christopher lucasy1 gd_engine terminology

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: Christopher Lucas

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 Computing: Preview or trial version of a software which is freely distributed, either without some of the critical functions (such as the ability to save or print data) or is programmed to work only for few (usually 30) days after the first run.http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/demo.html

A demo is a trial version of the official game or device released before its release, unlike a beta or alpha a demo will be the completed form of the product. This will allow a customer to try out the Game.

http://youtu.be/FcMRkyoHKeA

The image above is a screenshot of the watchdogs demo at E3 plus the link above is a video of the E3 demo of watchdogs.

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Beta The beta version of a game is as close to perfect as the company can make it.http://www.techopedia.com/definition/27136/beta-test-gaming

A Beta is when the public will be allowed early access to test the game before its official release. Allowing developers to fix any problems or complaints they come across.

The Image above shows that if you pre-order Destiny you will receive access to the games beta.

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

The Alpha is early access to the game that only the developers and a select few are able to play. This trial also allows the developers to check that everything they want is in the final version of the game.

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The Image above shows an example of a digital copy of Destiny’s alpha.

Pre-Alpha Pre-Alpha is like mega early version of the game, before everything is finalized. http://www.answers.com/Q/What_does_Pre-Alpha-Delta_mean

A Pre-Alpha is basically the mega early versions of the alpha were only the games developers and testers can try out the games mechanics before it’s released to the public.

http://youtu.be/2tmThvZ72Lc

The link above the image shows off two people trying out the pre alpha to a game called “The Forest”

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

Gone gold is creating and replicating the final master copy of a game and is being prepared to be shipped.

Example of an Album gone gold.

Debug Debugging is the routine process of locating and removing computer program bugs, errors or abnormalities, which is methodically handled by software programmers via debugging tools. Debugging checks, detects and corrects errors or bugs to allow proper program operation according to set specifications. Also known as debug. http://www.techopedia.com/definition/16373/debugging

Debugging is when the designers of the game notice a bug/glitch in their game and go through a process of removing it.

An example of a designer using a debugging system.

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Automation Automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process, or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human labour. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automation

Automation is when non-humans such as specific programs can do the work and replace human labour.

The picture above shows the many jobs automation can do.

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White-Box Testing

A software testing technique whereby explicit knowledge of the internal workings of the item being tested are used to select the test data. Unlike black box testing, white box testing uses specific knowledge of programming code to examine outputs. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/White_Box_Testing.html

White box is testing a game at the source code level; this can be used to prevent any errors occurring.

Bug An error in a structured system. It is usually applied to electrical and computer systems. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Glitch

A bug is an error in the game which is usually only detected after the game has been tested.

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GAME ENGINES

GAME ENGINES

Vertex Shader

Vertex shaders are applied for each vertex run on a programmable pipeline. Its most basic goal is to transform geometry into screenspace coordinates so that the Pixel shaders can rasterize an image. On a more complex scale, Vertex shaders are responsible for mesh deformation, lighting, shadowing and general vertex displacement. Vertex shaders cannot create vertices. https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Shader#Vertex_shaders

Vertex shaders are the creation of lighting, shadowing and vertex displacement on an object.

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Pixel Shader Pixel shaders are applied for each pixel rendered to the screen. A pixel shader expects input from interpolated vertex values, which it then uses to rasterize the image. Pixel shaders can produce a huge range of effects involving the colour of individual pixels such as refraction, per-pixel lighting or reflection. https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Shader#Vertex_shaders

Pixel shader’s account for each pixel rendered on screen and can be used to rasterize images.

Post Processing

Post Processing allowsDifferent effects to be Performed on the sceneafter it has been rendered,but before outputting it toThe viewport.

Post processing will allow you to add additional effects to a scene after its been rendered.

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

Rendering will allow me to turn a 2D or 3D model into a image.

http://youtu.be/6dOIju7--Jg

The link above shows you how rendering works.

Normal Map These are images that store a direction, the direction of normal directly in the RGB values of an image. They are much more accurate, as rather than only simulating the pixel being away from the face along a line, they can simulate that pixel being moved at any direction, in an arbitrary way. http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/Textures/Influence/Material/Bump_and_Normal

Normal map will allow me to simulate pixels being away from a image along line and also it can simulate the pixels being moved in any direction.

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Entity An entity is a grouping of things with rules or data in common. An entity often represents a group of people (e.g. children, applicants, stakeholders) but it can also represent a group of objects (e.g. textbooks), activities (e.g. assignments) or concepts (e.g. school terms). http://docs.oracle.com/html/E27551_01/Content/Data%20model/Define_an_entity.htm

An entity is an object or character in a game.

UV Map UV mapping is the 3D modelling process of making a 2D image representation of a 3D model's surface. UV mapping this process projects a texture map onto a 3D object. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

UV mapping allows me to create a 2D image that represents a 3D model of a entity such as a map of the world.

http://www.lynda.com/Maya-tutorials/UV-mapping-overview/83095/89985-4.htmlThe video in the link above gives you an overview of uv mapping.

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Procedural Texture

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. Usually, the natural look of the rendered result is achieved by the usage of fractal noise and turbulence functions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedural_texture

Procedural texture is generating realistic textures for entity’s (objects, characters etc.) Textures can look natural such as wood, stone, metal etc.

Physics A physics engine is also used in computer video games for simulating various actions and reactions in the game. Unlike physics engines used for vehicle and aircraft design, however, the physic engines in video games are used for more real time simulations instead of replicating physics encountered in the real world. http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/p/physics-engine.htm

Physics engines can be used to simulate a variety of actions such as jumping, running, falling etc. This can allow me to create an almost realistic game.

Collision Collision detection typically refers to the computational problem of detecting the intersection of two or more objects. While the topic is

Collision is when two objects in a game intercept each other and hit or collide. Collision detection can prevent this from happening by detecting the error before it can

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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). Collision response deals with simulating what happens when a collision is detected. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collision_detection

occur.

Lighting is a computer graphics effect used in video games, demos and high dynamic range rendering (HDR) to reproduce an imaging artefact of real-world cameras. The effect produces fringes (or feathers) of light extending from the borders of bright areas in an image, contributing to the illusion of an extremely bright light overwhelming the camera or eye capturing the scene. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom_(shader_effect)

Lighting can give you the illusion of an extremely bright light overwhelming the camera or eye capturing the scene.

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AA – Anti-Aliasing

Anti-aliasing, or "AA" for short, is a rendering technique used to minimize the prevalence of aliasing, a type of visual artifact that looks like the steps on a stair, on any non-perpendicular edges of objects in a 3D scene. http://www.geforce.co.uk/whats-new/guides/aa-af-guide#2

Anti-Aliasing will allow me to minimise and or prevent aliasing which then smooth’s out the sides of the images.

This image shows an example of a Aliased image vs Anti-Aliased image.LoD – Level of Detail

An optimisation technique called Level Of Detail (LOD) rendering allows you to reduce the number of triangles rendered for an object as its distance from camera increases. As long as your objects aren’t all close to the camera at the same time, LOD will reduce the load on the hardware and improve rendering performance. http://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/LevelOfDetail.html

LOD will allow me to reduce the load on the hardware and improve rendering performance

Animation A simulation of movement created by displaying a series of pictures, or frames. Cartoons on television are one example of animation. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/animation.html

Animations can be used to simulate movement in cutscreens and even actual gameplay.

http://vimeo.com/31294000the link above shows a little reel of gameplay animation.

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Sprite A sprite is a bitmap graphic that is designed to be part of a larger scene. It can either be a static image or an animated graphic. Sprites were the standard way to integrate graphics into video games. Graphic artists created small 2D images that were used to represent characters and other objects. http://www.techterms.com/definition/sprite

In a side-scroller, such as Super Mario Bros, the sprite of an enemy Koopa would turn into a flattened Koopa when Super Mario jumped on it. Today, some video games still use 2D sprites, but most mainstream games use 3D polygons instead.

Different types of sprite animationsScene 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. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutscene

A cutscene can be used to expand the game they can be used to explain the story and or to even give the player a break from constant gameplay.

http://youtu.be/jYdxweyMrMUIntroduction cutscene to Halo 4

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Library A library is a useful framework to tackle a specific need within a game engine. A framework that entails the needs for a complete game is a game engine. http://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/10770/whats-the-difference-between-a-library-and-an-engine

A library contains all the information contained in a game engine for specific jobs.

http://youtu.be/cyWLmUGCsBAThis link shows one example of a program that is in a library.

UI The user interface is one of the most important parts of any program because it determines how easily you can make the program do what you want. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/U/user_interface.html

A User Interface allows controlling and determining what you want a program to do.

http://youtu.be/LTEdxqMksAgIn this link they talk about UI’s.

Frames 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. http://www.techterms.com/definition/frame

FPS are able to show how fast the graphics in games can process.

http://youtu.be/9DFbNn3YpWMIn this video it compares 60fps vs 30fps

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Concept Created as an exercise to demonstrate the technical skills and imagination of the designers, andnot intended for mass production or sale. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/concept

Concept art can be used to demonstrate and even show off parts of the game to attract people.

Event Something that occurs in a certain place during a particular interval of time. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/event

Events can occur in real life such as E3 or in some cases in the game like public events to obtain special items.

http://youtu.be/N4QqiNYw-Ws

Pathfinding Pathfinding strategies are usually employed asThe core of any AI movement system. Pathfinding strategies have the responsibility ofFinding a path from any coordinate in the game world to another. http://gamesitb.com/pathgraham.pdf

Pathfinders are able to obtain coordinates from location in the game to another and process strategies.

http://youtu.be/pQ9Mcc-5UuAThis link shows you how pathfinding works

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http://youtu.be/N4QqiNYw-Ws

christopher lucasy1 gd_engine terminology

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