So you found bug but don't know how to report it?

Here are some tips on how to submit a bug report.


What is a Bug?

We know in the real world that bugs are tiny insects that some of us want to spray some form of aerosol on to get rid of but how do they relate to a video game?

Before you pull out that can and ruin the ozone layer, it's important to understand the difference between a bug and feedback.

A bug in a game is usually refers to something that isn't working correctly and/or involves some form of error. Game bugs can come in different sizes. Some bugs may be very minor ones that don't keep you from playing the game, like a typo. However, other bugs may be a bit more intrusive, like a bug that causing you to crash out of game.

If the problem is something you just want changed because you don't like the way it works it shouldn't be considered a bug, it is considered feedback. Feedback can be submitted via the /feedback command or posted on the official forums.


Getting Help with a Bug

There may be some bugs that only affect one of your characters. When this occurs, you'll want to use the /bug command. If the bug is keeping you from playing, you'll need to review what steps you can take to get it resolved. The Knowledge Base is a great source of information. You can often find a resolution to your problem there without needing any further assistance.

If you do find that you need assistance, you can use /petition. For more information on petitioning, read the following news article: Knowing When and How to Petition


The Cycle of a Bug

  1. A Player experiencing the bug uses /bug to report the bug in game.
  2. Quality Assurance (QA) receives and reviews the bug report along with other reports on the same issue.
  3. QA investigates the bug and determines if it can be duplicated and determines the severity of the bug. QA may also record how many times the bug was reported to occur.
  4. QA sends a verification of the bug to development, tracking the verified bug in the bug database.
  5. Development reviews the report and determines where the bug should go in the priority list of other bugs and other things being worked on for the game.
  6. Development fixes the bugs based on the priority list.
  7. QA tests the fix for the bug.
  8. Development releases the fix in the next available update.
  9. The Bug is smashed!


Submitting a Bug Report

To report a bug, please use the /bug command in game. While we do use the forums to get more information on bugs, the /bug reports are our main source of information. The /bug reports allow us to collect, properly categorize, and track bug report information in a bug database. If you have additional information to submit that cannot be detailed in the bug reports, like screenshots, diagrams, etc., then please be sure to include a link to where the information can be found in your /bug report, i.e. if you have posted a screenshot on the forums.


    The Reports Window




    • Category: When submitting a /bug report, it's important to select the appropriate category for the bug. The category can be selected by clicking on the arrow to pull up the dropdown menu and highlighting the correct category. If you can't find a category that fits the bug, you can use Other.


    • Location: When you bring up the Report a Bug window, the location will pull up your current location. If you are no longer in the location, you can travel there and use the Update location button. If you are unable to get the location, describe the area the best that you can.


    • Information: Enter information about the bug in the bottom area of the window. Bug reports need to include specifics and as much detail about the issue as possible without being redundant. It is not safe to assume just because they mention the name of an item or a brief description of a quest that we know exactly what they are talking about. The reports need to be written as though the person who is receiving it has no previous knowledge of the problem or content matter. Don't assume that the system will append additional information.


    • Optional Info: While this area is optional for submitting the report, if they are relevant, they should be selected. These options help us help us track down further information about the bug.


Examples of Good Reports

  • User Data: In Cabilis, 2 forges are stacked on top of each other, around loc +222, -315.


    • This bug report is short and to the point, but includes the necessary details such as what objects are experiencing problems, what the problem is exactly, as well as the zone and coordinates where it can be seen.

  • User Data: The level 62 Beastlord spell, "Spiritual Vigor" has an inaccurate description. The spell description says: "Fills your target with spiritual brawn, increasing their hit points and attack rating for 1:12:00", but this spell functioning as a group spell. Either the description should be changed to reflect it is a group spell, or the spell should be changed so it no longer hits my entire group.


    • Due to the lack of good examples, this bug report was created by the QA team. It shows what we look for in a simple, but well written, bug report.

  • User Data: I am having a problem with part of the quest for the Staff of Living Brambles (Druid Epic 1.5). The most recent step I had completed is I looted a Hasty Note from a furtive figure in South Qeynos. I then went to the druid ring in South Karana around loc -6122 -3325 and waited until midnight (game time) at which point three NPCs spawned; Tehana, Finnelzi, and Rendolf. I was supposed to kill all three of these NPCs and loot one Crystal Fragment from each of their corpses. I was only able to kill Rendolf and loot the Crystal Fragment from his corpse though, missing the other two. I tried getting the NPCs to respawn by waiting at the same druid ring until midnight again, but the event will not reset. I believe the event is bugged since I am unable to acquire the other two Crystal Fragments that I need to continue with the quest since the NPCs will no longer spawn.


    • This is another report that was created by the QA team but it shows how more details can be provided.


Examples of Bad Reports

  • User Data: walls go blank, cant see.


    • There is no information from the player about what zone they are in, what their location is, what actions they are taking to produce this issue, or any other relevant information that would assist in tracking down the specific issue and its causes.

  • User Data: I was doing the rogue epic 1 (Ragebringer). I handed in the 2 notes required for the quest (top and bottom yesterday), and today I handed in the quill, pouch, and dagger. I did not get my epic after this hand which is the final hand in for the epic. I need my items back in order to retry handing in.


    • Players often make the mistake of assuming we know everything about every quest in the game and have the capability of understanding exactly what they are talking about with minimal information. This bug report fails to include pertinent information such as the name of the NPC they are handing the items to, the exact names of the items they are attempting to give to the NPC, and what zone they are attempting to do this in. While we may have information available to us in regards to the more complicated quests, having this information in the report makes it much easier to track down the issue and determine if indeed all of the appropriate steps are being taken (e.g. they are attempting to give the proper items to the correct NPC, etc.).

  • User Data: When trying to make the spell cornucopia I have all the right components and when I try to make the spell in the proper books I get can not combine these items in this container type. This needs to be fixed.


    • This report also fails to include specifics such as the names of the items they are attempting to combine, the container they are using to combine them in, and other useful data such as their character's class, level, or tradeskill level. Usually issues such as this are the result of player error and it makes it easier to determine the issue if we know the exact items the player is working with.

  • User Data: I have finished all of the tasks on my quest and my quest journal did not update even though I have all the items needed.


    • This player gives no information about what quest they are attempting to complete, the name of the NPC the quest came from or what zone it takes place in, the items that are needed to update the task, or any other steps in the progression of the task. The information in this bug might be enough to narrow it down to several hundred different possible quests/tasks.


For more information, feel free to join Nodyin's discussion on Bug Reports.