AAA (Triple-A): Games generally created and published by medium or large publishers; generally anything that cannot be classified as "indie".
Agent: An in-game character or item that usesAI to interact with other objectsin your environment
I: Artificial intelligence; an in-game entity whose functionality depends on computer code rather than human input.NPCthey are ordinary AI units.
Esparto: A version of the game that includes all the main features and most features. This version of a game is often distributed internally to test for quality and bugs.
AR/VR/MR/XR:elevated/virtual/mixed/augmented reality. see oursWhat is XR? glossaryfor details.
Attachment: Abbreviation for everything related to a video game: characters, objects, sound effects, maps, environments, etc.
Bake:A method of pre-processing game data and assets to ensure they load and run correctly in real time and do not slow down the game due to high processor or GPU performance demands.
balance: Create a stable and predictable gaming experience. For example, make sure weapons deal decent damage and armor absorbs damage correctly, rather than giving one weapon significantly more power than others or making levels too difficult to complete in a fun way. Sometimes, however, it is intentionally played unbalanced.
Beta:A version of the game that includes all the main functions and features. This version of a game has no major bugs and is on the way to code release. Beta versions occasionally receive a limited public release for bug reporting and critical feedback.
Mistake:Any development issue that makes a game uncomfortable, unstable, or unplayable in its current state.
Build:Game development language for the "version" of a game. Also known as "Launch" or "Launch Candidate".
Certificate:certification. The process by which console manufacturers test a game for compatibility with their hardware and distribution platforms. This does not includeplaytestÖquality guarantee.
Movie sequences/cutscenes: Segments of a game not controlled by the player. They are usually used to draw attention to important points in the story.
cutout- The process of presetting specific areas in a game where rendering occurs, thereby optimizing game performance in those selected areas.
clipping area: An area of a game optimized for rendering game objects and terrain.
Code: Computer languages used to create and define software features. Unity uses C# (C Sharp) for programming games.
Code release:The version of a game that is ready to be submitted to console manufacturers for certification.
Collision:The action of two objects coming together and touching/colliding in-game. Simply letting your playable character stand on the floor of a house requires collision parameters on both the character's feet and the ground, otherwise that character would simply fall to the ground.
Collision detection:A process that determines when and where an object "collides" with another object in the game. This is usually done with an object called a hitbox.This either avoids a collision or decides which area to reach to cause a collision.
Console:A type of PC designed specifically for gaming. Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Switch are examples of consoles.
Felix:Everything that makes up your game like assets, components, GameObjects and scripts.
Cross-platform:Something that can work or be used on different platforms.
Selection:Identifying, isolating, and rejecting unnecessary data in game design.
Debugging:Find and fix bugs in a game. It is sometimes referred to as a "bug attack".
Demonstration:A proof-of-concept version of a game, typically released for promotional and/or feedback purposes.
Developer:Slang for "developer" or "development."
Development: vergame development.
Should:The connection between two vertices. from an angle
Motor: vergame engine.
Fall:A game action that is completed by user input. When a player presses a button on their controller and the character jumps on screen, this is considered an event.
Resource: Any aspect of a game that contributes to its value and purpose. Mechanics, story and level design are considered features.
Game Design Document (GDD):A professional document created by game developers to fully define and justify the game they have created or plan to create, usually as part of their sales pitch to a publisher. The story, gameplay, characters, level design, and other integral parts of a game are represented and described in a game design document.
Game Designer:One who designs the aesthetics and structure of a game. NOTE: The terms "game designer" and "game developer" are often used interchangeably, although the two roles are technically different.
Game developer:One that turns a game design into a playable game through in-engine coding and asset creation. NOTE: The terms "game designer" and "game developer" are often used interchangeably, although the two roles are technically different.
Game development:The act of creating a game; sometimes referred to as "Gamedev". The game development process often requires the involvement of one or more game designers, artists, programmers, animators, testers, project managers, etc., although some games are created by just one or two game developers.
Game engine:Software, die atoolboxand resources for game developers to create their games professionally and efficiently.
Gold-Master:A game that has met all publisher and platform requirements, includes all assets and features, and is considered ready for release.
Hitbox:An invisible object created around another GameObject that determines the area where collisions with other objects occur.
Keyframe:In game development, placing an asset in a self-contained frame of action and capturing that moment for others to follow until there is a series of those frames to effectively convey the asset's animation.
light card:A pre-rendered lighting system that is saved for further use in a game.
Location:Translate a game into multiple languages.
Mechanics:The essential features, rules and outcomes that make up the game. Mechanics make a game rewarding, fun, and interactive.
Mala:A collection of vertices, edges, and faces that serve as the basis of a model in a video game.
Cell phone, mobile phone:A portable device with the processing power of a personal computer and real-time voice and data communications capabilities.
mobile games:Because you can play a mobile game practically anywhere, mobile gaming is one of the most popular forms of gaming in the world.
Model:A fully 3D video game asset created by adding textures and other features to a mesh.
Multiplattform:Compatible with more than one hardware type or operating system.
Parallax:A technique used in 2D game development in which background images move at a different speed relative to their foreground counterparts during player/scene motion, creating depth and scale.
PERSONAL COMPUTER:Abbreviation for Personal Computer, usually referring to a desktop or laptop computer. Many gaming enthusiasts prefer PC gaming over console or mobile gaming for its power and advanced customization options.
Physicist:With the laws of real life fromphysicistin games to make movement and environmental behavior more realistic.
Pixel:The smallest building block of a screenshot; A single point of light or color that, when combined with other pixels, creates a larger image or graphic.
Pixel Art:A design style usually limited to 8-bit and 16-bit graphics to more closely resemble classic arcade and console graphics.
playtest:Play each new version of a game to find bugs, ensure gameplay, and explore potential improvements.
Polygon:A series of computer-programmed lines that form a three-dimensional (3D) object.
Middle:Interactive objects in a game.
prototypes:Create different early versions of a game to explore different mechanics and features and decide which one works best for the full game.
Quality Assurance (QA):Testing the overall quality of a game, which usually involves finding and fixing bugs.
Raytracing:A light-rendering technique that simulates the interaction of light with objects in a game in a way that appears ultra-realistic.
Offer:The process of continuously generating and updating a 2D or 3D image through computer processing.
scripts: Another word for coding or programming; the act of writing code.
Shader:Small programs within larger game development processes, often used to control lighting and shadow effects.
Skelettanimation- A type of computer animation that places a series of "bones" in a mesh, allowing the static mesh to be articulated and positioned for animation keyframes.
Elf:Bitmap images commonly used as 2D GameObjects. In 3D, sprites often act as textures.
Boden:Anything that sets the mood in a video game.
Texture:A visual wrapper that is placed around GameObjects like a character's cloak.
Mapped to texture: The process of applying textures to GameObjects.
Teja:An image used to create other, larger images (such as a platform) in a 2D game.
tile map:A system that stores and manipulates block features to create 2D planes.
User Interface/GUI:User Interface/Graphical User Interface. On-screen menus, inventories, and other non-game interactive systems.
user experience(for game development): user experience. Ensuring that a game's design and implementation is fun and easy to use.
Vector graphics:A type of graphic image that uses two-dimensional dots to connect lines and curves, allowing it to be scaled and adjusted.
vertex: A point in 2D or 3D space. The union of two corners forms ashould.
cut vertically:A proof of concept piece of a game, usually made available to investors or publishers for a chance at funding and partnerships.
visual script:A method of visually organizing and generating code that allows developers to create and connect graph nodes to organize various game objects, events, programs, and so on.