Bellwork Terms Flashcards
AAA List Games
Games which are advertised frequently and have budgets over $20 million
Convergence
Video games made to resemble board games and vice versa
Alpha
Very first build that is shared with testers
Components
parts of your game
Depth
Whether the game is easy to play or requires more experience
Design Document
Provides an overview of the game and its learning goals
Copyright
Law that protects creation
Abstract
A game that has no connection or nothing to do with the real world
Analysis Paralysis
When a player is presented with too many choices or decisions
Avatar
Represents the player in the game (or a sprite).
Bell Curve
Probability distribution where some events are more likely to occur than others
Decision Making
Making choices that will affect the rest of your game play
Dynamics
Results like play actions being put into motion
Cinematic
Movie inserted into the video game
Accessibility
Easy to learn and easy to play, yet not always easy to master
Agent
Middleman between the creator and the publisher
Downtime
When a player is not actually participating
Character Class
The profession of the character that says what he or she can and cannot do
Casual Game
A game played to relax not to beat or win
Beta
Very close to final design but still being tested
Features List
The key details or selling points of the game
Fluidity
The extent to which the game circumstances change over time
Game Design
Creating the content and the rules of the game
Game Engine
Development software that game designers use to manage art, sound, and code
Game Writing
Writing of the dialogue, text, and story within the worlds
Genre
Sub category of games with well defined methods and appeal to players
Goals
A desired result or plan that you set to achieve
Graphics
The visual aspects of a game, particularly the art
Graphical Interface
Everything on the screen that the user will see
Immersion
Feeling like you are really in the game as though you are really there
Intellectual Property
Identifiable characters or stories that are owned by an individual or company
Iterative
Something that is repeated over and over.
Length
The defined starting and ending points
Level Design
Maps and placements of objects and challenges within those maps
Luck of the Draw
Does not require decision making, game is based only on luck
Mechanics
How you move, earn points, gain resources, etc. within the game
Patent
A strong form of protection for an intellectual property
Play Balance
A balanced game is one that is fair and each player has an equal chance of winning
Player Interaction
When the action of one player immediately affects at least one other players situation
Play Testers
People who play an unfinished game to find errors, inconsistencies, or other issues
Pitch
Brief description and/or presentation of a game or a game concept designed to secure funding
Probability
The likelihood that something will happen
Prototype
An early/unfinished version of the game
Publishers
Companies that manufacture and distribute games
Random
Occurrences in a game that players have no control over
Replayability
game that allows it to be played over and over again.
Rules
The mechanics enforce these things that you can or cannot do
Service Mark
Legal protection for a tagline or catchphrase
Simulation
Intended to represent some part of reality
Space
The look and feel of the game from its design.
Strategic
Strategy that involves your long range plan
System
Collection of game mechanics that produce a given outcome
System Design
Creation of rules and patterns in the game
Theme
Story or history that the game is trying to represent
Trademark
Form of intellectual property that applies to titles and names
Transparency
Whether or not a game reveals its secrets
User Interface Design
How the player receives information and how the player interacts with the game
Volatility
The extent to which the game arrangements are not subject to the changes caused by other players
World Design
Creation of the overall backstory, setting, and theme of the game
Zero Sum
Situation where one player can only gain by taking away from another player
