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Questions tagged [terminology]

Terminology is the vocabulary of technical terms in the game development field.

The tag should be used for questions that are asking for a definition of a term, or for the way a concept is often described or referred to in the game development field.

223 questions
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What is "game logic code?"

I'm using C#/XNA and have been told quite a few times not to mix update code with draw code -- and I'm certain I'm not! But could anyone please describe what exactly is 'logic code'? As seen here:…
Shyy Guy
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What does SoC stand for?

… and no, I do not mean System-on-a-Chip. I stumbled upon this question which was using the acronym in the context of graphics, and found myself wondering about its meaning. Neither the question nor the answer further explained the acronym, and a…
user39208
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What is the difference between an alpha and a beta release?

What is the difference between an alpha and a beta release? I'm surprised this question hasn't been asked here before.
Chafic
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What is the difference between a library and an engine?

I am working on a library to help 2D game development with Scala. So far, it is a collection of helpful classes, file loading, collision detection, images, sprites, etc. So when does it stop being a class library and start being an engine? Where…
Lanbo
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What is a "Gameplay Programmer"?

In job descriptions, I often see positions called "Gameplay Programmer." What do people in that position do?
Tucker Morgan
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What is the difference between a game framework and a game engine?

What is the difference between a game framework (for example, XNA with C#, SDL for c++) and a game engine? Do game frameworks use engines? Does a game engine encapsulate sub-engines like physics engines, particle engines etc? Should they be used…
Calum Murray
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Why is it called "roguelike" and "metroidvania"?

As the title says, where did roguelike and metroidvania genre games get their names from? All other genres (that I can think of) have pretty self-explanatory names like: First Person Shooter: You shoot and it's first-person…
Charanor
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What is a "tick" in the context of game development?

Ok so this is a very beginner level question but I need to know this, what does the term "tick" refer to in the context of game development? Is it the same thing as FPS? Thanks!
user3843164
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What’s an "IHV"?

I have seen several questions here referencing the “IHVs,” e.g. this one, without defining the abbreviation. A Google search offers “Inter-Human Virology,” and, a few links down, a Wikipedia disambiguation page that includes “independent hardware…
KRyan
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What is data-driven design?

I've been reading up on a lot of articles covering data driven design for games. It seems to come down to: No hard coding No game-specific code in the engine Scripting for AI, cutscenes, et cetera. Generalizing code for reusability Component…
OmniOwl
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Is there a specific name for this type of concept art and the artist who does them?

Let's say you already have the fundamentals of your game: you created gameplay that you and your (possible) playtesters find enjoyable to play, and you think you can flesh out your game more. However, it's all just colorless blocks and cones at this…
user97936
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2 answers

What is the origin of the term "AAA game?"

One often hears the term "AAA" thrown around when talking about top production value games and big releases, but where does the term come from? How was it coined and popularized?
MountainSide Studios
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What is the difference between a gameplay programmer and a game designer/developer?

Gameplay programmers write game code, but so do game designers and developers. Where is the line drawn? What skills do gameplay programmers use that game designers or developers do not?
Nathan
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What is the difference between genre and game mechanics?

In some local vacancies I read something like "a genre = match3", or like "a game mechanics = adventure". I thought, a game mechanics is match3, or any sequences of operations that do something to solve something. A verb. For example, to connect…
neuro
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What defines a minigame?

A "minigame" (sometimes mini-game) is a rather common term used in game design and the general game industry. Therefore it has a definable scope, that is not opinion based, but rather established and tangible. However, I'm at a loss to define its…
ConfusedStack
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