How to Test a Created Database

Guide to Testing a Database

Here is a quick guide on how to test your database quickly and easily. I find a notepad or an excel spreadsheet to record details and notes very useful!

Basic tips

• Load up just your nation

• Load a small database

• Turn off saving

• Holiday while unemployed

• *Optional* Subscribe to all your nations cups and leagues while removing any pesky awards you are subscribed to for your continent (This means you can just watch things about your nation ticker through.

This should take between 10 and 30 minutes to run a season, depending on your database size and PC speed. I have a pretty powerful PC so takes just under 10 minutes for my database!

• Review the leagues history, clubs financial status and squads to ensure things are going how you envisioned. Test in more detail as described below if necessary

• Make any changes for issues you noticed and test again

Financial Testing

• Load up as described at the top

• Test the effect of league prize money and TV money seperatly from cup prize money, set cup prize money after financally testing the first two fully! (Its easy to get carried away and set Cup prize money but I strongly advise to do it last!)

• Holiday for one season, until just after the start of new season date (June 20th is the 2012 default)

• Add yourself as a manager to a few clubs of different reputations, check and note the finances (for each playable league if you have more than one)

• RESIGN FROM ALL CLUBS!!!

• Test until the end of the second season, check the same clubs again and compare how each leagues general income changes

• Adjust and test again until teams are financially stable for at least three seasons or are at whatever level you want in income.

• Add cup prize money for all cups.

• Test again to ensure teams are rewarded fairly.

• You should be done now

Stability Testing

• Load up as described at the top

• If desired add the "Parent Country" as playable or view only (eg England for databases for Hampshire, Yorkshire etc)

• Start a game and go to bed, work, shopping (TOP TIP: dont fall asleep before starting the game!)

• After 5 seasons see where you are and make adjustments to the database where required

• Repeat or do some more seasons if required

• Test for a minimum of 7 seasons

Playability Testing

• Load up as if you are going to play a game

• If desired add the "Parent Country" as playable or view only (eg England for databases for Hampshire, Yorkshire etc)

• Start a game and add yourself as a manager to a team, do this at least once for a team in every league)

• Ensure any squad rules you may have added are working by holidaying through to important dates like squad selection

• Once you are happy teams can be selected holiday to the end of the season

• Check all teams to ensure top players are playing lots of games, a good way to spot issues is by looking at appearances

• Check fixtures for congestion, some congestion is expected and adds a challenge to the database. Pay particular attention to teams who play in European competitions

• Check for long periods without a game, consider adding a winter break for small leagues or leagues where teams play few games

• Repeat for at least two seasons

• Your database should now be playable, do try and get a friend to play the database too

• REMEMBER! There is no better test than a long term game you play yourself, 5 seasons is usually enough. Do not be tempted to restart for minor or cosmetic issues unless they are spotted early on. I have learnt more by playing my own well developed database for 5 seasons than I did for just letting it run for 5 seasons. A quick shortcut would be to let it holiday for the first 3 seasons then play season 4 and 5.