By Tom Sloper
AAA Game - A game that earns a place among the top ten selling games in the marketplace. Usually this sort of top selling game required an extremely expensive production process. Also: "Triple-A."
A.A.M.A. - American Amusement Machine Association. Represents the manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of the coin-operated amusement industry (arcade games, jukeboxes, pinball, etc.). Supports the AMOA trade show.
"A" Bug - A bug of the highest priority (a bug that must be fixed, else the game cannot be released).
Acceptance - See APPROVAL (definiton 1).
Accounts Payable - The department of a large company whose function is to make payments to vendors and contractors. There's more to it than that, but who cares?
Accounts Receivable - The department of a large company whose function is to send bills to companies that owe money. There's more to it than that, but who cares?
Acquisition - The purchase of a company or IP. Derivative of "acquire."
Action Game - Any game that requires fast reflexes on the part of the player.
Adventure Game - A game that involves exploration, character interaction, story, and puzzle solving. Different from an RPG in that the adventure game usually does not include "hit points" or fighting.
Advergame - A game that exists solely to promote a product.
Aftermarket - Phase that occurs after post-production. The game is now in the marketplace, and opportunities now exist for add-ons, expansion packs, sequels, and other ancillary marketing opportunities.
Agent - A person or company who represents (acts on behalf of) talent or intellectual property owners. An agent negotiates contract terms for license deals or publishing/distribution/development deals, based on business experience and an intimate understanding of the game industry. Great care must be taken in the selection of an agent to represent your interests - make sure he has sufficient business experience and understanding of the game industry before you sign.
A.I. - Artificial Intelligence. The routine or algorithm that controls the actions and movements of the NPCs in a game. May be very simple ("fight to the death to prevent the player character from entering the door") or very complex ("roam freely around the world, finding shortest paths from point to point and using good judgment in choosing actions to perform depending on what the player is doing").
A.I.A.S. - Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. "Professional membership organization serving the interactive entertainment development community, the Academy works to advance interactive entertainment through events that focus on the artistic aspects of game creation."
Alpha - Term used for a phase of development in the process of making an electronic game. Exact definition varies, but essentially it means "most or all of the assets are implemented, and most or all of the functionality is implemented." Anyone picking up an alpha game should certainly be able to get a very clear idea of the game's central idea and gameplay, but quite a bit of work remains to be done before the game is complete.
A.M.O.A. - Amusement and Music Operators Association. Organization for the amusement, music, entertainment & vending industry (arcade games, jukeboxes, pinball, etc.).
Approval - There are three kinds of approval processes in the game industry: (1) A publisher must approve (accept) a delivery from a developer before cutting a milestone check; (2) A licensor must approve a concept before allowing it to be made into a game, and a game before allowing it to be released into the market; (3) A console manufacturer must likewise approve both a concept and a finished game.
Arcade Game - A stand-alone game, in either a standing cabinet or a tabletop (sometimes countertop) cabinet, or sometimes in a sit-in-it or ride-on-it configuration, for use in public locations (game arcades, movie theater lobbies, family restaurants, etc.).
Assets - (1) Graphic files, movie files, sound files, music files that are used to make a game. (2) Skills and talents of an individual that make him a desirable employee or employee candidate. (3) Equipment, real estate, staff, and IP of a game company being evaluated by a potential buyer.
Assistant Producer - Job title for someone involved in the management of a game project (either at a developer or a publisher).
Associate degree - According to www.universities.com, this is a degree "that requires completion of an organized program of study of at least 2 but less than 4 years." Most game industry employers want to see higher degrees than this on your resume, as a general rule.
Associate Producer - Job title for someone involved in the management of a game project (either at a developer or a publisher).
Attract Mode - Automatic display sequence designed to entice passersby to put coins into an arcade game. Term sometimes used in reference to the display sequence that occurs after powering up a console game or (less often) after launching a computer game.
"B" Bug - A bug of second-highest priority. Whereas an "A" bug absolutely must be fixed, it is conceivable to release a product without fixing a "B" bug (but such a bug will likely be noticed and commented on by reviewers and players, causing some amount of damage to the game's reputation).
Bachelor's Degree - According to www.universities.com, a degree "that requires completion of an organized program of study of at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time academic study." Above an Associate Degree and below a Masters Degree.
Baduk - Korean name for the game of go.
Beta - A term used for a phase of development in the process of making an electronic game. Exact definition varies, but essentially it means "all of the assets are implemented, and all of the functionality is implemented. The game just needs a few adjustments here and there." Anyone playing this game is getting very nearly the same experience someone will get when they play the final released game.
Beta Test - Not to be confused with Q.A. Beta testing is usually done to get user feedback to aid in the final tweaking process, to take a nearly-complete ("Beta") game and tune it and make it into the best possible playing experience. Contrary to testing in a Q.A. lab, beta testing is unpaid work that can be done at home. Beta testing being unpaid, it does not count as work experience on a résumé. One cannot seek out beta testing opportunities (the company in need of beta testers usually seeks volunteers from among known game players, often in the online gaming community).
Boss Monster - Larger-than-life enemy character met at ends of stages, and especially the end of the last stage, of an action game.
Box & Docs - The package and instruction manual for a game that's to be sold in stores. Involves quite a bit of effort on the part of the Marketing department to create, with an extensive approval cycle for the producer and Q.A.
Brand Manager - Someone who's responsible for managing a brand. For instance, there's a guy who makes sure that all Crash Bandicoot toys look "on model" (adhering to the Crash Bandicoot "bible"). There's a guy who makes sure that video games based on Spider-Man all are of high quality and are true to the Spider-Man character and story.
Bug - A problem, usually one that can be fixed by changing some code.
Bundling - The practice of including software together with new hardware for sale in a store or catalog.
Business Model - The manner in which a particular type of business earns its money. A game developer's business model might be (for instance) "make games that make the publisher happy so they'll give us money." A game publisher's business model might be (for instance) "make games that will earn shelf space."
Business Plan - A document that outlines all aspects of how a business is to be run, from money to be spent to money to be earned to employees to be hired to equipment and services to be paid for. The business plan is a tool for acquiring a business loan or venture capital and also as a guide for running the business once launched.
Buyer - The person who places orders for a game to be sold in a store chain.
Casual Gamer - Someone who may or may not be into hardcore video games but who may well be interested in playing games that are intuitive, easy to learn, don't require a huge investment of time -- or traditional board games, card games, etc.
"C" Bug - The second-lowest priority of bug. Whereas "A" bugs absolutely must be fixed and "B" bugs are damaging to the game's reputation if unfixed, most players or reviewers will not notice if a game is released with a "C" bug unfixed.
C.G. - Computer graphics. Graphics created and displayed on a computer, as opposed to graphics created by hand on paper.
C.G.D.C. - Computer Game Developers Conference.
Code - Short for "source code," that which a programmer creates.
Code Release - The point in the development of a game at which the game is deemed finished, ready for manufacture.
Compatible - (1) The ability for a game to be used on more than one hardware configuration. (2) The ability for a person to get along with another person on a game development team.
Concept - The basic idea behind a game. The central point of difference between this and other games. Sometimes used as an abbreviation for "Concept Document" or "Concept Paper," which is the setting forth, on paper, of the central idea of a game. The purpose of writing a concept is to get game executives interested in hearing more about the game (leading to the next step: writing a "treatment"). A paper version of an "elevator pitch."
Console - Used to refer to a hardware device connected to a television set for the purpose of playing an electronic game.
Cosplay - Short for "costume play." The practice of dressing up like a character from a game, movie, or manga. Often seen at conventions, trade shows, and expos.
C.O.T.S. - "Commercial Off The Shelf" games. As opposed to online games not sold in bricks-and-mortar stores, or non-commercial games, etc.
Creative Director - A job title for someone who has responsibility for (or management authority over) artistic and/or design aspects of games.
Cut Scene - A non-interactive animation, often accompanied by voice and/or music, to further the storyline between play segments. (Oddly, the name means something else altogether in Hollywood - in Hollywood, "cut scene" means a scene that was removed from the film in editing.)
"D" Bug - The lowest category of bug. Whenever someone uses the phrase, "It Would Be Nice If" in discussing a bug, that's a "D" bug. In the interest of getting the game finished so people can play it, it usually doesn't hurt anything if a "D" bug is not fixed.
Debug - The process of fixing a bug, or sometimes of merely determining the source of a bug so that it can be fixed.
Debug Station - May be used to refer to one of two different kinds of hardware. A "debugger" is a machine formerly used specifically for the purpose of "trapping" (identifying) the source of a bug. These days, "debug station" is used in reference to a game console that can be used to play a game that has not yet been encrypted or authorized for release by the console manufacturer.
Demo - A truncated version of a game, intended to entice players to shell out their hard-earned bucks to buy the full version.
Demo Disc - A CD created with the intention of showing off the services or talents of a creative individual or company.
Demo Reel - A videotape, cassette tape, or CD created with the intention of showing off the services or talents of a creative individual or company.
Design Director - Job title that may be used in some game companies to refer to a game designer who has risen to a high level of authority and responsibility. Analogous or possibly even equivalent to "creative director."
Designer - A person who creates, who designs. By contrast, a person who executes, who builds a thing based on a design, is an implementor (not a designer). Not to be confused with the term "programmer."
Developer - Usually used to refer to a company that builds games but does not publish or distribute them. May also be used as an all-encompassing term to refer to anyone involved in the building of games. Some non-game industries may use the term to be equivalent to "programmer" - and some game companies may also use the term this way.
Development - Sometimes refers to the entire process in which a game is made. Sometimes used mainly in reference to the earlier process of researching the feasibility of a game, as opposed to the later actual building of the game (which is then called "production").
Development Kit - A collection of software utilities, documentation, and sometimes hardware that enables a programmer or programming team to build software for a particular platform. Also called "S.D.K." (Software Development Kit).
Director - Job title that varies from company to company. Usually refers to someone higher than a producer but lower than a Vice President.
Distribution Deal - A contractual arrangement between the creator of a game and a publisher. Getting a game developed and produced is a different thing from having it manufactured. And getting the manufactured game onto store shelves is yet another thing. A party who's good at making a game is not necessarily good at getting a game distributed. Thus deals are made with parties who are good at those other important aspects of the business. Pretty much the same thing as a "publishing deal," but not quite.
Distributor - A company that gets games onto the shelves of stores and onto the pages of catalogs, but does not do much in the way of marketing of a game. The biggest game publishers also distribute.
Downwardly Compatible - A game machine that still supports games that were made for its predecessor game machine, such as the PS2, which can play PS1 games - or the Game Cube Advance, which can play games made for earlier Game Boy units.
Educational Game - A specific type of game made primarily for the purpose of teaching younger players.
Edutainment - A game that teaches and also entertains.
Encryption - In games, this usually refers to a technology that's used to prevent the unauthorized publication of games or to prevent user piracy.
End User - The person who buys a game for the purpose of playing it. A product starts with the developer, then is tested by the publisher, manufactured by a manufacturer, distributed by a distributor, and warehoused and placed in stores by a merchandiser, before being purchased by the last party in the chain - the end user. See also E.U.L.A.
Engine - A software package that enables the creation of a game without having to create every line of code from scratch. A good game engine provides the ability to create environments, objects, and characters, as well as the ability to move the characters and detect interactions between characters and environments, objects, and other characters. The engine probably also includes routines that interact directly with the game hardware to display graphics and play sounds, I suppose. What do I know? I'm not a programmer. You want to know more about engines, go do your own research and leave me alone already!
E.S.A. - Entertainment Software Association. New name of the old I.D.S.A. - Interactive Digital Software Association. Coalition of game publishers and software publishers.
E.S.R.B. - Entertainment Software Ratings Board. A body created for the purpose of providing ratings for games. The ESRB was created to forestall the possibility of government regulation of game marketing practices.
E.U.L.A. - End User License Agreement. The legal "contract" that an end user of a computer software program ostensibly agrees to (by clicking "Yes" or "Agree") and that governs what rights in the program are reserved by its publisher, and what limited rights the end user is buying.
Executive Producer - A high-level manager (one step below a Vice President) responsible for managing producers.
Executive Summary - A very short written description. Depending on the scope of what's being described, may be as short as one paragraph or maybe as long as two pages.
External - Refers to a separate company or to a location not in the same building or building complex. If someone at Activision says "this game was developed externally," that means that the people on the development staff do not work at Activision's main office, and probably are not full time employees of Activision.
First Party - Used in the video game business to refer to games published by the console hardware manufacturer (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo) AKA platform holder.
First Person - Used in reference to the point of view in a video game. In a first-person game, the player sees the game world through the eyes of the player character. By contrast, in third-person games, the player sees the player character (example: any Mario game). Until the advent of good 3D engines in games like Doom, just about all games were third person. FYI, there is no such thing as a second-person game (the player would always see the player character's face, and all movements would be in reverse).
Flow chart (flow diagram) - A visual representation of how a software program or routine should work. Flow charts use circles for entry and exit points, squares to describe actions taken by the program, and diamonds to poll the user interface for user actions and to make branching decisions.
F.P.S. - First Person Shooter.
Freeware - Software that's distributed for free, usually over the internet. Not a business model that'll get the author rich.
Full Version - A complete game (as opposed to the demo version or the shareware version).
Game Design - At the risk of attracting controversy again, here goes. Game design is "the act of defining a game in detail." Game Design is not "programming," and it isn't "graphic design." It's mostly ideation and writing. Game design is about more than simply writing a GDD, just as architecture is about more than simply creating a blueprint.
Game Designer - A person who engages in game design. A person who defines games in detail, or who defines the details of a game. Not necessarily a programmer. Not necessarily an artist. Someone who communicates well through writing and imagery.
Game Mechanic - Play pattern. For example, a crossword puzzle entails a different player activity than does a card game.
Gameplay - The term is sometimes spelled as two words rather than one. And the term can be used in a sentence in a variety of ways to refer to different aspects of the enjoyable act of playing a game. Sometimes used to be synonymous with the phrase "play pattern." ("What kind of gameplay is it: is it 'run and dodge,' or is it 'sit and puzzle'?") Sometimes used in attempts to quantify the level of fun of a game. ("Does this game have better gameplay than that game?")
Gamer - A person who is facile with games. Especially, someone who plays games professionally. (Term is not used within the game industry to refer to people who work in the game industry. Most people who work in the creative side of the industry are gamers, but it cannot be said that most gamers work in the industry of making games.)
Games 411 - "Reference guide for game related businesses that lists everyone from companies, artists, music producers, marketing and distribution, and retailers."
Gaming - Usually use in reference to gambling activities, such as those which take place in casinos. (Term is not used within the game industry to refer to the game industry itself.)
G.D.C. - Game Developers Conference.
G.D.D. - Game Design Document. When printed on paper, usually a very lengthy and detailed document or collection of documents.
Genre - Term used to classify, categorize, or pigeonhole games by different types of gameplay (action games vs. simulation games, etc.). There isn't a universal system for genre classification. What one reviewer calls a "card game" might be called "strategy" by another reviewer (if that other reviewer doesn't have a pigeonhole labeled "card games").
Gold - (1) Sometimes used to mean that a game has reached a high level of sales. Exact numbers may vary depending on the magazine or statistics company using the term (might mean game has sold a million units, for instance). (2) Sometimes used to refer to hit games from a bygone era.
Gold Master - A copy (usually on a CD or DVD these days) of the game in its final incarnation, after Q.A. has certified the game as final and the programmer(s) have ceased working on it.
Graphic Designer - A person who creates graphics for games, game advertisements, box art, website, etc.
G.U.I. - Graphical User Interface. Onscreen information presented for the user to interact with the computer program, presented in a graphic way.
Hardware Manufacturer - Company that manufactures game systems (Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft).
High Concept - A very short statement of the basic concept or "hook" of a game. The high concept of the Steven Segal movie "Under Siege" was, "Die Hard on a battleship."
Hook - A very short statement of the basic concept or "high concept" of a game. The hook of GTA Vice City is, "more of what you loved about GTA3."
I.D.S.A. - Interactive Digital Software Association. Coalition of game publishers and software publishers.
I.G.D.A. - International Game Developers Association.
Inverted Pyramid - A writing practice begun by news reporters during the American Civil War. Reporters sending news by telegraph knew that the line could be cut before they were finished sending, so they started by giving the most important points first, then expanding on that, and finishing off with the least important parts. This principle is still used today in newspapers, and it applies to game designs as well.
J.A.M.M.A. - Japan Amusement Machine Manufacturers Association. Organization of arcade manufacturers in Japan.
Level - Video games are usually broken into bite-size chunks called "levels," "stages," or "missions." Different games may refer to these as "worlds." These terms may sometimes be used interchangeably, or may be used to mean subsets of one another in various ways in different games.
Level Design - The art or practice of designing levels, stages, or missions, often by means of mod tools or level editing tools.
Level Editor - A program or tool created by the makers of a game, for use in creating new levels, stages, or missions for that game. Not all games come with level editing tools. Also called "mod tools" or "modding tools"
Licensed Developer - A company who makes games under the permission of the hardware manufacturer. For example, a developer who wants to make PS2 games must obtain a license from Sony.
Licensed Game - A game based on a property that isn't owned by the publisher. For instance, THQ made a Battlebots game. THQ didn't have the rights to make a game using the name "Battlebots" until they got a license from the party that owned those rights.
Licensed Publisher - A publishing company that has secured permission (from a platform holder) to publish games on a particular platform.
Line Producer - Definition may vary. The producer of a game usually works at a publisher, and a line producer may work at a developer.
Localization - The process of making changes to a game so that it appeals to the players in a part of the world other than that in which it was originally created or originally published.
Look and Feel - Based on the legal principle of "trade dress." Someone might make a video game that plays roughly similarly to, for example, Tetris, without violating copyrights or trademarks of the owners of Tetris. But if the game looks too similar or "feels" too similar, then a lawsuit might result. A lot of beginning programmers want to make clones of existing games to practice game building, and when these clones are offered for sale, legal problems can result when the new game looks and feels too much like the game that inspired it. See also "trade dress."
Market Penetration - The ratio of installed base versus population. (People who buy a product vs. people who do not.)
Marketing - (1) The practice of working to maximize the sales of a product, sometimes by advertising to the end customer, and sometimes by promoting the game to the retail channel and to magazine editors. (2) The department of a company whose function is to maximize the sales of a product.
Middleware - A software package that enables a programmer or programming team to build a game or assets for a game. 3D engines, modeling tools, stuff like that. Supplements rather than replaces an SDK.
Minimum System Requirements - Computer games only (does not apply to console games). A written description of the lowest operating system, CPU speed, CD drive speed, RAM, hard disk space, etc. that are required in order to play the game.
M.M.O.G. - Massively Multiplayer Online Game. Used to refer to online games that can be played by a LOT of players simultaneously.
M.M.O.R.P.G. - Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game.
Mod - Can be used as a verb or a noun. Verb: to use game level-editing tools to create a custom level or unique game. Noun: a game made by using level-editing tools. [Note: I once heard the term used as an abbreviation for "moderator," but I don't know how wide that usage is.]
Modeler - An artist who creates 3D objects or figures.
Motion Capture - The creation of animations by means of a live actor and special equipment to record the actor's movements.
N.A.B. - "Not a bug." Term used by a producer to squash a bug reported by a tester.
N.P.C. - Non-Player Character. A game character not under the direct control of the end user, usually controlled by the game's A.I.
Object Code - What Source Code becomes after being compiled. You can play object code, but you have to compile source code before you can play it. You can read source code, but object code looks like gobbledygook.
O.E.M. - Original Equipment Manufacturer. Some computers and game machines come "bundled" with software (including games). When a game is bundled with a new machine, that version of the game is called "the OEM version."
Platform - Term can vary depending. Usually refers to the hardware supported by a game, but sometimes refers to the operating system or even the programming language.
Play Pattern - Game mechanic. For example, a crossword puzzle entails a different player activity than does a card game.
Port - A version of a game made after the initial release, so that owners of a different platform could also enjoy the game.
Post-Mortem - A detailed analysis written after completion of a game project, the purpose of which is to learn and improve the process. In a post-mortem, the focus is on (1) what went wrong, (2) what went right, and (3) what can be learned and used to advantage in the next project. It's a reality of the working world that feelings can be hurt, so sometimes punches are pulled in these documents.
Post Production - A phase in the creation of a game that occurs after all the graphics, sounds, and code have been created. During this phase, the majority of the development staff has moved on to other projects, but the core programmers are still busy fixing bugs, tweaking gameplay, etc.
Pre-Production - A phase in the creation of a game that precedes the creation of the graphics, sounds, and code. During this phase, the designer is writing the design, the producer is making the budget and schedule, deals are made to obtain needed license rights, the team is selected, and Marketing is plotting ways to take control. (Okay, I didn't really mean that last part.) (Like hell I didn't.)
Production - A phase in the creation of a game that involves the work of artists, programmers, actors, musicians, and sound engineers. Occurs after the design has been written and before the bulk of testing and tuning.
Production Coordinator - A job title for a person involved in the management side of things - lower than an Assistant Producer. Programmable Handheld - the opposite of a "dedicated handheld."
Programmer - A person who writes software.
Proof of Concept (POC) - An early iteration of a game, created with the intention of determining the feasibility of a gameplay concept.
Prototype - Term may be used differently in different situations and by different people. Usual meaning: an early build of the game (thus "prototype" could be the first playable version, or it could be Alpha or Beta). It's kind of an all-inclusive term for a game that isn't finished yet or hasn't yet been mass-produced. In regards to board games or table games, a prototype is a version of the game made by the designer rather than mass-produced.
Publisher - A company that pays for the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of a game.
Publishing Deal - A contractual arrangement between the independent creator of a game and a publisher. Getting a game developed and produced is a different thing from having it manufactured. And getting the manufactured game marketed effectively and placed on store shelves is yet another thing. A party who's good at making a game is not necessarily good at marketing it effectively. Thus deals are made with parties who are good at those other important aspects of the business. Pretty much the same thing as a "distribution deal," but much more inclusive of the benefits a publisher can offer.
Q.A. - Short for "Quality Assurance." (1) The phase during a game project in which testers scrutinize a game to identify any and all problems, and to verify that the game meets its pre-defined requirements. (2) The name of a department at a game company (usually a publisher) which tests games or equipment. Not to be confused with "Q&A." Not to be confused with "Beta testing." See also "tester."
Q&A - "Question & Answer." An entirely different thing from "Q.A." Often, after a speech, the speaker will open the floor to questions and answers.
Q.C. - Quality Control. Term rarely used in the game industry. We usually call it "Q.A." instead.
Requirements - A term used in engineering projects to set forth criteria that a project must satisfy. Also applies to the game biz, but the game biz is an entertainment industry, not precisely an engineering discipline. Accordingly, requirements can be more difficult to determine for a game project.
Release - (1) When spoken by someone involved in developing a game: Code release (game is declared final and is sent off for manufacturing). (2) When spoken by someone in Marketing or the media: Ship (game is manufactured and appears on store shelves).
Role Playing Game - A type or genre of game in which the player takes the part of a character. Usually a turn-based game in which the player character endures the effects of "hit points" and attribute value changes which are sometimes controlled by, and sometimes not under the control of, the player. Much more "anal retentive" a type of game than an adventure game (which is the nearest equivalent genre). Far removed from an action game in that an action game occurs in real time, requiring twitch reflexes.
Save Point - A location in a game at which the player can stop, save the game, and on a subsequent play session pick up where he left off.
Script - Might be used to mean a variety of things or acts. A script might be a particular type of code that serves as a list of actions that the game will perform. Or it might be a document that defines lines of voice-over dialogue, or a document that defines onscreen text. As a verb, "scripting" might refer to the creation of a scripted sequence in code, or to the act of writing dialogue or text. It's advisable to use the term with modifiers so as not to confuse folks.
Scroller - Also called a scrolling game. The onscreen display acts like a window onto a digital world, scrolling either sideways or vertically to reveal the world sequentially during play. One of the first examples of a "side-scrolling" game was the arcade game Scramble. Due to technological advancements, scrolling games are more generally found on handhelds and mobile games these days - and not so much on console games, arcade games, or computer games.
S.D.K. - Software Developers Kit. A collection of software utilities, documentation, and sometimes hardware that enables a programmer or programming team to build software for a particular platform.
Shell - The part of a game that comprises the entrance and exit points. Usually also includes the main menu of a game.
Simulation - A game that mimics some real life activity.
Sound Designer - A person who creates audio for games.
Sound Engineer - A person who creates audio for games.
Source Code - That which the programmer writes (usually in C++), which gets turned into Object Code after having been Compiled. You can't play source code (you have to compile it first). But at least you can read source code.
T.D.D. - Technical Design Document. A document created by the technical staff after analyzing a GDD.
T.D.R. - Technical Design Review. Alternate name for TDD, or perhaps a meeting in which the TDD is discussed and accepted.
Technical Director - A person who manages programmers. There's more to it than that, but I'm tired of writing at the moment.
Technical Support - (1) Aid provided by a game company (either a middleware provider or a hardware manufacturer) to the user (game developer). (2) The department of a game company (middleware provider or hardware manufacturer) dedicated to providing such aid.
Tester - An individual who analyzes and reports findings on the playability of a game. Testing is a paid job which requires the tester to report to the company's office every day (testing cannot be done from home, as "Beta testing" can).
Test Lead - Also "Lead Tester." An experienced tester who leads other testers by example. One step below Test Manager.
Test Manager - A manager of testers and lead testers. Responsible for handling personnel issues, equipment needs, and costs incurred by his teams.
Treatment - A 10-20 page document that provides highlights about a game concept. Describes the game's characters, genre, target audience. Discusses competitive aspects (what other games this game will compete against in the market). Sometimes discusses development aspects such as anticipated team size, cost, and timing. Longer than a "concept" and shorter than a "GDD." The purpose of a treatment is to get a greenlight to go to the next step: writing a GDD.
User Interface - The connection points between the "game" on one side and the "user" on the other. There are two aspects to a user interface: (1) The information that the game provides to the user so that the user will know what to do (score, icons, status gauges, context-sensitive text messages, character voice prompts). (2) The information that the user provides to the game by pressing keys or buttons, moving a mouse, moving a joystick, touching the screen, or making voice commands.
Voice Over - Recorded dialogue overlaid upon an animated scene.
W.A.D. - "Works as designed." Phrase used by a producer to squash an erroneously reported bug.
W.I.P. - Work in progress. A game that isn't finished yet.
W.N.F. - "Will not fix." Phrase used by a producer to squash a low-priority bug as the ship date nears.
Writer - (1) Person who creates story text or a story dialogue script. (2) A technical writer (one who writes documentation for an SDK or an engine, for instance). NOT to be confused with "programmer." (3) A copy writer (person who creates the copy for a box, ad, or instruction manual).
Tom Sloper is a designer and producer of video games, best known for his work on the Shanghai series of games for Activision. An engineering designer and modelmaker/draftsman by training, Tom began his video game career in Southern California in the late-1970s.
He designed games for the legendary Vectrex game system (Spike, Bedlam) and other platforms at Western Technologies and Sega Enterprises before joining Atari Corporation, where he was involved in revitalizing the 2600 and 7800 game systems.
Tom is currently a global consultant for game developers, publishers and educational institutions. To learn more, visit Tom's Web site at www.sloperama.com.