Glossary – Coltness HS – Computer Games Development

2D game	A game with actions, activities and mechanics that work in two dimensions. (A 2D game may have 3D graphics).
3D game	A game with actions, activities, and mechanics that work in three dimensions.
abstract game	A game that does not aim to replicate reality or real-life situations.
adaptive play	When a game’s Al monitors the player’s performance and changes difficulty levels in response, for example making the game harder when the player is performing well.
animation	Making models or images that move.
anti-hero	A game protagonist with questionable morals, methods or motivation.
arcade game	A game designed to be played on a gaming machine, usually in a public place, for a small amount of money or a token.
artificial intelligence (Al)	A branch of computer science and engineering, referring to programs that appear to ‘learn’ and can display ‘intelligent’ reactions.
asset	A component of a game, such as a character or object; or even a texture, sound effect or script.
bedroom coding	When developers produce games from a small-scale, probably home-based, set-up.
block map	A simple 3D map built up from a 2D plan, for example showing the layout of a level.
boss	The stage in a game when a player takes on a major character in combat — in a kill- or-be-killed situation.
camera-relative controls	When control of an on-screen toy happens from the point of view of the camera. For example, a character facing towards the player will move to the right of the screen when the left control is activated.
career mode	A narrative device for plotting a course through a game. For example, in a tennis game, selecting ‘career mode’ would result in a series of matches with rival players, as in a real-life tennis tournament.
character-relative controls	When control of an on-screen toy happens from the point of view of the character. For example, a character facing towards the player will move to the right of the screen when the leff control is activated.
code	The written program for a game or game engine.
console	A personal, dedicated gaming machine, designed for playing games at home.
cut scenes	Scenes between gameplay that are used to fill in sections of narrative or provide information. These can be long and cinematic in style, or quite minimal. They may be video scenes, providing high- quality visuals, or rendered using the game engine, resulting in a more seamiess (but relatively primitive) effect.
deathmatch	A fight between several players, across a computer network, in a special level of a first-person shooter game known as an arena.
dual-shock controller	A two-handled controller designed for use with PlayStation and PS2, with multiple buttons and the ability to vibrate in response to in-game action, powered by the console.
environment	The setting of a game — the physical landscape and general ambience.
first-person perspective	A view of the gameworld through the eyes of the main character.
first-person shooter (FPS)	A game in which the player experiences the gameworld — and confronts their enemies — through the eyes of their character.
game design document (GDD)	A lengthy document that records every aspect of a game in written and visual form, from overall outline to details of the game mechanics.
game engine	The programming code which controls the structure and mechanics of a game.
game mechanics	The rules of a game; the systems that govern the way it is played, for example, how a character moves and attacks.
game physics	Programming that controls how objects move and interact with each other within the game — governing everything from a water droplet splashing to a truck crashing through a barricade.
game structure	The way the narrative and action of a game unfolds — for example, a game could be linear (objective-based) or sandbox-style (open-ended).
gameplay	The total experience provided by a game’s structure and mechanics.
games editor	Software which allows players to make modifications to a game, resulting in a new version, often entirely different from the original.
Gantt chart	A project-management tool, used on some major game projects, that breaks a project into individual tasks, and plots the time these will take and when they need to be finished by.
god game	A game which allows the player an overview of the whole gameworld, and allows him to control elements of that gameworid.
graphical user interface (GUI)	On-screen information that lets the player know his status, for example how much ammunition he has left, or his health level.
head-up display (HUD)	An on-screen display which presents vital information to the player, such as health status or amount of remaining ammunition.
health	This concept refers to the strength of a character, dependent on the amount of damage that has been inflicted. It can be represented graphically, or with numbers.
hero	The main protagonist of a game; the player’s character.
independent games developers	Small-scale games developers, often producing experimental games for web browsers, PCs or mobile phones.
intellectual property (IP)	Creativity or ideas that belong to a person or team in the same way that physical property does.
level	A discrete section within a game. Sometimes levels must be completed in a set sequence in order to succeed in a game.
level design	The specialist design process of a discrete section, or level, of a game.
level design document (LDD)	A lengthy document that records every aspect of a level in a game in written and visual form, from overall outline to details of the mechanics and smaller objectives within the level.
level editor	Software which allows players to make modifications to a level of a game, resulting in a new variation of a level, often entirely different from the original.
linear game	A game with a set path, or narrative, to follow in order to successfully complete it.
MMORPG	An acronym for Massively-Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. Thousands or millions of players interact in a virtual, online world.
modding	Producing modifications to a game using a game or level editor.
motion-capture	A technique in which a person wears electronic markers which detect movement. This movement can then be accurately plotted using software, to provide a digital representation o the movement to use in the context of an animation.
multi-player game	A game in which the player plays with or against other human players.
non-player character (NPC)	A character or object controlled by the computer.
NURB	An acronym for Non-Uniform Rational B-spline — a method for modelling curves.
open-ended game	A game in which the player can approach challenges in any order and still achieve success, It also allows for exploration of the gameworid.
PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart	A project-management tool that breaks a project into individual tasks, and makes links between related and interdependent tasks.
pitch document	An illustrated document designed to sell a game idea to potential publishers or developers.
platform	The type of hardware a game is designed to be played on, for example console or PC.
platform game	A game in which the player must navigate a hazardous environment, in a quest to achieve a particular aim and so restore order — traditionally the action was played out on twod imensional ‘platforms’ allowing a view of an entire level, but this has since evolved.
playfield	The area in which game action can happen.
poly count	The number of polygons used to build a 3D object, for example a character. An in-game object with a high poly count uses more valuable memory and takes longer to render than one with a lower poly count.
polygons (polys)	In computer game design, polygons are the small shapes that make up the virtual surface of a digital model, for example of a character.
portal	A web site that provides links or access to software and other material.
power-ups	Opportunities for a player to improve or recharge abilities, health or ammunition, for example by collecting particular objects.
production process	The sequence of events involved in making a computer game, from initial concept to distribution.
prototype	A portion of a game that has been created to test how it works in practice. A ‘vertical slice’ prototype creates an entire level to a high standard, with the dual intention of testing the game and providing a marketing tool.
puzzle game	An abstract game that requires a solution it could take the form of a shape association, maze, or building game, or may be a computerised version of a traditional puzzle such as solitaire.
Quality Assurance (QA)	The team of people who test a game for bugs, inconsistencies, and how well it plays.
rag doll physics	A branch of game physics that refers to the way characters’ bodies behave when they are injured or killed going floppy and flailing. The game physics control how solid objects (such as limbs) behave when they are linked together.
real-time strategy (RTS) game	A strategy game in which the opponent — human or computer Al — is competing for control of the game at the same time as the player (as opposed to a turn- based system).
rendering	Generating a finished view of a 3D object on screen.
respawning	When a character returns to a game after being killed.
rigging	The ‘skeleton’ inside a 3D character model which can be moved in order to animate the character.
sandbox game	A game in which the player can approach challenges in any order and explore the gameworld as he chooses.
shoot-’em-up (shmup)	A game in which the player must destroy as many opponents as possible, as quickly as possible.
simulation game	A game that aims to replicate a realistic situation or experience.
single-player game	A game in which the player competes or cooperates with characters and objects controlled by the computer.
sound editor	Software for manipulating sounds.
spawning	When a character is introduced to a game.
strategy game	A game in which a player commands a large number of characters and resources, and attempts to maintain a state of equilibrium and develop the gameworld.
technology (tech) tree	The set order in which a player must complete stages of a strategy game to increase the level of skills and equipment available to his people.
texturing	Adding a graphic representation of a surface to a digital model.
third-person perspective	A view of the gameworld from an objective point of view.
toy	An in-game character or object that can be interacted with or controlled in some way.
training level	A level before the main action of the game, in which the player has the chance to get used to the controls and experience all the possible game mechanics.
UV mapping	Placing a texture onto the mesh of a 3D model. UV is short for UWV, the coordinates for the texture (XYZ are the coordinates for the 3D model).
wire-frame	A 3D mesh model.

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