in The Penny Arcade Hub
i-Hm67XHH.jpg
Comedic Opportunities in Test (Without complaining)

10/11/2011 - Anonymous

Hello! I have been a tester for a little over 10 years now, and I wanted to share some character archetypes with you based on people I’ve met along the way. I have to admit that I was disappointed with your article about test being a hellish thankless job - it’s not like that everywhere you know.

Anyways, on to the archetypes:
- The “bug machine” tester who just put in 26 bugs on the horse animations in the last hour
- The tester who owns every console ever
- The giant vampiric manchild who can’t say good things about anything, except that weird JRPG that nobody has ever heard of and only laughs inappropriately in loud, short bursts *HAHA*
- The pretty girl that all the guys are afraid to talk to until she hosts a brownbag on “How to perform fatalities in MK” (This actually happened)
- The Russian guy who smells like cigarette smoke and violence and says words like “Tester Porn” when he sees debug commands and never calls in favors people owe him - Leaving work at 11:30pm on a Sunday, you get a flat tire. Out of nowhere, Vasily pulls around his 1998 Jeep Cherokee and gives you a spare he just happened to have that fits perfectly and in the thick svelte accent says “Don’t mention it.” You are convinced that one day he’s going to ask you to hide a body, execute a cop or worse… cover his shift.
- The certification tester whose eyes are so dead, they make the Great White Shark look sympathetic
- The girl who learned conversational Japanese from Nintendo Error messages
- The localization tester who everyone calls over to their desk to get them back to English when they get stuck testing in E, F, R, I, G, S
- The MacGuyver tester who hooked up an oscillating fan to the joystick for soak tests *without* using duct tape (I got lots about this guy…)
- The test manager/director that intently listens and then only laughs when asked about publisher negotiations
- Dev QA vs Pub QA - seriously this is all you need for endless fun
- The former Nuclear Sub pilot who wanted a job that was low stress and doesn’t know what everyone whines about when the AC shuts off on Sunday. “YOU SHOULD TRY DOING THIS EVERY DAY FOR 500 DAYS BITCHES WE COULD LAND A BIRD ON THE DECK IN THIS HEAT.”

What the fuck does that even mean?

Cheers and have fun.

Fitocracy: Join us in the SE++ group!
XBox LIVE: Bogestrom | Destiny
PSN: Bogestrom
Bogey on
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Posts

  • MaigaardMaigaard Registered User regular
    This is more like it!

  • PikaPuffPikaPuff Registered User regular
    edited October 2011
    I may have the wrong idea of what an archtype is, but these sound like specific people instead of types of people. Still entertaining, though.

    PikaPuff on
    jCyyTSo.png
  • ArakonArakon Registered User regular
    Good to know that QA testing is the same way everywhere in the world.

  • LibrarianLibrarian The face of liberal fascism Registered User regular
    The giant vampiric manchild who can’t say good things about anything, except that weird JRPG that nobody has ever heard of and only laughs inappropriately in loud, short bursts

    I know someone just like that.

  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    I feel bad criticizing, but...

    Q's nose/glasses combination look exactly like a bird - like an owl or cockatoo.

    My nose is covered in freckles, but even mine isn't as orange as the noses in the comic.

  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    I don't think he's going for photorealism

  • 2 Marcus 2 Ravens2 Marcus 2 Ravens CanadaRegistered User regular
    Librarian wrote:
    The giant vampiric manchild who can’t say good things about anything, except that weird JRPG that nobody has ever heard of and only laughs inappropriately in loud, short bursts

    I know someone just like that.

    I think we all do.

  • NerdgasmicNerdgasmic __BANNED USERS regular
    this strip was pretty nice

  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    I don't think he's going for photorealism

    I get that (I'm already not a fan of the style of Trenches admittedly) but the random orange noses just really don't look good. It makes Q look like a bird, and it makes the girl look like she has no nose. For some reason it reads like negative space - like she has no nose, just a nasal cavity or like a jack o' lantern - but that could just be me. It doesn't bother me as much on the main character as much though.

  • IvarIvar Oslo, NorwayRegistered User regular
    What's a brownbag?

  • NerdgasmicNerdgasmic __BANNED USERS regular
    a lunch meeting

  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    Ivar wrote:
    What's a brownbag?

    Presumably a during lunch meeting/training session where you bring your lunch with you. My company calls them "Lunch and Learn" I believe.

  • SeveredHeadSeveredHead Registered User regular
    That comic is a lie! I seached "delicious" in wiki and there is no soup.

  • IvarIvar Oslo, NorwayRegistered User regular
    edited October 2011
    That comic is a lie! I seached "delicious" in wiki and there is no soup.

    In THE wiki. As in their internal wiki system for documentation and other stuff, nothing to do with Wikipedia.

    Ivar on
  • Slipstream.ccSlipstream.cc Mill Creek, WARegistered User regular
    Shouldn't the Russian guy's name described in the blog post be hidden, per anonymity of previous posts? It could be fake, but usually there are quote marks to imply the name has been changed to protect the author. If he doesn't care, it's all good. It just sticks out.

    I play Indoors | PAX's Attended: 07 08 09 10 12 13
  • Fatty McBeardoFatty McBeardo Registered User regular
    Vasily the Spetsnaz operator fears not his identity being exposed on the Internet.

    Also, in for the soup recipe.

  • GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    Shouldn't the Russian guy's name described in the blog post be hidden, per anonymity of previous posts? It could be fake, but usually there are quote marks to imply the name has been changed to protect the author. If he doesn't care, it's all good. It just sticks out.

    I am pretty sure its just supposed to be a generic stereotypical Russian name, like calling him Ivan only a bit more creative.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    I want to work with that Russian dude so bad.

    And this is a good comic.

  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    I feel bad criticizing, but...

    Q's nose/glasses combination look exactly like a bird - like an owl or cockatoo.

    My nose is covered in freckles, but even mine isn't as orange as the noses in the comic.

    I'm pretty sure the bird man is supposed to be a bird man, it's not some trick of the light.

    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • tastydonutstastydonuts Registered User regular
    Russian dude would be awesome to work with.

    and, it'd be very weird if your nose was as orange as the noses in the comic, Lindsey...

    “I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
  • SyphyreSyphyre A Dangerous Pastime Registered User regular
    I'm a big fan of today's story. Hearing about oddities/hijinks even if they're not "ha ha" funny is great.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Apparently "delicious" is a website for bookmark sharing or something.

  • MatriasMatrias Registered User regular
    edited October 2011
    I am fucking convinced they're mining my life now.

    Strange and enigmatic QA Lead? Better with spread sheets than he is with people? Actually a really talented tester who makes thorough and effective test plans? Insists on being called Q instead of his full name?

    I lived this shit.

    Matrias on
    3DS/Pokemon Friend Code - 2122-5878-9273 - Kyle
  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    This is my favourite Trenches strip so far. Isaac's face in the third panel is gold.

    Oh brilliant
  • PikaPuffPikaPuff Registered User regular
    edited October 2011
    Librarian wrote:
    The giant vampiric manchild who can’t say good things about anything, except that weird JRPG that nobody has ever heard of and only laughs inappropriately in loud, short bursts

    I know someone just like that.
    what does he mean when he says "vampiric manchild?"


    PikaPuff on
    jCyyTSo.png
  • ArbitraryDescriptorArbitraryDescriptor changed Registered User regular
    edited October 2011
    I'm guessing a big baby who sucks the fun out of everything.

    [e] and/or avoids the sun.

    ArbitraryDescriptor on
  • TaberTaber Registered User regular
    Man, Isaac sure has trouble believing Q was a dick to him because he got John fired, and not because Q is a dick.

  • jwalkjwalk Registered User regular
    I knew a Russian Guy.

    only he smelled like B.O.

    and wasn't helpful, ever.

  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited October 2011
    I think there is a bit of post-modern "the protagonist is the antagonist" switcheroo going on. They're setting up our expectations, "the project lead is a neckbeardy dick" and then shutting them down, "the project lead is competent and a good person." I'm looking forward to seeing where the comic goes once the characters are all setup.

    admanb on
  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    Taber wrote:
    Man, Isaac sure has trouble believing Q was a dick to him because he got John fired, and not because Q is a dick.

    Have to admit - I'd have a hard time giving the benefit of the doubt to someone who insists on calling himself Q.

  • CambiataCambiata Commander Shepard The likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered User regular
    Taber wrote:
    Man, Isaac sure has trouble believing Q was a dick to him because he got John fired, and not because Q is a dick.

    Have to admit - I'd have a hard time giving the benefit of the doubt to someone who insists on calling himself Q.

    How do you know he 'insists' on being called that? Maybe that's just his nickname in the office? I work with a guy that everyone calls 'Q' or occasionally by his full name, Quentin. Calling people by nicknames is more a sign of inter-office affection than a sign that the person with the nickname is pretentious, unless we get some panel where he wigs out because someone calls him by his full name.

    (Incidentally, there used to be a lady working at my company that I had to email frequently, and her nickname was Peaches. And the odd thing was that she DID wig out if you called her by anything other than Peaches. I never met her, only emailed, and she's retired now.)

    "If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
  • MatriasMatrias Registered User regular
    Cambiata wrote:
    Taber wrote:
    Man, Isaac sure has trouble believing Q was a dick to him because he got John fired, and not because Q is a dick.

    Have to admit - I'd have a hard time giving the benefit of the doubt to someone who insists on calling himself Q.

    How do you know he 'insists' on being called that? Maybe that's just his nickname in the office? I work with a guy that everyone calls 'Q' or occasionally by his full name, Quentin. Calling people by nicknames is more a sign of inter-office affection than a sign that the person with the nickname is pretentious, unless we get some panel where he wigs out because someone calls him by his full name.
    I think it was because I made the comment I made, about actually working with a test lead who insisted on being called Q.

    3DS/Pokemon Friend Code - 2122-5878-9273 - Kyle
  • HandgimpHandgimp R+L=J Family PhotoRegistered User regular
    Haha, the submarines thing is so true. No privation I encounter in the future could ever compare.

    PwH4Ipj.jpg
  • jwalkjwalk Registered User regular
    "what is delicious?"

  • jothkijothki Registered User regular
    admanb wrote:
    I think there is a bit of post-modern "the protagonist is the antagonist" switcheroo going on. They're setting up our expectations, "the project lead is a neckbeardy dick" and then shutting them down, "the project lead is competent and a good person." I'm looking forward to seeing where the comic goes once the characters are all setup.

    Yeah, it's basic Seinfeldianism.

  • webofinkwebofink Registered User regular
    This comic is on track! See, now I want to see what happens in the next strip. I'm glad to see there's no really obvious cut and paste going on too. After that was pointed out to me in the last thread, it started to ruin my immersion; I started looking for it everywhere. I won't add any more fuel to the orange-nose fire, I've said my piece in regards to them before.

    I give this strip 4.5 bananas out of 5

    It's dead, Jim.
  • EvermournEvermourn Registered User regular
    Comedic Opportunities in Test (Without complaining)

    10/11/2011 - Anonymous

    - The former Nuclear Sub pilot who wanted a job that was low stress and doesn’t know what everyone whines about when the AC shuts off on Sunday. “YOU SHOULD TRY DOING THIS EVERY DAY FOR 500 DAYS BITCHES WE COULD LAND A BIRD ON THE DECK IN THIS HEAT.”

    What the fuck does that even mean?

    Cheers and have fun.

    My first thought that he was actually a carrier guy, and he was meaning landing planes on the deck. But if he was really a sub pilot he probably means hitting a ship with a missile, which I guess is a high stress, skilled operation which would be harder to do when it's hot.

  • Tss_fanTss_fan Registered User regular
    So we have, Isaac Cox, Cora Anders, Marley, and Q the team lead who makes soup. Yet the "new reader" bio page is still classified. I think the cats out of the bag.

  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    There was a dude who went by Q at my previous job. He was a pretty rad guy.

    BLM - ACAB
  • HandgimpHandgimp R+L=J Family PhotoRegistered User regular
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