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:Ben Atherton

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 game demo is a freely distributed piece of an upcoming or recently released video game. Demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_demo

A demo is a short section of a game released to download to allow people to trial a game before they buy it or it is a part of the game that they show to people during gaming events such as E3 in order to build up “hype” for the game in order to interest people into buying the game they are normally used for marketing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcMRkyoHKeAThis video shows a non-playable demo for watchdogshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9o4HPdvjVgThis video shows the playable demo for dragon age II

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

purposesBeta A test for a computer product prior to

commercial release. Beta testing is the last stage of testing, and normally can involve sending the product to beta test sites outside the company for real-world exposure or offering the product for a free trial download over the Internet. Beta testing is often preceded by a round of testing called alpha testing.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/B/beta_test.html

A beta is the stage in a game after alpha where it is made slightly more public and allow people to play the game and report bugs so that they can be patched out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MWPeScb_skThis video shows the beta of ‘next car game’

Alpha A very early version of a software product that may not contain all of the features that are planned for the final version.

Typically, software goes through two stages of testing before it is considered finished. The first stage, called alpha testing, is often performed only by users within the organization developing the software. The second stage, called beta testing, generally involves a limited number of external users.

An alpha is the stage in the game where the game is still buggy and unfinished but is ready for play testing to find bugs and get opinions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBGX0dl5Ziw\This video shows the alpha build of banished

Pre-Alpha Pre-Alpha is a standard term to denote a number of interim milestones between prototyping and alpha, each of which includes new functionality and/or game content. Pre-alphas often mandate incremented improvements on a number of parallel areas in a project, but rarely expect any one of those areas to be complete. The exact content of each pre-alpha is often an ongoing discussion between producers on the team and those at the publisher.http://www.whatgamesare.com/pre-alpha.html

Pre alpha is the first stage in game testing where the game is nowhere near finished and can completely change direction at any point however it is still being slightly tested to find bugs as they go and get

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJw7OaLhMfEThis video shows the pre-alpha of unreal tournament 4

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

the game heading into the direction they want

Gold A game has "Gone Gold" when the final master copy has been produced at the developer and sent off for replication, packaging and shipment. The game is not yet released, but it will typically be around 2-3 weeks (sometimes less) before it begins appearing on store shelves and online pre-orders arriving at doorsteps. The term itself comes from the old practice of recordable CDs being manufactured with gold film. Hence the gold colored CD actually being the source, with no reference to copies sold as in the recording industry."The newest release in that game series is in 2 weeks, it has just Gone Gold!"http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gone%20Gold

Going gold is the stage where the coding for game is finished and it is being sent off to be shipped and is almost ready for release

This picture shows rockstars post when gta 5 went gold

Debug Identify and remove errors from (computer hardware or software):games are the worst to debughttp://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/debug

Debugging is finding and removing errors from a games code

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uzSw_fb7NQThis video shows debugging

Automation

the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically

Automation is the process of using computer programs that do things for you in your games for example in a game such as

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

Minecraft they use procedural generation to create the world in which the player will play in automatically all they design is the blocks in which the system will place when it generates the world

White-Box Testing

White Box Testing (also known as Clear Box Testing, Open Box Testing, Glass Box Testing, Transparent Box Testing, Code-Based Testing or Structural Testing) is a software testing method in which the internal structure/design/implementation of the item being tested is known to the tester. The tester chooses inputs to exercise paths through the code and determines the appropriate outputs. Programming know-how and the implementation knowledge is essential. White box testing is testing beyond the user interface and into the nitty-gritty of a system.http://softwaretestingfundamentals.com/white-box-testing/

White box testing is a method of testing where the code of software is tested rather than the user interface

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bJcvBLJViQThis video shows what white box testing is

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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 a problem causing a program to crash or produce invalid output. The problem is caused by insufficient or erroneous logic. A bug can be an error, mistake, defect or fault, which may cause failure or deviation from expected results.http://www.techopedia.com/definition/24864/software-bug-

A bug is a mistake in the code of software

This picture shows one of the most common bugs in video games where a player has fallen out of the map

GAME ENGINES

GAME ENGINES

Vertex Shader

A vertex shader is a graphics processing function used to add special effects to objects in a 3D environment by performing mathematical operations on the objects' vertex data.http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/feature_vertexshader.html

Vertex shaders are mathematical shaders that are used to add special effects to objects in an environment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhIMB-pzRDcThis video shows how to use vertex shaders in unity

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

Pixel Shader

Useful for someone who plays high-resolution games or watches high-definition movies on a computer, pixel shading executes various functions affecting how pixels on a computer screen will display. Executed from a computer's graphics card, pixel shaders make many special effects seen in gaming and other visually complex programs possible.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8764308_pixel-shading.html

Pixel shading affects how many pixels will be displayed on screen it is useful for creating special effects

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znfDhf1_UFAThis video shows GTA San Andreas enhanced by a pixel shader

Post Processing

Additionally, post-processing is

commonly used in 3D rendering,

especially for video games. Instead

of rendering 3D objects directly to

the display, the scene is first

rendered to a buffer in the memory of

the video card. Pixel shaders are

then used to apply post-processing

filters to the image buffer before

displaying it to the screen. Post-

processing allows effects to be used

that require awareness of the entire

Post processing are effects such as bloom and ambient occlusion which give a game a more cinematic look however they can sometimes make a game hard to play as a lot of bloom makes the screen quite blurry however it makes screenshots look better

This picture shows the difference between having post processing on and off as you can see the picture with it on looks nicer but would make for a more difficult playing experience

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

image (since normally each 3D

object is rendered in isolation). Such

effects include: High dynamic range

rendering, Bloom, Motion blur,

Screen Space Ambient Occlusion,

Cel shading, Crepuscular rays, Film

grain simulation, Depth of field,

Shadow mapping

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

Video_post-processing

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

Rendering is when you create an image out of a model or multiple models

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00gAbgBu8R4This video shows some in engine rendering of enviroments

Normal Map

In 3D computer graphics, normal mapping, or "Dot3 bump mapping", is a technique used for faking the lighting of bumps and dentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping

Normal mapping is a technique used to artificially add lighting to a model

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wopbib6iNlwThis video shows how to create a normal map

EntityIn computer games and game engines, entity is a dynamic object such as a non-player

An entity is an object in game that is not a player but is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKhVilAlWrEThis video shows the entity system used by

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

character or item.

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

still effected by the physics engine such as a barrel

nintendo

UV Map UV mapping is the 3D modeling process of making a 2D image representation of a 3D model's surfacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

UV mapping is the process of making a 2D model of a 3D model so it would show the front and the back of the model

This picture shows a uv map of the daemon hunter from diablo 3

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.

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

A procedural texture is a texture that is generated by a computer using mathematical algorithms

This picture shows a procedurally generated

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

mountain that was created by procedural texturing software

Physics Computer animation physics or game physics involves the introduction of the laws of physics into a simulation or game enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_physics

Physics is what the game uses to have laws of physics similar to what we have in the real world however they do not have to be similar to what we have here for example gravity could be turned off within game physics and therefor nothing will fall or it could be programmed so that things fall upwards it is a set of rules that all objects in the game follow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jS3OHBfffYThis video shows a demonstration of a physics engine

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

Collis bnion

Collision detection typically refers to the computational problem of detecting the intersection of two or more objectshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collision_detection

Collision is what a game engine uses to detect if two objects collide (touch each other)

This picture shows a collision within burnout paradise

Lighting Lighting is what lights up a game some lighting engines only include small things such as light and dark areas whereas other lighting engines include rays of light

A picture showing lighting in a modded version skyrim it shows light rays and different areas having a different intensity of lighting

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

AA – Anti-Aliasing

 Antialiasing is a software technique for diminishing jaggies - stairstep-like lines that should be smooth.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/antialiasing.html

Anti-Aliasing is a technique that is used to get rid of jagged edges on objects in game

This picture shows anti-aliasing used on a set of trees as you can see with it off the tree is quite jagged whereas with it on the tree looks quite smooth

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 how many polygons are rendered within objects depending on how close to you they are for example mountains in the background will not have as many polygons rendered as a house right in front of you This image shows different levels of detail

Animation

 The manipulation of electronic images by means of a computer in order to create moving images. http://www.oxforddictionaries.co

Animation is using a computer to make models move and be able to interact with the game world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4xJaXLE_98This video shows how to animate a character within a game

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

m/definition/english/animationSprite 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_graphics)

A sprite is a 2D character used in video games they usually look quite pixelated and are used within 2D video games as either playable or non-playable characters they were more commonly used around the times of the NES and the SNES however they are still used in lots of games today

This picture shows a sprite of link from the legend of Zelda series

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

A cut scene is a cinematic within a game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GftyGWiym6MThis video shows an example of some cutscenes used in the simpsons game

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

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.

A library is a collection of resources on a computer that programmers on a game can use to help to develop it

This picture shows an example of a libaryUI The user interface, in the

industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interactions between humans and machines occurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interface

The ui is the interface in which the user is shown and uses to interact with the game in games such as hotkey mmo’s/rpgs this is used to cast spells and abillitys and use items whereas in fps’s and other types of games they are used to display information to the player such as health ammo and a minimap

This picture shows the UI in torchlight as you can see it allows you cast spells and use items as well as showing your health and manna and allowing you to unlock new spells as you level up

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

FramesIn video and animation, frames

are individual pictures in a

sequence of images. For example,

a Flash movie you see on the Web

may play 12 frames per second,

creating the appearance of motion.

Most video is shot at 24 or 30

frames per second, or FPS. FPS is

often measured in 3D games as a

way of checking how fast the

graphics processor of a computer

is.

www.techterms.com/definition/frame

Frames are each image in a game they are in every game and most games run at about 30 fps with next gen consoles and pc’s aiming to run at 60fps

This image shows frames drawn out as you can see each frame shows the slightest movement of the character so that when all the frames are played at a high frame rate movements of the character will not be missed

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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 occurrenceshttps://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=concept

A concept is an idea in games design this can range from ideas for a character or a gameplay mechanic to ideas for environments, story, lore or the game world itself or even just an idea for a game

This picture shows some concept art for a character in a game

Event Events are things that happen within a game which are not entirely scripted and often have you differ from the story usually found in rpgs for example in final fantasy 14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQH9n1VxQh4 this video shows a fate event in final fantasy 14 where a group of players have to kill a boss this event is randomly spawned and was only for a limited time

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

they are called fates, fates will randomly spawn on the map and have a random task for a group of players to complete

Pathfinding

Pathfinding or pathing is the plotting, by a computer application, of the shortest route between two points.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinding

Path finding is what the AI uses to find its way around within a game path finding will show it how to get from point A to point B fastest without going through any walls and always keeping to an area that they can realistically move on

This picture shows how pathfinding works the line represents the path the ai can take and it works out the quickest path from point A to be without falling off the platform

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