Entertainment / Video Games Glossary

A Bug: A bug of the highest priority (a bug that must be fixed, else the game cannot be released).

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.'

Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS): Professional membership organization serving the interactive entertainment development community, the Academy works to advance interactive entertainment through events that focus on the arti . . . View Full Definition

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: Adventure games tend to be quest based, and include exploration, puzzle-solving, and expansive story lines. The vast majority of adventure games are designed as single-player experiences.

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.

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 dea . . . View Full Definition

Aggro: Jargon, derived from the word 'aggravation' can be either a noun or a verb referring to the possibility of a computer-controlled character attacking a player.

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 al . . . View Full Definition

Alt: An abbreviation for 'alternate' usually used to describe an 'alternate character,' meaning a different avatar or player character used by an individual when playing an online game.

American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA): Represents the manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of the coin-operated amusement industry (arcade games, jukeboxes, pinball, etc.). Supports the AMOA trade show.

Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA): Organization for the amusement, music, entertainment & vending industry (arcade games, jukeboxes, pinball, etc.).

Analog control: Unlike digital control, which simply registers a button push or joystick direction, analog control is highly sensitive and takes into account to what degree the button or joystick is pushed. . . . View Full Definition

Analog stick: Sometimes called a 'thumbstick,' an 'analog stick' is an input device for a video game controller, and allows for precise control of on-screen action that is directly related to the degree t . . . View Full Definition

Anime: Japanese cartoon drawing style typified by short characters with large eyes. In video games, this style in most evident in rpgs, especially those released in the 90s.

Anti-Aliasing: A programming technique (or hardware capability) that automatically smoothes jaggy edges, and is especially useful for making low-resolution images look better.

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 appr . . . View Full Definition

Arcade: Games described as being 'arcade style' or being of the genre known broadly as 'arcade games' fall into two basic groups. The first are games with their origins in amusement arcades, such as . . . View Full Definition

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 arca . . . View Full Definition

Artificial Intelligence (AI): 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 ve . . . View Full Definition

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) E . . . View Full Definition

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