Y1 gd engine_terminology

Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
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:
Brienna hick
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 sample playable
demonstration of a game that
i s intended to entice the player
to purchase the full version.
(http://www.factmonster.com
/s cience/computers/video-game-
glossary.html#c)
A demo is a extract of the game
that i s released before the full
game to allow people to play
through aspects of the game and
decide whether or not they want
to purchase the full game when it
i s released. It also allows the
game developers a chance to
perfect any bugs that appear in
the demo. It can also be a short
video to demonstrate the
graphics or designs of the game.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_fyOkrteqM
Thi s is a video clip from E3 that was used to demonstrate the new Zelda wii u
game.
Beta A beta is software still under
development that is made
available to a select few to
tes t, examine, and report
problems they face.
(http://www.computerhope.c
om/jargon/b/beta.htm)
A beta is when the game has not
been yet released and is available
to a few people that play through
the game to test and inform the
games developers of any bugs or
problems that they encounter o
help them fine tune the game.
http://eso-guides.com/eso-beta-test/
thi s is an image that is advertising the need for people to sign up for the beta
tes ting of the game.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abw_XaloKm4

IG2 Task 1
2
thi s is a quick video showing someone playing a beta version of a game.
Alpha The software is complete
enough for internal testing.
Thi s is typically done by people
other than the software
engineers who wrote it, but
s ti ll within the same
organization or community
that developed the software.
(http://blog.codinghorror.com
/alpha-beta-and-sometimes-gamma/)
Alpha testing is when the game is
not ready for public release but is
ready enough for people within
the company to test, usually this
i s done by people who are not
involved with the writing of the
game but are still a part of the
organisation.
http://www.twowar.com/community/community_view.asp?Num=1882&Sort=T0
1
thi s i s an image that is advertising to people who may have been following the
games development that i t has entered alpha testing and when the testing will
end and the game will move on to beta testing.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCp3_DgWs3o
thi s video shows someone playing through an alpha test of a video game.
Pre-Alpha The software is s till under
active development and not
feature complete or ready for
consumption by anyone other
than software developers.
(http://blog.codinghorror.com
/alpha-beta-and-sometimes-gamma/)
Pre-alpha is when it i s tested by
the software developers as it i s
not yet ready for anyone else to
tes t and is still very basic.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUc7FqF8hHM
Thi s is a video of someone going through a pre-alpha test of a game.
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.
(http://www.urbandictionary.c
om/define.php?term=Gone%2
0Gold)
When a game has gone gold this
means that the game is complete
and had been sent off to be
repl icated and shipped to be sold
to the public.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt3LIl8JJTg
Thi s video shows a game that has gone gold and the leaked images of the game
from when it went gold.

IG2 Task 1
3
Debug debugging is the process of
locating and fixing or bypassing
bugs (errors)
(http://searchsoftwarequality.t
echta rget.com/definition/debu
gging)
Debugging is when they find a
bug through testing and then
s ta rt the process of fixing or
el iminating the bugs or errors
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896647.aspx
Thi s is an image of the coding for a debug
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSvE3Uo6_DU
thi s video give a tutorial on how to run a debug software.
Automation the technique of making an
apparatus, a process, or a
sys tem operate automatically
(http://www.merriam-webs
ter.com/dictionary/auto
mation)
Thi s is when you make the
program run automatically.
http://www.precisetestingsolution.com/functional-automation-testing.php
Thi s image is an example of a device that operates automatically.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb6Xj1gfljc
thi s video goes into more detail as to what automation i s.
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.
(http://www.webopedia.com/
TERM/W/White_Box_Testing.
html )
Thi s is a testing technique that
uses in depth knowledge of how
the item works to s elect the
areas that need to be tested.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bJcvBLJViQ
Thi s video explains what white box testing is in further detail.

IG2 Task 1
4
Bug Faults in the programming
which cause unintended
effects both good and bad –
crashes, unintentionally high
character advancement, etc.
(http://www.theaveragegamer
.com/terminology/)
An error or fault in the program
that could cause damage to the
program and/or cause it to crash
http://www.socialphy.com/posts/computers-technology/6506/The-top-
8-bugs -in-the-hi s tory-of-videogames .html
Thi s i s a good example of a bug or gl i tch occurring in a game
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3g2840zXKY
Thi s video i s a top ten l i s t of gl i tches or bugs in video games .
GAME
ENGINES
Vertex Shader A programmable function in
di splay adapters that offers a
graphics application
programmer flexibility in
rendering an image.
(http://www.pcmag.com/ency
clopedia/term/53754/vertex-shader)
A vertex shader i s a display
function that allows the
programmer using i t to flexibaly
change the shading and shape i f
an image.
http://www.pcformat.pl/Lepiej-niz-w-realu,a,34
Thi s is an example of an image created using a vertex shader
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEl JA_gieYQ
thi s is a video of an ocean that was created using vertex shaders.

IG2 Task 1
5
GAME
ENGINES
Pixel Shader Pixel shaders are tiny
programs that can do
operations on a s ingle pixel on
the s creen. The most common
use for pixel shaders is
'shading', approximation to
real world lighting.
(http://gaming.stackexchange.
com/questions/22286/what-is-a-
pixel-shader)
A Pixel shaders is a small program
that i s used on a single pixel at a
time to create shading that i s
clos e to real world lighting .
http://forum.donanimhaber.com/m_7468596/tm.htm
Thi s is an example of an image created using a pixel shader
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL8T7uw7ERE
Thi s video shows the various things you can achieve using pixel shaders
Post Processing Adds special effects like depth
of field, motion blur, bloom
after the frame i s rendered;
thus , post processing means
after the frame i s processed.
(http://www.gamespot.com/fo
rums /pc-mac-discussion-
1000004/what-does-quotpost-processingquot-
do-27432407/)
Pos t processing is adding and
special effects to the frame after
i t has been rendered or
processed.
http://gamingdead.com/2013/05/24/silicon-studioss-new-yebis-2-middleware-showcases-
xbox-one-graphical-possibilities
Thi s image shows the difference made by using post processing.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4S__Nyi3t0
Thi s video shows the effects of post processing

IG2 Task 1
6
Rendering The Renderer is what does all
the work of calculating how to
draw the 3D scenegraph to the
2D s creen
(http://hub.jmonkeyengine.or
g/wiki/doku.php/jme3:termino
logy)
Rendering is a program that
calculates how to put the 3d
s cenes into a 2d s creen
http://geekszine.com/best-animation-tools-that-every-animation-artist-loves-
280.html
Thi s image shows a character going through the rendering process
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgnNgBwlz6c
thi s video takes you through the process of rendering an object for a video game
Normal Map normal maps consist of red,
green, and blue. These RGB
values translates to x, y, and z
coordinates, allowing a 2D
image to represent depth.
(.http://gamedevelopment.tut
splus.com/articles/gamedev-glossary-
what-is-a-normal-map--
gamedev-3893)
A normal map is made up of red,
green and blue values which
when translated into x,y and z
al low the 2d image to represent
the depth of a 3d image.
http://www.filterforge.com/filters/879-normal.html
Thi s image represents what a normal map could look like.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-6Yu-nTbUU
thi s video explains what a normal map is in more detail.

IG2 Task 1
7
Entity A unique ID that tags each
game-object as a separate
item
(http://entity-sys
tems.wikidot.com/)
An Enti ty i s a ID tag that allows
each game object to function as a
separate item.
http://www.raywenderlich.com/24878/introduction-to-component-based-architecture-
in-games
Thi s image shows a n e xample of a n Entity’s ID tag.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FGR9HYh0sY
thi s video takes you through the steps of creating an entity for a video game.
UV Map Thi s process projects a texture
map onto a 3D object. The
letters "U" and "V" denote the
axes of the 2D texture 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)
A UV map i s when a texture map
with the objects image design on
i t i s projected onto a 3d object to
create the item.
http://goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au/~gl/teaching/Interactive3D/2012/lecture9.html
Thi s shows what a UV map does and looks like.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIvTUDgaXik
thi s video takes you through the basics of UV mapping.

IG2 Task 1
8
Procedural
Texture
A procedural texture is
generated from repeating one
small image, plus some
pseudo-random, gradient
variations (called Perlin noise).
Procedural textures look more
natural than s tatic rectangular
textures, and they look less
di s torted on spheres.
logy)
Procedural textures are created
by layering an image with a
gradient variation called perlin
noi se to create a realistic texture
for gras s, soil, rock, rust or walls
http://forum.devmaster.net/t/fun-with-texture-generation/16000
Thi s image is of a generator that can be used to create a procedural texture
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkTIZ1GldgQ
thi s video shows what effects you can achieve using procedural textures
Physics Computer animation physics or
game physics involves the
introduction of the laws of
phys ics into a simulation or
game engine, particularly in 3D
computer graphics, for the
purpose of making the effects
appear more real to the
obs erver.
Game_physics)
Games physics is when you
introduce the laws of physics into
the game engine to allow the
game to become more realistic.
http://www.fun-motion.com/physics-games/nekofight/
Thi s image shows an example of someone trying to make a model react in the way
i t would if real world physics were applied.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpeANrZdSX8
thi s video l ink explains the history and development of physics in games.

IG2 Task 1
9
Collision Detecting an intersection
between one or more objects
in your game. Player & enemy,
enemy & weapon, player &
wal l, etc.
(http://www.creepyed.com/20
12/09/game-development-
101-glossary-part-0/)
When a game detects an
interaction between items within
the game.
http://www.silverlightshow.net/items/XNA-for-Silverlight-developers-Part-7-
Col l ision-detection.aspx
Thi s image shows how the collision detection should work.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGh-Vh_NYO0
thi s video shows someone testing that collision detect works within there game.
Lighting a computer graphics effect
used in video games, demos
and high dynamic range
rendering (HDR) to reproduce
an imaging artifact of real-world
cameras.
Bloom_(shader_effect))
An effect that is created using
computer graphics and HDR to
reproduce real world lighting.
http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=576962
Thi s image shows the different effects you can get on an object with different
l ighting techniques
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b7jbqwlW4c
thi s video shows an example of realistic lighting within a game.

IG2 Task 1
10
AA – Anti-
Aliasing
Anti -Aliasing is a method of
fool ing the eye that a jagged
edge is really smooth. Anti-
Al iasing is often referred in
games and on graphics cards.
(http://www.pantherproducts.
co.uk/index.php?pageid=antial
iasing)
Anti -Aliasing is when you can
make a jagged edge of an image
appear to be smooth using
shading and colour.
http://people.cs.clemson.edu/~tadavis/cs809/aa.html
Thi s is an example of before and after and image has used anti-aliasing
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqi0114mwtY
thi s video explains what anti-aliasing actually i s.
LoD – Level of
Detail
Level of detail is a general
des ign 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-deta
il-lod)
Level of detail refers to the
method of rendering closer
objects in game landscapes with
more polygons than those which
are further away.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfxWC9j5cMY
thi s video is a good example of achievable detail within a game.
http://hydrogen2014imac.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/lod-level-of-detail/
Thi s image shows how the number of polygons or triangles used in the image
changes the level of detail that can be achieved.
Animation In 3D games, Skeletal
Animation is used for
animated characters, but in
principle the skeleton
approach can be extended to
any 3D mesh (for example, an
opening crate's hinge can be
cons idered a primitive joint).
logy)
Animation is a key factor in
Games development and design
i t i s the base for any moving
aspect of a game. It i s primarily
used for animating the characters
within the game using skeletal
animation however i t can also be
used for any object that moves.
http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/11/05/informative-infinity-ward-animator-talks-fps
-design-animations/

IG2 Task 1
11
Thi s image shows the development of animation within a video game.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaYcpqD_LVw
Thi s is a video of an animation reel for a video game.
Sprite A spri te is a bitmap graphic
that i s designed to be part of a
larger s cene. It can either be a
s ta tic image or an animated
graphic.
(http://www.techterms.com/d
efinition/sprite)
A Spri te i s a graphic that is used
in larger s cenes these are usually
bitmap graphics.
http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/artists/210117947?view_mode=1
Thi s image shows a sprite sheet.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKjeBV_zPPQ
thi s video gives a tutorial on how to place a sprite sheet within your game.
Scene a sequence in a video game
over which the player has no
or only l imited control,
breaking up the gameplay and
used to advance the plot.
Cuts cene)
A Scene or Cutscene in a game is
an area of the game in which the
player has no or l imited control
over the characters. These help
to progress the s toryline and
develop the characters and also
inform the player of information
that could help them beat the
game.
http://piratesofbrooklyn.deviantart.com/art/Organic-Panic-Cutscene-Storyboard-
Penci ls-361860262
Thi s image shows the development of the storyboard for the cut s cene.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44kVDy02h4U
thi s video is the opening cut scene to Kingdom Hearts 2

IG2 Task 1
12
Library A l ibrary i s a useful framework
to tackl e a specific need within
a game engine.
(http://gamedev.stackexchang
e.com/questions/10770/whats
-the-difference-between-a-l
ibrary-and-an-engine)
A l ibrary i s a hub that holds all
the downloads and information
perta ining to your game engine.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132234/sponsored_feature_xbox_live_
.php?print=1
Thi s image is an example of a games library that is used by Xbox live.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6synhhD7e0Y
thi s vi deo is a n e xample of s omeone’s game l ibrary wi thin their Xbox 360
UI UI refers to menus, buttons
windows and such
(http://www.brawsome.com.a
u/blog/index.php/2011/04/15/
gui -ui-and-hud/)
UI or user interface is the area
that the user can interact with
such as buttons and menus.
http://www.crystalxp.net/galerie/en.4.12.scat.43.html
Thi s image is an example of the user interface used by the PlayStation 3.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gJr5YPYa3w
Thi s video shows hoe the user interface on the Xbox one can be personalized and
edited to suit your preference.
Frames A frame is a s ingle s till picture
on a di splay s creen such as a
television set or computer
monitor.
(http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/
Appendix:Glossary_of_fighting
_games#Frame.28s.29)
Frames are a still shot that when
put together in order can create
a moving image much like a
fl ipbook.
http://www.vitac.com/news_blog/vitac-blog.asp?post=425
Thi s image shows how a higher frame rate can result in a clearer image.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4z4igRnlLQ

IG2 Task 1
13
thi s video compares the frame rate of a game on a pc ps4 and Xbox one
Concept the development of images
from imagination to show
what does not exist on this
world.
(http://moberly.k12.mo.us/For
ms /MATC/wd/siteww/defart.h
tml )
The original ideas that will
gradually develop to become the
final designs or ideas for the
finished piece.
http://bucharrest.wordpress.com/2013/10/10/nintendo-the-legend-of-zelda-hyrule-
historia/
thi s image shows the development of a character through i ts concept art as you
can see there are a variety of designs.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3utqdMqEbw
thi s video goes through the process and the behind the s cenes of what concept art
i s .
Event The core concept in an event
driven game engine is the
mes sage loop.
http:/cboard.cprogramming.co
m/game-programming/
122082-event-driven-
game-engine.html)
An event i s a sequence within a
game that follows a script and is
planned out for the player.
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5h0-UyJeM8
Thi s is an example of an event scene that happens within a video game.
Pathfinding Pathfinding or pathing is the
plotting, by a computer
application, of the shortest
route between two points.
Pathfinding)
Pathfinding is a computer
application which finds the
shortest route to get between
two points.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinding

IG2 Task 1
14
thi s image explains what path finding is
https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19h1g22hby8
thi s is a video of a path finding algorithm working.

Y1 gd engine_terminology

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