Engine technology worksheet

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
:
Natha
n
Math
er
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)
VIDE
O
GAM
ES /
VIDE
O
GAM
E
TESTI
Demo A demonstration of a product or
technique.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q
=the+defenition+of+demo&oq=the+
defenition+of+demo&aqs=chrome..6
9i57j0l5.4800j0j8&sourceid=chrome
&es_sm=0&ie=UTF-
8#q=the+definition+of+demo&spell=
1
Thi s image is relevant as a demo is a ta ster of
what the game has to offer. This is relevant as
the image shows a simplified version of the
game.

IG2 Task 1
2
NG Beta A beta test refers to the distribution
of pre-release game software to a
select group of people so that they
can test the game in their own
homes.
http://www.techopedia.com/definiti
on/27136/beta-test-gaming
Thi s image re presents “Beta” as i t shows a partial
section of the game which is not in development.
Alpha A very early version of a software
product that may not contain all of
the features that are planned for the
final version.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/
A/alpha_version.html
Thi s image is a representation of an “alpha”. It
has very basic display and basic setup.
Pre-Alpha A development status given to a
program or application that is usually
not feature complete, and is not
usually released to the public.
http://www.abbreviations.com/pre-alpha%
20version
The i mage relates to “pre-alpha” a s it is a clear
demonstration of a game which is in pre-alpha

IG2 Task 1
3
Gold It means that the development cycle
is complete. As well as the Bug Fixing
cycle (doesn't mean that bugs can't
be discovered later). And the Master
Disc (gold) is off to the factory for
replication and distribution
http://www.gamespot.com/forums/
playstation-discussion-
1000002/what-does-it-mean-when-a-
game-goes-gold-26614050/
Thi s image is a good re presentation of “gold”
due to the fact that is shows the gold edition of
the game
Debug Identify and remove errors from
(computer hardware or software)
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/
definition/english/debug
Thi s image demonstrates “debug” by s howing
code which i s the basis for how things work in
games and what must be edited in order to fix
bugs .
Automation The automatic operation or control
of equipment, a process, or a system.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/a
utomation
Thi s video allows a clear understanding of what
Automation i s about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbSlW8jZFe8
White-Box
Testing
White-box testing is a methodology
used to ensure and validate the
internal framework, mechanisms,
objects and components of a
software application
http://www.techopedia.com/defini ti
on/3891/white-box-testing
Thi s video gives a clear description on what
White-Box Testing is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bJcvBLJViQ#!

IG2 Task 1
4
Bug A software bug is an error,
flaw, failure, or fault in a computer
program or system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softwar
e_bug
Thi s example of a bug in a game which had not
been fixed.
GAM
E
ENGI
NES
GAM
E
ENGI
NES
Vertex
Shader
A programmable function in display
adapters that offers graphics
application programmer flexibility in
rendering an image.
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedi
a/term/53754/vertex-shader
Thi s image demonstrates the process In which a
character is created via vertex shading.
Pixel Shader 1. (computer graphics)
A shader that operates on
the level of individual pixels,
used to generate complex
visual effects.
http://www.yourdictionary.
com/pixel -shader
In thi s image you can see that using a pixel
shader has increased the overall in-game image
quality.

IG2 Task 1
5
Post
Processing
Processing after other processes
have been completed.
https://www.wordnik.com/words/po
st-processing
Thi s is an image of post processing. As you can
see the image is at a higher quality.
Rendering The processing of an outline image
using colour and shading to make it
appear solid and three-dimensional.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?s
ourceid=chrome-instant&
ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=the+definition+of+rendering
Rendering is the process which determines the
di s tance that an individual can see in game.
Games such as minecraft have the option to
change the render distance as i t is a method of
reducing lag.
Normal Map a technique used for faking the
lighting of bumps and dents – an
implementation of bump mapping.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal
_mapping
Thi s image shows how normal mapping has
changed the l ighting to give greater amounts of
deta il to the game character.

IG2 Task 1
6
Entity Something that has separate and
distinct existence and objective or
conceptual reality.
http://www.merriam-webster.
com/dictionary/entity
In video game terms an Entity i s commonly an
NPC (not playable character). Games such as
Slender
UV Map UV mapping is the 3D modeling
process of making a 2D image
representation of a 3D model.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?s
ourceid=chrome-instant&
ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=the+definition+of+uv+map
Ti s image shows the way in which UV mapping
works . It shows that the “Net” of the character
can be edited which will change the 3d model
which is the overall outcome.

IG2 Task 1
7
Procedural
Texture
An algorithmic way of describing a
texture.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/pro
cedural -texture
Thi s image shows that a procedural texture has
been used to change the texture of this block.
Physics Physics is the science of energy and
matter and how they relate to each
other.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/phy
sics
Thi s image shows how physics are used to
increase the in game performance form the
game Far Cry 3.
Collision In virtual reality environments,
collision detection is a program
interface that determines how close
a user is to a real physical objects
and will stop their movement before
colliding with the object.
C/collision_detection.html
Thi s image demonstrates “Collision” using real
phys ics from Grand Theft Auto IV.
Lighting The function of lighting is to give form
to the objects in the scene.
Thi s video explains the basics of l ighting in video
game terms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCSRSxET0FA

IG2 Task 1
8
AA – Anti-
Aliasing
Smoothing the jagged appearance of
diagonal lines in a
bitmapped image. http://www.pcma
g.com/encyclopedia/term/37810/ant
i-aliasing
Thi s video explains clearly what AA or Anti-
Al iasing is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqi0114mwtY
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/definiti
on/11791/level -of-detail-lod
Thi s video gives fair detail on the LoD or Level of
Deta il.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu_K2YHb_j8
Animation The technique of photographing
successive drawings or positions of
puppets or models to create an
illusion of movement when the film
is shown as a sequence.
definition/english/animation
Thi s image shows animating software and some
partial demonstration of what must be done to
animate a 3D game character.

IG2 Task 1
9
Sprite A computer graphic which may be
moved on-screen and otherwise
manipulated as a single entity.
definition/english/sprite
Thi s image shows a large number of different
game sprites from the retro game Donkey Kong.
Scene a unit of action or a segment of a sto
ry in a play, motion picture, or
television show.
http://dictionary.reference.com/bro
wse/scene
Thi s image is a demonstration of a s cene from
the game Red Dead Redemption.

IG2 Task 1
10
Library A collection of films, recorded music,
etc., organized systematically and
kept for research or borrowing.
definition/english/library
Thi s image shows the asset library of a game
which is a log of different items in a game.
UI the means in which a person controls
a
software application or hardware de
vice.
http://www.techterms.com/definitio
n/user_interface
Thi s is a menu from a video game i t is a clear
example of “UI” as it s hows how a user ca n
interact with the game.
Frames In video and animation, frames are
individual pictures in a sequence of
images.
http://www.techterms.com/definitio
n/frame
Thi s vi deo game explains the basics of “Frames”
and frame rate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEtiNxlTJ8I

IG2 Task 1
11
Concept An abstract idea.
definition/english/concept
Thi s is an image of concept art. This relates as it
i s a abstract idea for a game.
Event An action or occurrence detected by
a program.
E/event.html
Thi s image shoes an event from the game
Spartacus Legends.

IG2 Task 1
12
Pathfinding a person who makes or finds a way,
esp. through unexplored areas or
fields of knowledge.
http://dictionary.reverso.net/english
-definition/pathfindingv
Thi s image is an example of pathfinding both
l iterally and metaphorically.

Engine technology worksheet

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