Qianhao Tang

Marvel Rivals

(in NDA)

Project Overview

Marvel Rivals is an action-packed competitive game set in the Marvel Universe, developed by NetEase Interactive Entertainment. As a QA Engineer, I played a critical role in testing hero abilities, ensuring the quality of gameplay across platforms, and providing key insights for balancing and optimization. My focus was on both character feel and competitive balancing, with a special emphasis on the PlayStation 5 (PS5) version and gameplay fidelity to the Marvel IP.

Key Responsibilities

Hero Abilities Testing and Feedback: During the development of Marvel Rivals, I was responsible for providing advice and player feedback on various hero abilities. I worked closely on Adam Warlock, focusing on how the character felt in-game during the prototyping phase. For Iron Man, my role centered more on balancing his abilities to maintain competitive fairness. I gathered player feedback through weekly testing and sprints, and delivered insights to the design and balancing teams for ongoing iteration.

Performance Optimization for PS5: I collaborated with the team to resolve multiple PS5 development challenges, including memory overloads, packaging errors, and performance bottlenecks related to texture resolution and particle effects. Using PS5’s profiling tools and Unreal Insights, I optimized the game’s CPU and GPU performance, ensuring a stable and visually compelling experience on PS5.

PS5 Testing Farm: I developed a PS5 testing farm that allowed the entire team to access PS5 machines remotely. This significantly improved testing efficiency, enabling rapid deployment, multi-device testing, and real-time remote recording, resulting in a tenfold increase in productivity.

Automation Tools for Testing: Inspired by GDC’s Sea of Thieves presentation, I implemented an automation testing process using Unreal Engine’s Blueprint system. This enabled the team to run automated unit tests for gameplay features, reducing error rates and improving testing coverage for both PS5 and PC versions.

Playtest Data Collection and Balancing: I collected playtest data weekly, assigning logging items for value and providing this data to the balancing team. This data was instrumental in refining gameplay mechanics, ensuring the game remained balanced and competitive while staying true to the Marvel Universe.

Cross-Department Collaboration: My ability to understand both the technical and creative needs of design, art, and development teams made me a key collaborator. I facilitated communication between departments, aligning expectations and helping solve issues related to hero abilities, visual fidelity, and gameplay optimization.

Key Achievements

  • Successfully implemented a PS5 testing farm, increasing testing efficiency tenfold by enabling remote access and streamlining multi-device testing.
  • Provided critical feedback and insights on hero abilities, including Adam Warlock’s prototyping and Iron Man’s balancing, improving both character feel and competitive play.
  • Collected and provided playtest data weekly to the balancing team, leading to refined gameplay mechanics and improved game balance.
  • Resolved critical PS5 performance issues, optimizing memory usage and GPU/CPU performance for smoother gameplay and visual quality.
  • Introduced automation testing processes that reduced manual testing overhead, improving testing speed and accuracy across both PS5 and PC versions.