The Gamer's Dictionary

[Binjovi]

I really like this thread. It's a cool project. Here are a bunch I thought of. I'm trying to keep the definitions real general as they can often apply to various types of games.

AoE - Area of Effect. A skill or ability that affects an area instead of a single target.

PBAoE - Player-based Area of Effect. A variant of AoE that only surrounds the player.

DOT - Short for damage over time. An effect, often in the form of a debuff that slowly drains or ticks away HP over a set amount of time.

HOT - Short for healing over time. An effect, often in the form of a buff that slowly increases HP over a set amount of time.

DPS - Short for damage per second. Used to refer to a player or NPC's ability to consistently dish out damage to their opponent.

NPC - Short for non-player character. Refers to a character within the game world that is not controlled by the player.

PC - Short for player character. Refers to a character within the game that the player controls.

GG - Good game. Used when a group of players perform admirably either in co-op, or competitive game modes. Sometimes used as a gracious admission of defeat. "You beat me. GG, man."

Macro - Short for macro-management. Refers to the overall strategy of a game often through collection, spending, and general management of a player's resources.

Character Level - A typically numerical system for measuring the general strength or progression of a character. Usually simply referred to as level.

Frag or Kill - The beating of an in-game opponent, usually by depleting their HP.

Mob - Shorthand for mobile. Refers to any NPC (most commonly enemies) that moves around the game world.

Map, Stage, Course, Track, or Level - An area or arena within a game that provides a setting for the player or players to interact with.

Minigame - A game within a game usually of smaller scope and using different mechanics from the main game. Often optional or used as a way to break up repetitious aspects of the main game.

Cutscene - An animated scene where the player has little to no control over the events taking place.

Quick Time Event - A cross between a minigame and a cutsene. Usually an animated scene where the player is prompted to press certain button combinations in order to succeed and continue playing the main game.

Lives or 1-UPs - Typically the amount of attempts a player is allowed to make before getting a game over. Extra lives can often be acquired as items or through other methods within the game.

Game Over - A state of the game wherein a player must start over from the beginning or from a recent checkpoint. This usually comes about due to the player losing HP or lives.

Checkpoint - A point in the game's story or world that a player may return to upon getting a game over.

[Jax Mandrake]

I think I have enough for several videos, wheneverthebloodyhell I get around to making them. Keep the words and definitions coming, though, because this is the fun kind of education!!

Autoscroll - to have the background move steadily, often in one direction.

Funstration - a level of difficulty that causes the player to become enraged. Ideally, funstration is that specific level of challenge that can make a player throw a controller across a room and pick it up a few seconds later to try again. (I think this is what "NES Hard" strives to be.)

I admit I made up funstration on my own, but it's one of those words I'd like to see become popular.

Also, let us not forget these physical impossibilities common to video games...

Double Jump - the ability to jump a second time without the character touching anything.

Rocket Jump - the use of explosives to boost one's jumping ability.

Wall Jump - the ability to jump from a vertical surface, often with as much force as a jump from a horizontal surface and just as often between walls to reach a much higher point.

[Melbu Frahma]

Wall Jump - the ability to jump from a vertical surface, often with as much force as a jump from a horizontal surface and just as often between walls to reach a much higher point.

Made me think of another "physical impossibility" in video games....

Wall Hack - Passing/attacking through solid objects or walls through use of lag or cheats.

[Darklink42]

Team kill- killing members of your own team, either by accident or on purpose. Generally frowned upon, especially if it occurs often.

Sandbox/open world- refers to the kind of game that features a large world in which the player is capable of wandering freely to any area and of doing anything they wish beyond the storyline.

Playthrough- One complete session of the game from opening to the end credits, either continuous or over time.

Bunge- From my Gunbound days, I don't know if people still use this, but it used to mean that you dug the ground out from under a player and made them fall to their death.

RNG- Random number generator. (someone else can describe this in a pithy sentence if they like)

PECFN- Personal experience counts for nothing. This was used a lot when Fire Emblem came out, but really the term applies to anything in which stats are randomized. The idea is that your playthrough, characters, and experiences will be different enough from someone else's that they will be incomparable.

[Soul Splint]

Also, let us not forget these physical impossibilities common to video games...

Double Jump - the ability to jump a second time without the character touching anything.

Rocket Jump - the use of explosives to boost one's jumping ability.

Wall Jump - the ability to jump from a vertical surface, often with as much force as a jump from a horizontal surface and just as often between walls to reach a much higher point.

Gotta include Crouch Jump in that list - the use of a crouch while in midair to draw up the legs of the player in order to reach a higher platform.