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: Connor Martin

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 is intended to entice the player to purchase the full version.”http://www.factmonster.com/science/computers/video-game-glossary.html#c

When I make my game I will have a preset of demos to help me make a start to my game and with the presets I will expand on them and change the sounds and sprites to fit my game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-wdRroa4ms

This video is a demo for Shadow of Mordor, a game that is going to be released in the near future.

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/definition/27136/beta-test-gaming

Before I release my game I will release an alpha build so people can play the game and give me feedback on any glitches they find.

This is a picture showing the Beta release of Destiny; it shows people that they can

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

pre-order the Beta to see if they like the game and if there are problems with it, they can report them to the developers.

Alpha “The alpha phase of the release life cycle is the first phase to begin software testing.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle#Pre-alpha

When I think my game is near completion I will play an alpha version of it and I will look out for any bugs that make the game crash and try to fix them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PtrFnrk-dY

This video is the alpha build of Overgrowth a game that has been in development for over 5 years.

Pre-Alpha “Pre-alpha refers to all activities performed during the software project before testing.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle#Pre-alpha

Before I release the full game I will test a pre-alpha and test the game engine and the world to make sure they are what I want them to be and that they will be good for people to play with and also that they look good.

This picture shows the Pre-Alpha release of Next Car Game and it shows people that it is out on early access and that they can try it.

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.com/define.php?term=Gone%20Gold

When my game is complete and it is what I wanted it to be and I am happy with it, I will release it and make it available for reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY7PKMgztyw

This video is showing a man explain that GTA V has gone gold.

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

Debug “Debugging is a methodical process of finding and reducing the number of bugs, or defects, in a computer program or a piece of electronic hardware, thus making it behave as expected.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debugging

When I am testing my game I will put a debug menu in it and use it to find bugs or glitches and try to fix them.

This is the debug menu for Spiderman 3; it shows us what can be changed with the game and how you can fix it.

Automation “The technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operates automatically.”http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automation

While making my game I will add scripts that make something happen and it is automated for example a character in the game pressing a button and a door will open.

This picture shows Clash of Clans, a game that requires you to every now and then press a few buttons and the game will play it’s self over time.

White-Box Testing

“White box testing is a method of testing software that tests internal

When I am creating my game I will use the white-box

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsK3mU5tdmY

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

structures or workings of an application, as opposed to its functionality.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-box_testing

testing method to test the game engine and make sure that it runs perfectly.

This video goes into great detail about what white box testing is.

Bug “A bug is a short-lived fault in a system.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitch

When I test my game I will check for bugs and try to fix them before I release the full game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k6vZqPNcDo

This video shows a wide range of bugs/glitches over a wide range of games.

om Vertex Shader “A programmable function in display adapters that offers a graphics application programmer flexibility in rendering an image.”http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Vertex+shading

When making my 3D game I might use a vertex shader to help create objects and environments in my game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G37-Yav2ZM

This video goes into great depth on how to create a vertex shader and what it is.

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

Pixel Shader “Useful for someone who plays high-resolution games or watches high-definition movies on a computer, pixel shading executes various functions affecting how pixels on a computer screen will display.”http://www.ehow.com/info_8764308_pixel-shading.html

When making my 2D game I might use a Pixel shader to create objects, characters and environments in my game.

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

This picture shows the different type of shaders you can use for your game and what they will do.

Post Processing “Post processing allows different effects to be performed on the scene after it has been rendered, but before outputting it to the viewport.”http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/PostProcessEffectsHome.html

Before I finish my game I will add post processing to it to make the game more visually appealing.

This picture shows the game World of Tanks before and after post processing, after applying different affects the game looks a lot better and will be smoother when it is played.

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

While creating my game I will add rendering to my game to make the game look better and make it more playable without any glitches.

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

This video shows the rendering effect that can be used in games to reflect objects perfectly and to see further distances and make the game look a lot better.

Normal Map “In 3D computer graphics, normal mapping, or "Dot3 bump mapping", is a technique used for faking the lighting of bumps and dents – an implementation of bump mapping.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping

When I am creating my game I will use normal mapping to make my models look better by using reference images for them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wopbib6iNlw

This video shows how to create a normal map and what it looks like in game.

Entity “A unique ID that tags each game-object as a separate item.”http://entity-systems.wikidot.com/

While making my game I will tag everything with its own ID so that it is a separate ID to everything else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fQ-bRllhXc

This video shows you what an Entity is and how to create one for a game.

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

UV Map “UV mapping is the 3D modelling process of making a 2D image representation of a 3D model's surface.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

While creating my game I will use UV mapping to create the models easier and make sure they look exactly how I want them.

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

This video shows what UV mapping is and how to create it to be used for a game.

Procedural Texture

“Procedural textures are textures that are defined mathematically. They are generally relatively simple to use, because they don't need to be mapped in a special way - which doesn't mean that procedural textures can't become very complex.”http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/Textures/Types/Procedural

When I create my game I would use procedural textures to create the terrain quicker and easier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8CmR_5KXFo

This video shows how to create a procedural texture and what it looks like in the game and on the objects.

Physics “Computer animation physics or game physics involves the introduction of the laws of physics into a simulation or game engine, particularly in 3D computer graphics, for the purpose of making the effects appear more real to the observer.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_physics

While creating my game I will add physics to most objects so that when they are used they move and also the character moves like arm and leg movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS9seZ_G6pU

This video shows different types of physics in video games and what they look like in the game.

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

Collision “Physics, the meeting of particles or of bodies in which each exerts aforce upon the other, causing the exchange of energy or momentum.”http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/collision

I will use collison detection in my game foe most objects, this will make the game play better, for example if I hit another player I will bounce of them.

This picture shows the collision boxes for all the objects in this game, the boxes represent the space the object takes up and where the collision detection is.

Lighting “High-dynamic-range rendering (HDRR or HDR rendering), also known as high-dynamic-range lighting, is the rendering of computer graphics scenes by using lighting calculations done in a larger dynamic range. This allows preservation of details that may be lost due to limiting contrast ratios. Video games and computer-generated movies and special effects benefit from this as it creates more realistic scenes than with the more simplistic lighting models used.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-dynamic-range_rendering

I will use a lot of lighting in my game to make it look better and more enjoyable to play, also it will add atmosphere to my game.

This picture shows how lighting is used in games and it shows how good games can look with the correct lighting effects.

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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

“Antialiasing is a way of smoothing edges. Computer monitors display pixels, but real objects have curves and lines. In order to display these on a computer monitor, the edge is often jagged. Antialiasing helps reduce the problem by slightly blurring edges to the point where jagged lines don't show easily or at all.”http://compreviews.about.com/od/PC-Gaming/a/What-is-antialiasing-in-PC-games.htm

While creating my game I might add anti-aliasing to make the game look better but I need to make sure the engine can cope with it.

This picture shows what different types of AA look like and how they look across multiple platforms.

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/definition/11791/level-of-detail-lod

I will use LoD in my game so further away objects are less rendered and closer objects will look better because of the LoD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSsHoPi-aMc

This video shows different levels of detail and what each one will look like in game and how it will affect the game.

Animation “A simulation of movement created by displaying a series of pictures, or frames.”http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/animation.html

While creating my game I will add animation to my own character and the other characters as well as other objects to make the game look better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_2UhXJHz7Q

This video shows different variations of animations and how they look before the game and how different the animations will be across multiple games.

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

Sprite “In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_(computer_graphics)

While creating my game I will create a wide variety of sprites and try to fit them all into the game plus make them look good for the game.

This picture shows different kinds of sprites and what they will look like in the game.Scene “A cut scene or event scene 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

While creating my game I will make cut scenes for in between levels or to be part of the level where they will carry the game on without you playing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEq0oV21tHI

This video shows a cut scene in the game Gears of War 3 and the cut scene is Dom’s death and the cut scene isn’t something you play, it is a video playing out what is happening.

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

Library “The Lightweight Java Game Library (LWJGL) is a solution aimed directly at professional and amateur Java programmers alike to enable commercial quality games to be written in Java. LWJGL provides developers access to high performance crossplatform libraries such as OpenGL (Open Graphics Library), OpenCL (Open Computing Language) and OpenAL (Open Audio Library) allowing for state of the art 3D games and 3D sound. Additionally LWJGL provides access to controllers such as Gamepads, Steering wheel and Joysticks. All in a simple and straight forward API.”http://www.lwjgl.org/

While creating my game I will use a library of other games to use for my designs and help me create my game.

This picture give an example of a game library and what it holds.

UI “The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interface

I will create a UI for my game so you can keep track of certain things like a map or ammo, important things that will help you play the game.

This picture shows the UI in a game and it shows what the UI is and what you can do with it.

Frames “Frame rate, also known as frame When creating my game it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNKON2e-h4w

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

frequency and frames per second (FPS), is the frequency (rate) at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frame_rate

will run of Frames per second and I will constantly check it to make sure the game runs smoothly and is enjoyable to play.

This video explains what frames are and how they affect the game.

Concept “Concept art is a form of illustration used to convey an idea for use in (but not limited to) films, video games, animation, or comic books before it is put into the final product.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_art

When making my characters and environments etc. I will make them available for concept art so other people can design my characters in their own way.

This picture shows some concept art for Metro last light and it shows what visual representations are made from the game.

Event “A thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance.”http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/event

When creating my game I will have an event where a lot of enemies appear at one time also other events similar to this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqoEot1f1MA

This video shows the game Outlast and it is full of event, jump scares mainly and they are pre-scripted, you can’t do anything to change it.

Pathfinding “Pathfinding or pathing is the plotting, by a computer application, of the shortest route between two points.”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinding

While creating my game I will use Pathfinding to make my enemies seem more realistic, they will explore around the map.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_AurmdOnw4

This video shows how to create the path finding programme and what it does in game.

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