The video game glossary is one collection of terms and definitions to learn in no time most of the references to specific characteristics of the videogame universe. Often in fact you will find, even on this site, news rather than reviews or guides, in which a specific terminology is currently used, now considered an industry standard.
For the benefit of those who have recently ventured into this world, or those who simply want to remove a doubt, here is our Bignami of videogame phraseology.
A
Aliasing (and antialiasing)
In computer graphics, the effect that is formed on oblique lines, areas with high color difference or on sharp edges, which leads to the cd. scaling (phenomenon of 'sharp' edges). Anti-aliasing is a process (obtained via hw or sw) that softens the lines by smoothing their edges and improving the image.
B
Backtracking
Backtracking consists in going back in a map in order to explore previously seen areas, but having new tools or objects.
Ban
Operation by which a player is inhibited from accessing a multiplayer server temporarily or permanently. This occurs in the presence of incorrect behavior towards other users or use of cheats. Sometimes developers take similar action against large groups of users, in which case it is called 'ban hammer'.
Bossfight
In a level of a video game it is normally called the final or in any case more demanding challenge with one of the enemies present. Below is a typical example:
Bot
Abbrev. of (ro) bot, essentially a software element inside the game managed automatically by the AI.
Blur (and motion Blur reduction)
Literally the blur due to a fast moving image transmitted on the monitor or TV. It is attenuated through software and hardware methods.
The term Buff refers to a momentary or permanent enhancement of some skills, weapons or tools. The Debuff is the opposite.
Buffering
Momentary operation in which a data transfer takes place from a type of physical memory to the Ram. Usually preliminary to the execution of some game routines or movies.
C
camper
Typical terminology from a competitive multiplayer environment. It is said of a videogamer who remains stationary in a (studied) point of the map, waiting without launching into the fight.
Cheater
A user of a multiplayer videogame who uses software (or particular methods) to have more or less direct advantages over other players. Despised by the community, they are banned from development teams that monitor the progress of online games.
crafting
System for modifying and increasing weapons / tools / skills of a game character. Determinant in role-playing games for characterization or in war games to develop particular lethal skills.
Cutscene
Filmed in graphic animation or in some cases completely cinematic, useful for writers to stitch various parts of the main story or introduce new ones.
Programming expert who, through specific software, analyzes the source code of a game file, often drawing features or news not advertised by the manufacturer.
D
Downloadable content (from English downloadable content), is an extension for a video game distributed over the Internet by the original publisher or by third parties.
The Drop Rate is nothing more than the probability that a player has of obtaining a specific reward upon completing an activity or opening a chest / loot box.
E
Easter egg, is nothing more than a goliardic element hidden by the developers within the game, with references to something else (music, movies, other games, etc.). In some cases also collectible.
Endgame
Status reachable in a game at the end of the main story or in any case of the primary missions, so at the end of the credits it is possible to continue exploring the game world to devote to unfinished secondary activities.
Engine
The software core that allows any video game to work. The 'engine' is in fact responsible for the animations of the characters and the interactions with the game world. It is a software in its own right, which is usually used by numerous 3D applications, not just video games. In some cases it is specially developed by a publisher for their games.
Feat
Taken from the hacker language, it generally means using a known vulnerability in a game (such as a glitch) in order to gain easy advantages.
F
The acronym FPS has two completely different meanings in the gaming world.
The first indicates a particular genre of games, that is the First Person Shooter. The reference is to the first person view of the protagonist, of which we will therefore see limbs and equipment but almost never the face or back.
The second concerns the technical side and indicates the framerate, that is the number of frames per second (Frames Per Second) that a hardware can produce in the gameplay of a game. Fps affect the playability and cinematic rendering of many sequences. The goal of the current console design is to bring 4k resolutions to 'run' stably at 60fps.
It is often identified with the title of a game or more often than a series of chapters of the same. (ex: Call of Duty is a famous Activision franchise)
G
Glitch
Defect in the design of a game level that creates opportunities for advantage / disadvantage sometimes systematically exploited in multiplayer contexts.
Grind (ing)
A series of repetitive actions by which a player accumulates experience in order to gather resources or gain advantages in the form of skills or equipment.
H
Hacks
Gimmicks that allow in a video game, more often in multiplayer version, to obtain advantages in a scamming way also using special software routines.
High dynamic range. That is, a high dynamic range of contrasts that allows a greater ability to reproduce shades of light of each color.
Healer
Translated with the term "Healer", it is a role that a player can take on in specific RPGs in order to support his team by healing injured teammates or increasing their health.
Visual effect that usually appears in the center or near the viewfinder and which has the purpose of signaling to the shooter that the bullet (or the throwing object) has hit the opponent. Often instrumental in co-op fights to alert teammates that an enemy is injured.
Hype
Strong expectation of news or the arrival of a new game / device.
I
Input lag
Technically, the time between an action on the controller and its realization in game. Measured in milliseconds (ms), it varies based on numerous factors such as the control system (wired or wireless), the monitor used and the quality of the connection.
L
Lamer
Player who does not disdain the use of incorrect techniques (hacks, cheats) to have advantages and / or simply annoy other users.
Leak
Confidential information disseminated in various ways.
Lobby
Virtual room where participants of a multiplayer match gather during Matchmaking on the game servers.
Location
Translation of the dialogues of a game specifically dedicated to a country, having regard to customs and culture.
Loot
The action of looking for useful material for crafting. By extension looter is the one who continually dedicates himself to this type of activity or even a type of game.
Lore
An Italically inexplicable mixture of charm, tradition and mystery, seasoned with a sense of belonging.
M
Matchmaking
Preparatory phase for a multiplayer match, through which other players are selected to enter the game (in team or against). By Skill Based Matchmaking (SBMM), we mean that system that matches players with a more or less similar level of skill or game tactics.
Mesh
In CG, a lattice that defines an object in space, made up of vertices, edges and faces, practically forming a cd. mesh.
Acronym of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, RTS sub-genre with a well-defined mission structure and map type.
Courage
A change made by independent developers to a game published by a software house (usually aesthetic or related to secondary functions).
N
Impairment of a specific game element (weapon-skill-additional equipment) as it is considered excessively effective and therefore a cause of imbalance in the gameplay. It is operated by developers through update patches.
Noob (or noob or noob)
Inexperienced gamer of a specific game (or more generally of the methods of a game category). Used in a derogatory way especially in multiplayer contexts.
A non-playing character (in English, Not-Playing Character), that is, who is not under the direct control of players, but is managed by the AI of the video game.
P
pattern
In computer graphics, an image or decorative pattern that can be replicated indefinitely, usually in the creation of backgrounds.
Pan European Game Information (PEGI) is the judging method valid on almost all of Europe, used to classify video games through five age categories and eight content descriptions.
Perk
Improvements and / or features and / or upgrades in equipment / weapons.
Pixel-art
Graphic style born in the 80s for the need to draw figures with 'angular' outlines, suitable for digital decoding.
Lit. Player Versus Environment, ie referring to a context in which the player interacts exclusively with characters managed by the AI.
Lit. Player Versus Player, that is a set of competitive activities in which the players compete against each other and the AI manages only the background environment. In some cases, when both components are present, we can speak of PvPvE.
R
Ray-tracing
Optical geometry technique that is based on the calculation of the path made by light, following its rays through the interaction with surfaces. Implemented in hw mode in the latest generation graphics chips, it offers a hyper-realistic simulation of stage lighting.
Rendering
Software conversion of the profile of a two-dimensional image into a realistic and 3D-looking image by accurately calculating perspective and adding colors, highlights and shadows.
Respawn
The concrete moment in which the AI, within a multiplayer session, places players on the map for the first time or after a death in battle.
roguelike
Term that indicates a particular type of role-playing video games (and not), characterized by common elements: random maps, permanent death.
Role-Playing Games are a particular genre of video game in which the player has the opportunity to shape his character and possibly to enhance / characterize him in the course of history with dedicated equipment (perk) and skills (skills). They also stand out JRPG (Japan style RPG) e MMORPG (Large-scale multiplayer network role-playing game).
Real Time Strategy, read Real Time Strategic. Videogame genre that implies control, action and resource management in an (almost) immediate game escalation. It is opposed to the cd. turn-based strategy , in which, similar to a common board game, each player makes his moves as part of his turn.
S
cv
Skills acquired by a game character in various ways.
Stun
Temporary situation (usually in combat) in which the player is incapacitated because he is stunned.
Stuttering
Phenomenon characterized by an inconsistent frame timing, which gives a non-fluid image. In fact, especially at reduced frequencies (see FPS), if an image is not generated in time, the old image is reproduced in the video sequence, giving a slowing effect to the scene. It can also result in a series of jerky images.
T
Teamkill
Elimination of a teammate (in multiplayer co-op play) causes friendly fire.
Texture
In CG, any type of image used to cover a surface, often repeated serially and automatically.
Concept usually referred to the productions of majors in the sector with a large availability of funds, resources and the collaboration of renowned development studios.
CD. “Time To Kill”, that is the time and quantity of bullets / damage inflicted necessary to eliminate the opponent. It is one of the main parameters affecting the balance of multiplayer challenges.
Third person shooter. Unlike the FPS, the protagonist of the game will be guided by the player through a third person view (fixed or mobile). This means that we will be able to physically look at the character we command as well as the world around him at 360 °.
V
Villain
The 'bad' in a story is always there: obviously (and even more so) in video games. In some types there is more than one. Sometimes he takes on the role of the endgame boss.
X
eXPerience Points: like those of the supermarket collection but better. They are accumulated by completing missions and eliminating opponents to level up and, depending on the genre of reference, to obtain new rewards or upgrades.
