Tuesday 21 April 2009
Videogames: Glossary of Terms
Avatar
The visual representation or embodiment of the game player on the screen.
Backstory
Videogames often have a brief story section at the start of the game to justify the scenario that the player finds him/herself in.
Beat-‘em-ups
A genre of videogame in which the key objective is for the player to beat up various opponents, the opponents can be defeated in a number of ways. This is a diverse and very popular genre, most beat-‘em-ups will have a multi-player mode on them.
Convergence
In the context of videogames it is the way in which platform developers have moved towards consoles being multi-functional. For example, instead of having three or four different devices to enable consumers to browse the internet, play a videogame and watch a DVD all of these activities can now be done by one piece of technology such as the Wii which is a games console, social-networking tool and internet browser. The downside to this process is that with the increase of multiple functions many of the converged devices are not as good at the individual functions, for example a games console is not as good at playing DVDs as a standalone DVD player.
Cutscenes
The term used to describe scenes in videogames in which the player doesn’t have any control over. They often contain narrative information to justify the forthcoming section or level of the game. Some cutscenes can be extremely detailed to help develop the narrative. Players can find that cutscenes obstruct the process of gameplaying.
Developers
The teams that create the videogames (the software that runs on consoles, PCs and handhelds). Developers may be ‘first party’ (directly owned by a platform holder), ‘second party’ where there is some platform holder support or funding, or ‘third party’ who are unaffiliated with the platform holder.
Distributors and Retailers
The role of the distributor is to get videogames to retailers in order to sell to consumers. As the majority of videogames are currently distributed in physical form (ie on CD, DVD or cartridge), this means getting game boxes onto retailers’ shelves or to warehouses. However, recent moves within the industry have pointed to the increased use of electronic distribution with extra levels or even whole games being downloadable.
First-person shooters
A genre of videogame in which the player’s view is first person, this means that the player does not see his or her character during play sequences. The key gameplay element is to shoot things. Often the game will allow the player to use a light gun as a controller.
Interactivity
A slippery term that is used in many contexts. In videogames, interactivity refers to the player’s ability to exercise control over the action presented onscreen by taking control of a character, piloting a spaceship or driving a car, for example. Interactivity is ooone of the defining features of videogames and they are often called ‘interactive entertainment’, although many parts of the games, such as cutscenes, do not allow such ‘interactive’ control over events.
Killer app (killer application)
The name given to a key piece of software associated with a particular piece of hardware that will help drive sales due to its popularity. An example of a killer app most recently is Brain Training on the Nintendo DS, which has boosted sales and attracted a new generation of older gamers to the console.
MMORPG
This refers to Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games, for example, Second Life or Club Penguin.
Mod/Modder
Mods are literally ‘modifications’ to games that change their appearance, structure or level design, for example, but that usually leaves the underlying gameplay and mechanics intact. Most common in the world of PC games, the practice of modding relies on free ‘mod tools’ released by game developers. Most mod tools are distributed freely but their use is governed by End User License Agreements (EULAs), which usually prohibit modders or mod teams from selling their creations for commercial gain.
Platform Holders
Platform holders manufacture the hardware on which videogames run. The three main companies at present are Sony who manufacture the PlayStation series, Microsoft who produce the Xbox series, and Nintendo who produce the Wii, GameCube, Game Boy and Nintendo DS.
Publishers
Publishers provide money and support for the development teams who create videogames. Ubisoft and SCI (incorporating Eidos) in the UK, as well as Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft, Nintendo and Electronic Arts are among the larger videogame publishers.
Ratings bodies
Videogames, like other media, are subject to classification and age rating. While practice differs throughout the world, the UK operates a two-tier system within the voluntary guidelines of the European PEGI (Pan European Games Information) system and the mandatory BBFC regulations as determined by the Video Recordings Act of 1984.
RPG – Role Playing Games
A role-playing game is a videogame where the player controls one or all of the characters, and wins the game by completing a series of quests. A key feature of the genre is that characters grow in power and abilities, and characters are typically designed by the player. Players explore a game world, while solving puzzles and engaging in tactical combat.
Simulation
The deliberate artificial imitation of an experience, or a process, with the intention of making the imitation as close as possible to the ‘real thing’. Often used for training purposes where it is not possible to access the real experience.
Synergy
The basic definition of synergy is the interaction of two or more forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. In the context of the media it is the promotion and sale of a product (and all its versions) throughout the various subsidiaries of a media conglomerate, for example, films, soundtracks or video games. To give a detailed example the Spider-Man films had toys of webshooters and figures of the characters made, as well as posters and videogames, this resulted in the creation of more revenue for the creators of the Spider-Man franchise than if they had just released the one film.
Sources:
McDougall , Julian & O'Brien, Wayne (2008) Studying Videogames London: Auteur Publishing
Newman, James & Oram, Barney (2006) Teaching Video Games London: Bfi Publishing
The visual representation or embodiment of the game player on the screen.
Backstory
Videogames often have a brief story section at the start of the game to justify the scenario that the player finds him/herself in.
Beat-‘em-ups
A genre of videogame in which the key objective is for the player to beat up various opponents, the opponents can be defeated in a number of ways. This is a diverse and very popular genre, most beat-‘em-ups will have a multi-player mode on them.
Convergence
In the context of videogames it is the way in which platform developers have moved towards consoles being multi-functional. For example, instead of having three or four different devices to enable consumers to browse the internet, play a videogame and watch a DVD all of these activities can now be done by one piece of technology such as the Wii which is a games console, social-networking tool and internet browser. The downside to this process is that with the increase of multiple functions many of the converged devices are not as good at the individual functions, for example a games console is not as good at playing DVDs as a standalone DVD player.
Cutscenes
The term used to describe scenes in videogames in which the player doesn’t have any control over. They often contain narrative information to justify the forthcoming section or level of the game. Some cutscenes can be extremely detailed to help develop the narrative. Players can find that cutscenes obstruct the process of gameplaying.
Developers
The teams that create the videogames (the software that runs on consoles, PCs and handhelds). Developers may be ‘first party’ (directly owned by a platform holder), ‘second party’ where there is some platform holder support or funding, or ‘third party’ who are unaffiliated with the platform holder.
Distributors and Retailers
The role of the distributor is to get videogames to retailers in order to sell to consumers. As the majority of videogames are currently distributed in physical form (ie on CD, DVD or cartridge), this means getting game boxes onto retailers’ shelves or to warehouses. However, recent moves within the industry have pointed to the increased use of electronic distribution with extra levels or even whole games being downloadable.
First-person shooters
A genre of videogame in which the player’s view is first person, this means that the player does not see his or her character during play sequences. The key gameplay element is to shoot things. Often the game will allow the player to use a light gun as a controller.
Interactivity
A slippery term that is used in many contexts. In videogames, interactivity refers to the player’s ability to exercise control over the action presented onscreen by taking control of a character, piloting a spaceship or driving a car, for example. Interactivity is ooone of the defining features of videogames and they are often called ‘interactive entertainment’, although many parts of the games, such as cutscenes, do not allow such ‘interactive’ control over events.
Killer app (killer application)
The name given to a key piece of software associated with a particular piece of hardware that will help drive sales due to its popularity. An example of a killer app most recently is Brain Training on the Nintendo DS, which has boosted sales and attracted a new generation of older gamers to the console.
MMORPG
This refers to Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games, for example, Second Life or Club Penguin.
Mod/Modder
Mods are literally ‘modifications’ to games that change their appearance, structure or level design, for example, but that usually leaves the underlying gameplay and mechanics intact. Most common in the world of PC games, the practice of modding relies on free ‘mod tools’ released by game developers. Most mod tools are distributed freely but their use is governed by End User License Agreements (EULAs), which usually prohibit modders or mod teams from selling their creations for commercial gain.
Platform Holders
Platform holders manufacture the hardware on which videogames run. The three main companies at present are Sony who manufacture the PlayStation series, Microsoft who produce the Xbox series, and Nintendo who produce the Wii, GameCube, Game Boy and Nintendo DS.
Publishers
Publishers provide money and support for the development teams who create videogames. Ubisoft and SCI (incorporating Eidos) in the UK, as well as Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft, Nintendo and Electronic Arts are among the larger videogame publishers.
Ratings bodies
Videogames, like other media, are subject to classification and age rating. While practice differs throughout the world, the UK operates a two-tier system within the voluntary guidelines of the European PEGI (Pan European Games Information) system and the mandatory BBFC regulations as determined by the Video Recordings Act of 1984.
RPG – Role Playing Games
A role-playing game is a videogame where the player controls one or all of the characters, and wins the game by completing a series of quests. A key feature of the genre is that characters grow in power and abilities, and characters are typically designed by the player. Players explore a game world, while solving puzzles and engaging in tactical combat.
Simulation
The deliberate artificial imitation of an experience, or a process, with the intention of making the imitation as close as possible to the ‘real thing’. Often used for training purposes where it is not possible to access the real experience.
Synergy
The basic definition of synergy is the interaction of two or more forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. In the context of the media it is the promotion and sale of a product (and all its versions) throughout the various subsidiaries of a media conglomerate, for example, films, soundtracks or video games. To give a detailed example the Spider-Man films had toys of webshooters and figures of the characters made, as well as posters and videogames, this resulted in the creation of more revenue for the creators of the Spider-Man franchise than if they had just released the one film.
Sources:
McDougall , Julian & O'Brien, Wayne (2008) Studying Videogames London: Auteur Publishing
Newman, James & Oram, Barney (2006) Teaching Video Games London: Bfi Publishing
The Golden Age Of Videogames (BBC)
Edge magazine is notoriously parsimonious when it comes to handing out 10 out of 10 review scores for video games but in the past three issues there have been three of them.
Halo 3, The Orange Box and Super Mario Galaxy have all been awarded one of the highest accolades in gaming - a perfect score from Edge. And plenty of other games have been given near perfect scores also - from Bioshock to Crysis, Drake's Progress and Call of Duty 4... read more
Halo 3, The Orange Box and Super Mario Galaxy have all been awarded one of the highest accolades in gaming - a perfect score from Edge. And plenty of other games have been given near perfect scores also - from Bioshock to Crysis, Drake's Progress and Call of Duty 4... read more
Grand Theft Auto
The Grand Theft Auto series of games are extremely popular and have been subject to a number of articles both for its content and its innovative gameplay. One of the most interesting aspects of the gameplay is the ability to roam freely around the various cityscapes. An article on gamestudies, an online academic journal discusses representations and gameplay in GTA:3 Liberty City. This is perhaps the version of the game that allows the most 'free play'. It is worth reading especially if you have chosen to analyse one of the GTA series for your presentation.
GTA: San Andreas
GTA: Vice City
Here is the intros to both GTA: San Andreas and GTA: Vice City. Both show the stereotypes for the era that the games are set in, and set the scene for the games in genre and location...
GTA: San Andreas
GTA: Vice City
Also have a look at this clip from film, "Colors" it shows a car chase that wouldn't look out of place in San Andreas!
Colors (1988)
The Next Generation (BBC Article)
The Video games industry is obsessed with the phrase "next generation", but what does it actually mean? What can gamers expect from any game given that name?CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE BBC ARTICLE
also watch the episode of >CLICK (BBC Tech Programme) about this article too..
BBC Report: Gaming Habits
The BBC have investigated how people play videogames and also what type of games we play. The report is a PDF file and features a number of differnet profiles of gamers. The age range of players is varied and covers ages 6-65.
Political Videogames
Videogames are not just about randomly conquering worlds, beating your best friend at Mario Kart or even being unbeatable at Pro Evolution Soccer. They can have another purpose and cover current affairs, one example of how this can be done is by using a game such as 'The Movies' where one user, Koulamata has created a movie about the French Riots that happened last summer.
Gonzalo Frasca is also involved with games that carry a political or social message and has been involved with a number of games that deal with current affairs. One September 12th looks at the American response to the events of September 11th 2001, another was for the Uruguayan Presidential Elections. The client was the Frente Amplio, a left-wing coalition. The game is called cambiemos.
Gonzalo Frasca is also involved with games that carry a political or social message and has been involved with a number of games that deal with current affairs. One September 12th looks at the American response to the events of September 11th 2001, another was for the Uruguayan Presidential Elections. The client was the Frente Amplio, a left-wing coalition. The game is called cambiemos.
Party Games
Some of the most innovative videogames of recent years have been ones that have tried to appeal to the mainstream game player, your Mum and your Nan. To appeal to such a broad audience developers have had to think outside of the box. It is highly unlikely that a 5 hour Halo gaming session is your family's ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon, even if on Legendary setting. The games that have done most to broaden the appeal of gameplaying are the eyetoy and
SingStar, both of these are PS2 games and it is interesting to see that Sony is keen to exploit this market.
Unlike Nintendo which has a rich tradition for unusal and innovative games and consoles Sony does not. However what cannot be disputed are how much fun these vidoegames can be, partly because they rely on the ability to sing or simply move as instructed.
Given the universal nature of these games it is worth thinking about the player expereince.
Nintendo have also produced games that appeal to a broader cross section of player including Donkey Konga and Nintendogs. They are also developing a newcontroller that could change the way that we play videogames... Enter the Wii...
Multiplayer Games
Videogaming is often thought of as a solitary pursuit but in fact it is much more social than people think. A key feature of many games is the multiplayer aspect, in fact one of the biggest selling points of the Nintendo DS was its ability to play wirelessly against other people.
The same is true of the Sony PSP which also allows wireless and online play.
Online multiplayer games are also hugely popular with PC game players, games such as World of Warcraft have over 5 million subscribers. In todays Guardian Aleks Krotoski wrote a very interesting article about the community and players in the virtual world of Azeroth.
Videogame Characters
Often when you play videogames you have a chance to choose the character that you play, I spent a large amount of time over Christmas being a green dinosaur in a go-kart chasing my friends and family around a range of tracks. To some people this may well sound very odd but others may recognise me describing Yoshi and Mario Kart, in this case played wirelessly on the DS.
What makes me choose to be Yoshi? Why not Mario or Bowser instead? In this case it is due to his ability in the game, the ease at which he can corner and that this makes the game easier for me to play. This selection of a character based on their abilities within a game is fairly common and one that you may well recognise, you may well choose the same character in games such as Teken or Dead or Alive.
In some types of videogames you can create your own player, often known as an avatar. This is often the case in MMORPG's (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) You will be presented with a range of choices about how to present yourself online in a virtual world. How people choose to represent themselves online is extremely interesting and is an area that photographer Robbie Cooper focused on and below are two images from his exhibition Alter Ego as well as a link to a BBC article on it.
The link is here:BBC article
Canon Lucy aka Virtual Lucy
Lucas aka Gaenank
What makes me choose to be Yoshi? Why not Mario or Bowser instead? In this case it is due to his ability in the game, the ease at which he can corner and that this makes the game easier for me to play. This selection of a character based on their abilities within a game is fairly common and one that you may well recognise, you may well choose the same character in games such as Teken or Dead or Alive.
In some types of videogames you can create your own player, often known as an avatar. This is often the case in MMORPG's (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) You will be presented with a range of choices about how to present yourself online in a virtual world. How people choose to represent themselves online is extremely interesting and is an area that photographer Robbie Cooper focused on and below are two images from his exhibition Alter Ego as well as a link to a BBC article on it.
The link is here:BBC article
Canon Lucy aka Virtual Lucy
Lucas aka Gaenank
Videogames & Ratings
Should you wish to find out more about how videogames are rated then check out the what ELSPA (Entertainment and Lesiure Software Publishers Association) have to say.ELSPA also have an interactive guide to ratings that features clips from different games in that catergory.
There is also a site for parents and people who want to know more about games, the site covers a range of issues and can be found here.