Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Produce a glossary of terms specific to the methods and principles of Video Game Design and Video Game Terms. Using a provided template, you must research and gather definitions specific to provided glossary terms. Any definitions must be referenced with the URL link of the website you have obtained the definition.

You must also, where possible, provide specific details of how researched definitions relate to your own production practice.

Name: Josh Grey

RESEARCHED DEFINITION (provide short internet researched definition and URL link)

DESCRIBE THE RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCHED TERM TO YOUR OWN PRODUCTION PRACTICE?

IMAGE SUPPORT (Provide an image and/or video link of said term being used in a game)

VIDEO GAMES / VIDEO GAME TESTING

Demo A Demo is a freely distributed piece of an upcoming or recently released Video Game, demos are typically used to get a feel for a game before you buy it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_demo

A Demo is a way to play a game before you buy it and get a general idea of how the game feels and plays before you purchase it. Demos are typically free and only a selected part of the game or sometimes timed demos, where you can play the game for 30 minutes and see how far you progress, sometimes they are offered with another game made by the same developer as a promotion.

This image is a promotional image for the Demo for Diablo 3, before it was released.

http://www.blizzplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/diablo-iii-xbox-360-ps3-demo-free.jpg

Video, showing gameplay from the Diablo 3 PS4 Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bhZD_wVeso

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Beta A Beta, or “Beta Test” is the distribution of a game before release to a selected group of people, who can test in in their own homes. Betas are often unfinished games.

http://www.techopedia.com/definition/27136/beta-test-gaming

A Beta is a game that is almost finished, apart from some bugs that still need to be worked out. It is offered to a selected number of people who play and test it for the developer. The online store Steam sometimes offers beta access on unreleased games if you buy the game before it is released.

The image above shows a glitch found in the Battlefield 3 Beta.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cORy8cItqeQ/ToNYjPIyrUI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/79yc_71vBKE/s1600/lol.jpg

Video, showing the glitch in game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE3zESmcqwA

Alpha A very early version of a game that may not contain all the features that are planned when the game is fully released,

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/alpha_version.html

A Alpha is very much like a demo but more limited, where a demo is very close to the finished game you will buy, an Alpha is the game in very early stages of development it is used to test how the game plays so far and find any glaring mistakes that have been made in development so far.

This is an image promoting the war simulation game, Arma 3 which released on steam in Alpha, Beta and Finished game stages of development.

http://shadywarez.com/attachments/capsule_616x353-jpg.3978/

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Pre-Alpha The first stage of development is known as pre-production. During this phase the story and concepts are writer, and art is concepted.

http://gameindustry.about.com/od/glossary/fl/Alpha-Game-Software-Definition.htm

Pre-Alpha refers to a Video Game in very early development when the story and art of the game is still being produced. The actual game at this point is just being started.

This Image shows a game in pre-alpha where there are close to no textures on the game world, and it has just begun development.

http://media.moddb.com/images/games/1/23/22935/Ominous_Eternal_2013_9_4_3.png

Gold A game has “Gone Gold” when the final master copy has been produced and the developer has sent it off for replication, packaging and shipment.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gone%20Gold

A game “Going Gold” means it is complete and will now start being boxed up and shipped to various retailers to being sales.

Image showing some of the special editions that developers make when a game goes Gold.

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Image: https://allaussiehiphop.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/destinypackaging.jpg

Debug A debug menu or debug mode is a user interface implements in a computer program that allows the user to view and/ or manipulate the programs internal state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debug_menu

A Debug menu in a game is used to accesses the internals of the game and do things that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

Video explaining how to debug a game:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXmRRPYM2Dg

Automation Automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process or system by mechanical or electronic devices.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automation

Automation could be used in a game to make your character do something it’s self automatically that you didn’t want to do.

White-Box Testing

Also known as glass box, structural, clear box testing. A software testing technique whereby explicit knowledge of the internal workings of the item are being tested.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/White_Box_Testing.html

White-Box testing is something developers do where they perform an action in the game and then recorded what it does this is a way to find bugs and glitches. Above is a diagram showing the process of White-Box testing.

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/autp1/whitebox.jpg

Video explaining what White Box Testing is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bJcvBLJViQ

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Bug A glitch is a short-lived fault in a system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitch

A bug, or more commonly known as a glitch is a fault in the game that some people expose, this can sometimes be useful to the player, or worthless.

A glitch/bug in the game Skyrim, by Bethesda.

Video showing a glitch in a game which can be useful to the player, by making them impossible to kill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AGJGWzhH2o

GAME ENGINES

Vertex Shader

The Vertex Shader is used to transform the attributes of verities such as colour, texture, position and direction.

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/53754/vertex-shader

Vertex shaders are used to change the look of certain objects, such as making a table look like it is made of wood.

The image above shows the effects of using different shaders on the same object.

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

GAME ENGINES

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Toon-shader.jpg

Pixel Shader A pixel Shader is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) component that can be programmed to operate on a per pixel basis to take care of lighting and other things.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/832545/what-are-vertex-and-pixel-shaders

A pixel shader is part of a GPU which deals with the lighting effects in games and other aspects of graphics.

This image above shows what happens when a pixel fader is turned off (left) and when it is turned on (right)

http://assets.overclock.net.s3.amazonaws.com/4/4e/4e776cf7_vbattach2843.jpeg

Post Processing

The term post-processing is used in the film/video business for quality-improvement image processing methods used in video playback devices.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_post-processing

This is when you edit a video to improve the sound or visuals; this is sometimes used on game trailers to make the games look more appealing.

The image above shows how much post processing can change a photo.

http://holykaw.alltop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/4426829-media_httpwwwdesignfreebiesorgwpcontentuploads200910photographypostproc

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

essing12jpg_pIceHbEcChDjpyp.jpg

Rendering Rendering is the process of generating an image from a 2D or 3D model by means of computer programs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendering_(computer_graphics)

Rendering is the forming of a character or an object in a video game. There are different stages of rendering each one adding more detail to the in-game object. Sometimes video game creators render their trailers even more than the game to add graphic detail to the trailer that isn’t actually in the game.

This image shows character rendering in different stages of the process (the right is more advanced)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WYdJbawN34c/TcwmQ0Qd0yI/AAAAAAAAAKY/c6UI4g-yiAE/s400/Unrendered_Rendered.jpg

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Normal Map In 3D computer graphics, normal mapping is a technique used for faking the lighting of bumps and dents. It is used to add detail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping

Normal mapping is a way to improve the detail of an already finished piece of a game without furtherer editing it, this is done with lighting effects.

In this image Normal Mapping is used to add shadows, and light to the character model to improve the detail and overall look.

http://fresh92.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/bmap5.jpg

Video, explaining how normal mapping works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSHX5mJb86I

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Entity In computer games and game engines, entity is a dynamic object such as a non-player character or item.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity

In a video game an entity is anything that isn’t the character you are controlling.

This image shows an entity in the video game borderlands 2.

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130517002221/borderlands/images/8/89/Screen_Shot_2013-05-16_at_8.12.04_PM.png

UV Map UV Mapping is the 3D modelling process of making a 2D image a representation of a 3D models surface.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

UV Mapping is taking apart a 3d object and turning it into a flattened out image

The ball on the right has no UV mapping this makes the pattern uneven, the ball on the left does, making the pattern flow around it perfectly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping#mediaviewer/File:UV_mapping_checkered_sphere.png

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Procedural Texture

A procedural texture is a computer-generated image created using an algorithm intended to create a realistic representation of a natural element.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedural_texture

A procedural texture, is a pre-made texture used on a 3D object in a game to make it look true to life, the texture can be wood, stone, metal and many other different things.

This image shows some procedural textures and the objects you can use them with.

http://www.inear.se/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/wood1.jpg

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Physics Computer animation physics or game physics is introducing the laws of physics into a simulation game engine, for the purpose of making the effects appear more real.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_physics

Physics, is adding physics into a game e.g. when cars hit each other they cause collisions instead of passing through each other, physics are in games to make them appear more real and true to the real thing.

This image shows the use of physics in a video game by using dominos as an example.

http://www.cbprojs.com/published/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/physicsScreen2.jpg

Collision Collision detection algorithmically calculates impact time by identifying two or more object intersection points. Collision detection is also a virtual interface that determines user and object distance for collision prevention. Collision detection is a key 3-D component associated with robotics, video games and physical simulation.

http://www.techopedia.com/definition/4778/collision-detection

Collision Detection in video games is an algorithm that creates an impact when to things collide, such as a car and a wall or throwing something in a video game, if the thing you have thrown collides with a wall it will then bounce off. This image shows how collisions happen in video

games.

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Lighting Bloom (Lighting) is a computer graphics effect used in video games, demos and high dynamic range rending to reproduce an imagining of real-world cameras.

Lighting is used in video games to improve the overall graphics, and to set a mood for a particular scene in a video game, e.g. making fire glow on the walls.

This image shows lighting effects in a game.

http://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/gallery/best-lighting-in-games/killzone-2-lighting.jpg

AA – Anti-Aliasing

Anti-aliasing (AA) is the process of smoothing edges so they don’t appear jagged. The number associated with it (2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x) is the number of samples taken to smooth it. to make it appear smoother, pixels around an area are added together then an average colour is found.

http://www.answers.com/Q/What_does_anti_aliasing_mean

Anti-aliasing is taking samples from two contrasting colours that meet and then putting colours in-between them to blend them instead of it being a sudden change in colour, this process results in a sharper image. The higher you turn up the anti-aliasing the sharper the image will become.

The image above show the difference between anti-aliasing turned on and off

http://blog.codinghorror.com/content/images/uploads/2011/12/6a0120a85dcdae970b015437fee512970c-800wi.jpg

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

LoD – Level of Detail

Level of detail is a general design term for video game landscapes in which closer objects are rendered with more polygons than objects that are farther away.

http://www.techopedia.com/definition/11791/level-of-detail-lod

Level of detail, is the detail of objects or scenery that isn’t in the immediate foreground. This was more noticeable in older games where the closer you got to something you could see detail being added, it doesn’t happen as much now due to more powerful hardware.

The 4 images above show detail levels from low to very high.

Image: http://www.gamereactor.eu/media/26/crysis3minimista_702601b.jpg

Animation Animation is the process of creating motion and shape change illusion by means of the rapid display of a sequence of static images that minimally differ from each other. The illusion—as in motion pictures in general—is thought to rely on the phi phenomenon. Animators are artists who specialize in the creation of animation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation

Animation is the act of making something inanimate move, this could be a ball using stop-frame animation or a video game character using digital animation. It is a key and vital factor of any video game.

A video giving a tutorial on the basics of video game animation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4xJaXLE_98

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Sprite In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene. Initially including just graphical objects handled separately from the memory bitmap of a video display, this now includes various manners of graphical overlays.

A sprit is a 2D image, it is commonly seen in retro games when 3D wasn’t an option in 2D games anything on screen Is a sprite.

A collection of video game sprites.

http://earthboundcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/sprites1.jpg

Scene A cut scene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no or only limited control, breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot, strengthen the main character's development, introduce characters, and provide background information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutscene

A cut scene in games is basically a short video which you watch instead of play yourself. It is normally where most of the story progression happens.

A picture from a cut scene during a Batman Arkham game

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/190mgkuruoeqdjpg/original.jpg

Library a class library is commonly available to provide graphical user interface (GUI) functions such as windowing routines, buttons, scroll bars and other elements.

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/39743/class-library

A Library is where functions of the game are stored that will be used often, such as the menus this is so the game doesn’t have to load them every time and they

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

can be ready and waiting.UI In video gaming, the HUD (heads-up display)

or Status Bar is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface. It takes its name from the head-up displays used in modern aircraft.

The HUD is frequently used to simultaneously display several pieces of information including the main character's health, items, and an indication of game progression (such as score or level).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HUD_(video_gaming)

UI refers to the term User Interface or HUD, it is what is displayed on the screen when the player is playing the game. The mini-map and the radar are part of the user interface on a game like Call of Duty.

This image is an example of a user-interface in a game.

http://payload157.cargocollective.com/1/3/124138/5453453/Elite_03_2048.jpg

Frames Frame rate, also known as frame frequency and frames per second (FPS), is the frequency (rate) at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to film and video cameras, computer graphics, and motion capture systems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frame_rate

Frames or FPS is how many frames per second your game runs at. More frames per second results in smoother gameplay. The max your eye can see is 60fps so if a game runs at this you won’t see any stuttering in the game at all.

This photo demonstrates the difference between 30fps and 60fps.

http://www.edgonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/24fps-vs-30fps-vs-60fps.jpg

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Concept A general idea derived or inferred from specific instances or occurrences.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/concept

A concept is the very first step in creating a game, it is the general idea of what the game will become and the direction development will go into. Some games have hundreds of concepts based around one idea or point before deciding on a final concept for the game to be formed around. It is also the time in development in which concept art is created, which are the first attempt at designing the look of a character.

Above is some concept art from the video game Assassin’s Creed: Revelations.

http://videogame-art.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/VideoGameArt_ACRevelations_CharacterConcepts01_MartinDeschambault.jpg

Event A tangible or intangible barrier or occurrence that, once breached or met, causes another event to occur.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/triggeringevent.asp

An event in a video game is something that needs to be done in order to trigger something else to happen, such as walking into a room can trigger a cut scene (event)

This video shows event triggers in the FPS game Battlefield 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaUnif8Aon0

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Pathfinding Pathfinding in the context of video games concerns the way in which a moving entity finds a path around an obstacle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinding#In_video_games

Pathfinding is when an AI character finds their way through an area in the most efficient way possible, without getting stuck.

This video shows bad Pathfinding in the game Sim City, in which the AI controlled car goes around in circles and can’t find the best route: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHdyzx_ecbQ

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