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: 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 nouna demonstration of a product or techniquehttps://www.google.co.uk/webhp?tab=ww&ei=5XIJVJyzO8SN7QbA94HoCg&ved=0CAcQ1S4#q=demo+definition

Closest to the finished product. This would help me find out what people think of my game and also any bugs that need to be fixed.

Beta the beta (β) of an investment is a measure of the risk arising from exposure to general market movements as opposed to idiosyncratic factors. The market portfolio of all investable assets has a beta of exactly 1. A beta below 1 can indicate either an investment with lower volatility than the market, or a volatile investment whose price movements are not highly correlated with the market. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_(finance)

This is similar to a demo however a demo is close to the finished product. This is next state to the game proceeding from it’s alpha state.

Alpha Alpha is the stage when key gameplay functionality is implemented, and assets are partially finished.[152] A game in alpha is feature complete, that is, game is playable and contains all the major features.[153] These features may be further revised based on testing and feedback. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_development

An alpha openly distributes games in it’s unfinished state and this would help me fix bugs, add or remove certain features and finish the game according to people’s opinion and what they want.

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

Pre-Alpha Beta is feature and asset complete version of the game, when only bugs are being fixed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_development

An even earlier version of alpha. The game is in a very early state I could use this release to find out whether people like the game and I would carry on developing.

Gold Gold master is the final game's build that is used as a master for production of the game

I can release the game in its finished state.

Debug Debugging is a methodical process of finding and reducing the number of bugs, or defects, in a computer program or a piece of electronic hardware, thus making it behave as expected. Debugging tends to be harder when various subsystems are tightly coupled, as changes in one may cause bugs to emerge in another. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debugging

I could use this as a behind the scenes

White-Box Testing

White-box testing (also known as clear box testing, glass box testing, transparent box testing, and structural testing) is a method of testing software that tests internal structures or workings of an application, as opposed to its functionality (i.e. black-box testing). https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCMQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FWhite-box_testing&ei=UXUJVNbYPIay7AbJnoDwDg&usg=AFQjCNHeMlU1-icHNjTi7Qn-4DdFjcJ-xw&sig2=4AXceUKLgZpLFi7ouaVtHg&bvm=bv.74649129,d.d2s

I could test the game’s workability while its in a running state this would help me find and remove and bugs or things that don’t work.

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

Bug A software bug is an error, flaw, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result, or to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's source code or its design, or in frameworks and operating systems used by such programs, and a few are caused by compilers producing incorrect code. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug

I would find any bugs and glitches in the game to either remove them or use them to create an extra entity / ability.

GAME ENGINES

Vertex Shader

A Vertex Shader is also GPU component and is also programmed using a specific assembly-like language, like pixel shaders, but are oriented to the scene geometry and can do things like adding cartoony silhouette edges to objects, etc. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/832545/what-are-vertex-and-pixel-shaders

Vertex shading can be used to change entire textures of things which would help me shade things faster.

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

GAME ENGINES

Pixel Shader A Pixel Shader is a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit) component that can be programmed to operate on a per pixel basis and take care of stuff like lighting and bump mapping. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/832545/what-are-vertex-and-pixel-shaders

This would help me change individual textures of things so I can add more details.

Post Processing

The term post-processing (or postproc for short) is used in the video/film business for quality-improvement image processing (specifically digital image processing) methods used in video playback devices, (such as stand-alone DVD-Video players), and video players software and transcoding software. It is also commonly used in real-time 3D rendering (such as in video games) to add additional effects. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_post-processing

After the game is complete I could go through some post processing to make it look better.

Rendering Rendering is the process of generating an image from a 2D or 3D model (or models in what collectively could be called a scene file), by means of computer programs. Also, the results of such a model can be called a rendering. A scene file contains objects in a strictly defined language or data structure; it would contain geometry, viewpoint, texture, lighting, and shading information as a description of the virtual scene. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendering_(computer_graphics)

This can be done while the game is in development so I can test the objects and he game itself and it can also be done after the game is complete. I would render it so all the objects, Npcs and functions are put in the final game and nothing is missing.

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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, or "Dot3 bump mapping", is a technique used for faking the lighting of bumps and dents – an implementation of bump mapping. It is used to add details without using more polygons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping

Instead of putting in loads of high quality and large sized texture files I could use this to create decent looking textures and bumps without putting more pressure on the graphics.

Entity I would use this to put Npcs in the game both neutral, good and bad ones. Without their entity file existing they cannot be in the game therefore leaving the game not functioning properly.

UV Map This process projects a texture map onto a 3D object. The letters "U" and "V" denote the axes of the 2D texture[note 1] because "X", "Y" and "Z" are already used to denote the axes of the 3D object in model space.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

I can use this to create 2d looking levels in a 3d game.

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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 natural elements such as wood, marble, granite, metal, stone, and others. Wikipedia

Procedural textures can be used to make the game look realistic and beautiful. Unlike Normal Mapping, this procedure uses large files to import in high quality textures that ultimately give the game a realistic feel.

Physics Computer animation physics or game physics involves the introduction of the laws of physics into a simulation or game engine, particularly in 3D computer graphics, for the purpose of making the effects appear more real to the observer. Typically, simulation physics is only a close approximation to real physics, and computation is performed using discrete values. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_physics

Without physics my game would be broken. No matter what kind of game I need physics. Unless my game is a character just existing and not moving, I would use physics to make things move and work.

Collision Collision detection typically refers to the computational problem of detecting the intersection of two or more objects. While the topic is most often associated with its use in video games and other physical simulations, it also has applications in robotics. In addition to determining whether two objects have collided, collision detection systems may also calculate time of impact (TOI), and report a contact manifold (the set of intersecting points) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collision_detection

I would use collision detection to make walls a hard material so things don’t just clip through them.

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

Lighting Lighting is one of the most important and influential elements in environments. It has the power to make or break the visuals, theme and atmosphere.Lighting is often forgotten or underestimated. Designers often add it quickly and without much love. While in the past that was partially excusable by the weak hardware and game engines, these excuses just won't hold up anymore. Lighting is just as important as geometry. Without lighting there is no environment but just a group of 3 dimensional objects. Lighting has the capacity to bring life to a group of objects and take them to the next level of quality. Its purpose goes further than just giving the players the ability to see where they are going. http://www.moddb.com/tutorials/lighting-in-game-environments-the-hows-and-whys

I would use lighting to make things look brighter or dimmer. This can be used to create an atmosphere. It is also necessary for the players to be able to look at the world because without the lighting props wont be fully visible as the developer intended them to look.

AA – Anti-Aliasing

An anti-aliasing filter is a filter used before a signal sampler, to restrict the bandwidth of a signal to approximately satisfy the sampling theorem. Since the theorem states that unambiguous interpretation of the signal from its samples is possible when the power of frequencies above the Nyquist frequency is zero, a real anti-aliasing filter can generally not completely satisfy the theorem. A realizable anti-aliasing filter will typically permit some aliasing to occur; the amount of aliasing that does occur depends on a design trade-off between reduction of aliasing and maintaining signal up to the Nyquist frequency and the frequency content of the input signal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-aliasing_filter

I could use this to make bumpy texture look smooth and give the graphics an overall better look.

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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

In computer graphics, accounting for level of detail involves decreasing the complexity of a 3D object representation as it moves away from the viewer or according to other metrics such as object importance, viewpoint-relative speed or position. Level of detail techniques increases the efficiency of rendering by decreasing the workload on graphics pipeline stages, usually vertex transformations. The reduced visual quality of the model is often unnoticed because of the small effect on object appearance when distant or moving fast.

Different LoDs are very important because not everyone has a high spec pc and if the game only has high level of detail, people with mediocre or low spec pcs wont be able to play it without having significant frame drops .

Animation Computer animation, or CGI animation, is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer-generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images while computer animation only refers to moving images. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_animation

I would use this to animate the npc’s, any things that move or things that react when the player interacts with them.

Sprite In computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names; see Synonyms below) 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. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_(computer_graphic

In a 2d game everything has a sprite as a base to work from.

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

Scene A cutscene 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, atmosphere, dialogue, and clues. Cutscenes often feature "on the fly" rendering, using the gameplay graphics to create scripted events. Cutscenes can also be animated, live action, or pre-rendered computer graphics streamed from a video file http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutscene

I would use this to explain the story of the game or to show demos of how certain abilities work.

Library a library is a collection of non-volatile resources used by programs on a computer, often to develop software. These may include configuration data, documentation, help data, message templates, pre-written code and subroutines, classes, values or type specifications.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_(computing)

This is a collection of resources that makes finding and using the assets easier.

UI User interface design in games differs from other UI design because it involves an additional element -- fiction. The fiction involves an avatar of the actual user, or player. The player becomes an invisible, but key element to the story, much like a narrator in a novel or film. http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/AnthonyStonehouse/20140227/211823/User_interface_design_in_video_games.php

This has to be very well designed for the players to play the game properly. If the Ui is not well calibrated with the game, things will feel out of sync and that will ruin the gameplay and the overall experience.

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

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. Frame rate is most often expressed in frames per second (FPS) and is also expressed in progressive scan monitors as hertz (Hz). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frame_rate

The higher the game’s texture quality, the better specs a pc needs to run it. If you run a game on high quality settings on a pc that cant handle it, the frames drop. Meaning there are less frames per second.

Concept an idea or mental image which corresponds to some distinct entity or class of entities, or to its essential features, or determines the application of a term (especially a predicate), and thus plays a part in the use of reason or language https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?tab=ww&ei=TH0JVKqwBuuz7Qb44oKQDg&ved=0CAMQ1S4#q=what+is+a+conceot

Without a concept I would not have a thorough understanding or plan for what I am doing. A concept is an idea, a starting point and I would use this to come up with new ideas for the game.

Pathfinding Pathfinding or pathing is the plotting, by a computer application, of the shortest route between two points. It is a more practical variant on solving mazes. This field of research is based heavily on Dijkstra's algorithm for finding the shortest path on a weighted graph. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinding

I would use this to find the shortest route between two points

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