420
Video Game Design Foundations
Gantt chart: Chart that displays the project
broken down into tasks and subtasks, length
of time assigned to each task, and tasks that
must be performed before other tasks are
identified. (1)
genre: Major category of video game
gameplay. (1)
geodesic sphere: Constructed of regular
polygons such as triangles, pentagons, and
octagons. (10)
geometric shapes: Regular figures, like
a square, circle, triangle, octagon, or
trapezoid. (9)
global: Subroutine or variable that occurs
throughout the program being written. (12)
gold master: Disc containing the perfected
final game that is used as the original from
which all other copies will be made. (1)
Goldberg, Rube: See Rube Goldberg. (7)
governing game design document
(GGDD): Design documents that contain
all of the concept elaboration information
and are more detailed than the pitch
documents. (1)
graphical user interface (GUI): Buttons,
icons, and other graphics that are needed
to work the game interface; how the user
will send and receive information with the
computer. (1, 3)
green screen: Chroma screen. (11)
guardian: Protector of an area, object, or
objective. (2)
H
hack: Programming created to alter the
original functions of the game or hardware. (5)
hacking: Means of cheating by creating hacks
that change the gameplay to give a player an
advantage. (5)
handicap: In gaming, an advantage provided
to a low-level character or a disadvantage
provided to a high-level character so all
players are similarly matched. (2)
haptic: Based on the sense of touch. (13)
hard skills: Technical abilities a person
possesses. (1)
harmony: Use of similar elements; helps hold
the image or scene together. (9)
heads-up display (HUD): Means of
displaying information to the player during
gameplay. (3)
helper: Any character who gives vital
information to the hero when the hero is
trying to make moral and ethical decisions,
is undergoing internal changes, or needs
direction on the quest. (2)
herald: Character who brings news to the
hero or narrates the story. (2)
hero: Main character in the story, represents
good. (2)
heuristics: Process of making predictions
based on past events, or learning by trial and
error. (13)
hierarchy: Structure in which one person has
authority and decision-making power over
others. (10)
high-concept document: One-page overview
of the basic idea for your game. (1)
high-level computer language: Contains
words and symbols that are similar to those
found in everyday spoken and written
language. (12)
histogram: Bar graph that uses rectangles
of different heights to show the variation in
data. (6)
horizontal symmetry: Right side is a mirror
image of the left side. (9)