Tag Games is full of some incredibly talented people and in our Meet the Manager series we take a look at the people who lead and inspire the team’s development and growth.
Next up, is David Murdoch, our Head of QA.
What do you do at Tag?
I’m the Head of QA. I currently manage QA on our projects.
How did you get into Games?
I’ve been a keen gamer since playing on the NES in the eighties (my favourite game at the time was Super Mario Bros 3) but it really started when I got an Atari STE for my Christmas, where games like Zak McKracken and Dizzy got me hooked. Career-wise, I briefly started a Games Technology course at University but decided to take time off, and during that time I landed a temporary contract as a QA Tester, testing F1 2000 on the PlayStation. As a side note, I’m also a keen Formula 1 fan, so this was a great opportunity for me.
Favourite thing about working at Tag?
The people, the culture and the drive to succeed as a team. Everyone’s opinion is welcome and it doesn’t feel like there is any seclusion. All disciplines work together, which is great.
What about your work at Tag do you find particularly rewarding?
Implementing new processes or strategies which have a positive impact on the company and projects. As a bonus, it always feels rewarding finding a defect which is particularly elaborate in its nature. I would imagine this would be the case for a lot of people who work in QA.
And what about the more challenging parts of your work? What really pushes you?
Understanding new systems or parts of the game that are complex to test, with lots of scenarios to think about. This can at times feel quite daunting but it just takes time and teamwork, to work through the process and breaking things down into smaller, manageable pieces. The drive comes from wanting to succeed as a team and learning new things.
Favourite thing about Dundee?
The general scenery and walking or running next to the River Tay, it is very calming and serene. I also like that it is quite hilly which is certainly a challenge when cycling.
What game character do you think you’re most like?
This is a tough question! Maybe Isaac Clarke from the Dead Space series. I have a very slight resemblance (maybe) but it’s one of my favourite franchises so I’ll go with that (I spent way too much time getting all the trophies in this game)