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: Jake Hyatt

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 It is my opinion that a demo in games is a demonstration of how the game is played. It will normally tell you about how to go about playing in the game in detail and will normally take you through several boards of the game, this is normally used to give you a feel for the game and weather you might like the game and how it is played if you are purchasing it. It also help to play through as far as you can before the demo period normally ends.https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090423022627AA9nGkS

When the game is completely finished to the best it can I will release a demo of the game which will be a teaser allowing the player to get up to a certain point in the game before they are cut off and unable to play anymore. This will create hype for the game before it is finally released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMUv4HW6X-0

Beta Beta is when the game is coming along and everything is sort of finalized and it's during a stage when bugs and errors are being ironed out.http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/440511.page

After deciding what functions to implement into the game I will create an almost final copy of the game (The beta) and this will be tested and played multiple times by a professional so that the results are accurate and so that every possible glitch/bug is found. When the data is collected I will begin to debug the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9D3jH964oY

Alpha Alpha is where they test the game and change what needs to be changed. This is when you will see

When I have implemented all the functions and features I will develop the game further and in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka8HUofCEzU

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

more info coming out because they can finally confirm what has made the cut and what hasn't.http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/440511.page

more detail to create one mission/level/task to be tested by a professional and I will then get feedback for what was good and what was bad. Off this test I will decide what game functions to implement into the game.

Pre-Alpha Pre-alpha is basically implementing all the systems and features in the game. Once all those systems are in the game then they move on to Alpha.http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/440511.page

I would think of a game concept and create a pre-alpha which will basically have player movement, a map, and possibly combat to see if the community would enjoy it so that I could develop it further. It will also tell me what is missing from the game and what to add to improve it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEAokUUM4Zw

Gold Basically, when a game goes "gold", the beta-testing phase has been successful and passed, therefore allowing the game to be duplicated/produced and published for retail sale.https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070607052358AAxntHM

When my game goes gold I will announce this and will then begin to mass produce it to then be put into stores and bundle deals to sell the most amount of copies as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkzY3L_WPTU

Debug In computers, debugging is the process of locating and fixing or bypassing bugs (errors) in computer program code or the engineering of a hardware device.http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/debugging

After I have conducted the pre-alpha, alpha and beta tests I will locate the bugs/glitches and change the coding so that they no longer exist or can no longer be exploited.

http://www.thelostworlds.net/SR1/The_Debug_Menu.htmlAutomation Automation is when you have a programme

that tests the game for you by typing in a certain programme and then letting it test the game repeatedly until you want it to stop.

Automation testing would be useful because it takes away the human errors that could occur during the testing stage but also

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbSlW8jZFe8

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

for a person the constantly play the same game over and over would get tedious whereas the automatic system could go forever.

White-Box Testing

White Box Testing is a software testing method in which the internal structure/ design/ implementation of the item being tested is known to the tester.http://softwaretestingfundamentals.com/differences-between-black-box-testing-and-white-box-testing/

I would use the method of white box testing with a participant/tester who would know everything about the game before hand so that they would already have an idea of how it should work, what should happen and what the final game should be like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bJcvBLJViQ

Bug A mistake, or bug, usually in a computer program or a video game.“Dude, did you hear about the glitch in Counter-Strike 1.6 that lets you shoot your pistol when your shield is up?”http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Glitch

Bugs are when something happens in the game which wasn’t meant to be there/happen. Bugs can be exploited and manipulated so skip sections of the game or to level up at an incredible rate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3g2840zXKY

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 shaders could be useful if I wanted my game to have a cartoon look to it if my target audience was children or people of a young age. However if I wanted my game to look realistic then I would not use the vertex shaders.

http://www.evl.uic.edu/aej/525/lecture02.html

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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

Pixel shaders are also useful as they can shade each pixel to the correct amount and this shader makes your game look more realistic rather than a cartoon style which would be better for a more serious game that isn’t aimed at children.

http://www.overclock.net/t/12577/pixel-shader-v2-vs-v3Post Processing

Post-processing allows effects to be used that require awareness of the entire image (since normally each 3D object is rendered in isolation). Such effects include: High dynamic range rendering.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_post-processing

I would use post processing to add the final details onto any aspects that I feel needs to be improved to blend in with the whole image or scene.

http://nightsheep.deviantart.com/art/The-power-of-Post-Processing-90463976

Rendering Rendering is the process of generating an image from a model (or models in what collectively could be called a scene file), by means of computer programs.http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Rendering_(computer_graphics).html

Rendering is extremely useful because it allows my game/scenes to become perfectly lighted and shaded depending on where the camera is and where the light source is. It would also allow me to create a 3D scene and then turn it into a 2D image.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ysc9PViwgM

Normal Map A normal map is a way of adding high-resolution detail to a game ready (low resolution) model, without drastically affecting the game's performance.http://3d.about.com/od/3d-101-The-Basics/tp/Current-Gen-Gameart-Workflow-What-Is-Normal-Mapping.htm

This would be useful because it means that the game could first be released with low resolution but could later have an update to change it to a high resolution if the game becomes popular and sells a mass amount of copies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHzIx41eiD4

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

Entity In a database, anything about which information can be stored; for example, a person, concept, physical object or event. Typically refers to a record structure.http://www.yourdictionary.com/entity

Entities are also good in a game because it creates a challenge for the player so that your game isn’t too easy and can be completed without any work at all. Examples of entities are enemies, buttons, levers, moving platforms and cannons/balls.

http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Uthgerd_the_UnbrokenUV Map When you do UV mapping, you are remapping

the XYZ coordinates of your object in a new 3D space. The coordinates of this space are renamed UVW to distinguish from XYZ.http://blenderartists.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-173777.html

UV mapping would be useful as it means that I can add any texture or image to any shape/object easily making the game making process quicker and simpler to use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIvTUDgaXik

Procedural Texture

An algorithmic way of describing a texture. Unlike a bitmapped texture, in which the texture is represented as a bitmap, a procedural texture describes the texture mathematically. Although not widely used, this method is resolution independent and can create more precise textures, especially if there is great and varying depth to the objects being textured. Procedural textures may be 2D or 3D.http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/49743/procedural-texture

Procedural textures are important so that the player can distinguish the difference between materials because if they were all the same then the level would be hard to navigate and cause the player to become frustrated. However with procedural textures you cane make something look like metal, wood, marble, gravel etc.. this makes the game more enjoyable as it is easier to navigate and tell which object is made of what material.

http://www.inear.se/2010/05/knocking-on-procedural-wood/

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

Physics The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The subject matter of physics includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms.http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/physics

Physics are important if you want to make your game more realistic and enjoyable, the main physic that you need is gravity so that if your player jumps then they would fall back down instead of just floating away or staying on the ceiling. http://www.solidsmack.com/rockin-cool-stuff/incredible-game-

engine-has-better-physics-simulation-that-3d-software/Collision Collision detection is an essential part in 3D

games. It ensures that the game physics are relatively realistic, so that an object does not cut through other objects or hovers when it should fall. How well a game can detect collisions is an integral part of the believability and enjoyment of the game. A poorly implemented collision detection system can be a bane to a product, whereas an excellent implementation can produce amazing results.http://www.edenwaith.com/products/pige/tutorials/collision.php

Collision detection is fundamental in every game because it allows the player to stand on objects, pick up objects, hit enemies and not be able to jump through walls. I would use a collision detector on every aspect of the game that needed it so that.

http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/technical/game-programming/general-collision-detection-for-games-using-ell-r1026

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. It creates atmosphere. It makes places look scary/cozy or warm/cold. It augments the three dimensional feel of objects and it creates composition and balance to lead the player's eyes around.http://www.moddb.com/tutorials/lighting-in-game-environments-the-hows-and-whys

Lighting is very important because it doesn’t just light up the area in which the player is but it can also make items look 3D which makes the game look better. It can also set the tone of the area, if everywhere had the same lighting then the players mood wouldn’t change but if the lighting got darker then it would be a serious part of the game (boss battle) but if it got lighter then that area would be easy going (bonus round).

http://www.moddb.com/tutorials/lighting-in-game-environments-the-hows-and-whys

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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

Smoothing the jagged appearance of diagonal lines in a bitmapped image. The pixels that surround the edges of the line are changed to varying shades of gray or color in order to blend the sharp edge into the background. This technique is also called "dithering," but is usually known as anti-aliasing when applied to diagonal and curved lines.http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/37810/anti-aliasing

Anti-Aliasing allows lines to blend in more by using colours that are a mix of the line and the background so that they harmonise easier and don’t look blocky. This is useful because by simply using this it makes the overall appearance of your game look better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqi0114mwtYLoD – 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

My game would have a high level of design meaning more polygons as it would all the close up which would make it easy to spot graphical errors if I didn’t have a high level of design.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSclvuioZhc

Animation The manipulation of electronic images by means of a computer in order to create moving images.http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/animation

Animation could be useful to create small cut scenes in the game that does a quick sweep of the next level that the player would be facing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQjtvAkfRL8

Sprite a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene.http://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/7771/what-is-a-sprite

I would include sprites, most likely the enemies would be sprites and they wouldn’t need all the motions that the main player has and they also wouldn’t need to be in as much detail.

http://blogs.unity3d.com/2013/08/28/unity-native-2d-tools/Scene Small video clips that help to tell you

the story when an in game moment would not be sufficient.

I would use scenes if I wanted the player to focus on something specific like the exit or the objects that they need and where they need to take them to in order for them to complete a puzzle.

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

http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-of-us/user-reviews/2200-12566086/

Library A software library is a suite of data and programming code that is used to develop software programs and applications. It is designed to assist both the programmer and the programming language compiler in building and executing software.http://www.techopedia.com/definition/3828/software-library

A software library would be useful because it means that everything I need would all be in one place making it easy to find.

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24628_01/doc.121/e24473/softwarelib.htm#EMADM11674

UI Visual part of computer application or operating system through which a user interacts with a computer or a software.http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/user-interface.html

My game/game menu would have an easy to navigate user interface because it makes the game more enjoyable if it isn’t difficult to turn on/off certain settings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7G0eYHIfzI

Frames A frame is uniquely defined by a combination of the image to be displayed and the time the image is to be displayed. A sequence of frames makes an animation. Each frame is displayed on the screen until the next frame overwrites it.http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/animation/frames_and_layers.html

Frames are useful if you want to create an animation that gets triggered by the player e.g. they do something each time they finish the level but has no control over the character while this happens as it was scripted.

http://www.developingwebs.net/flash/frameXframeanimation.php

Concept A concept is a thought or idea. It’s a general idea about a thing or a group of things.http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/concept

I would come up with a lot of concept ideas for the puzzles, characters, enemies and maps. After created these I would then get people’s opinions on each of them and only implement the most liked ones into the game making process.

http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/community/articles/1099/inside-the-box-you-still-don-t-know-jack

Event An event is when something happens at a I would use events in my game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s50JKbpDJ_4

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

certain time such as when the player interacts with something, it’s a certain time of day or if the player has entered a certain area.

because it makes it more interactive for the user and it also gets their brains working as they would have to solve the puzzles of how to advance to the next level.

Pathfinding Pathfinding is a term used mostly by computer applications to plot the best route from point A to point B. It is a more realistic variant on solving mazes.Used in a wide variety of games, it refers to AI finding a path around an obstacle, such as a wall, door, or bookcase.http://pathfinding.askdefinebeta.com/

I wold use pathfinding so that the AI enemies in the game didn’t just wonder off the screen and kill themselves as this would make the game too easy. I would set the paths for the enemies so that it gives the player a challenge.

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

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