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Glossary Glossary
fl oat: Floating decimal point that must be
accounted for in any decimal computation. (12)
fl ood light: See fi ll light. (10)
fl ow: In video games, state of immersion in
the task or activity being undertaken. (7)
fl owchart: Chart with different text box
shapes and connectors to add visual detail to
a decision process. (12)
focus group: Small group of target audience
members play the game and are asked
questions about the game and how to make it
better. (4)
foldback event: Resolution point within the
game that the player must go through to
move the story forward. (3)
foldback story: Story that allows the player
to make decisions, but all paths lead, or fold,
back to the same endpoint. (3)
follow-through: Continuation of movement
beyond the main event. (11)
form: Assembly of 2D shapes to represent a
third dimension; measureable dimensions of
length, width, and depth. (9)
forward kinematics: Parent object controls
the motion of a child object, but the child
object does not control the motion of the
parent object. (11)
frame: Each still image in an animation. (11)
frame rate: Speed at which frames are
played. (11)
functional rules: Control how each part
works. (7)
functionality test: Using audience members
to provide valuable information about the
physical skills needed for a specifi c game
challenge. (4)
functionality testing: Process of evaluating if
everything works the way it should. (1)
G G
gain: Occurs when a player receives something
like a resource, skill, or knowledge. (6)
game: Activity that has three parts:
game environment, rules, and a victory
condition. (1)
game designer: Person who works for the
developer whose main tasks are to create the
structure of the game and dream up great
interactions within the game; generically, almost
everyone who works on a design team. (1)
game economy: Determines which resources
are available, in what amount, and at what
cost. (6)
game environment: Game environment
is an area specifi cally designed to enable
gameplay. (1)
game fl ow: Design of levels, processes, and
gameplay integration that a player should
follow. (6)
game layout chart: Chart that displays an
overhead view of game. (3)
game physics: Uses a mathematical model to
control the general motion of objects in the
virtual world. (11)
gameplay: What the player does and how he or
she interacts with the game while playing it. (1)
gameplay-attributed character: In-game
character who only needs the realistic
physical features required to complete the
game objectives. (2)
game-select avatars: Avatars that are
provided by the game designers and cannot
be changed. (2)
game-treatment document: Document that
explains the vision of the game in greater
detail than the high-concept document. (1)
gamut: Total spectrum of colors a given
model can create. (9)