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A glitch is an action performed within the bounds of a game engine that was not intended by the game's developers. Glitches are often performed by the player, though they can also occur independently.
The minimap is a small, simplified version of a larger map. This plays a vital role in many games, especially Real Time Strategy, where it is important to have an overview of the entire map.
A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object.
When a game allows the player to pet animals encountered in the environment. Some games are all about this.
Dialogue trees are a feature through which the player selects responses from a list of choices, eliciting reactions from NPCs and determining the path of the conversation and story.
SpeedTree is a software toolkit that generates realistic forests on the fly.
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, commonly refers to the programmed behaviors of NPCs in a game, whether it's the fact that a soldier takes cover behind a wall in Gears of War, or that townspeople cheer upon your arrival to their village in Fable.
When a certain amount of time is given to the player to reach a goal or finish an objective.
A subscription service from EA for the PC. Similar to EA Access, users pay a monthly fee to gain access to a range of titles published with additional incentives.
Everything you need isn't always spelled out for you on the map. Sometimes even the map is not there till you go explore it.
A real-life athlete who appears on the cover art of a sports game. Usually an up-and-coming star in the sport or a perennial fan favorite.
A digital distribution service built around indie works and their creators.
Quests that aren't necessary for game completion. They typically offer side-stories or specific rewards.
The ability to move from one area to another instantaneously - typically through some sort of special power or device.
Cold-blooded aquatic animals that have scales and breathe through gills.
Not to be confused with just any metal case, SteelBook is a brand of metal packaging for disc-based media.
The twenty-second annual Electronic Entertainment Expo took place June 14-16, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California.
A mod is a user-created patch that alters any part of a game, or adds new content to it. At the extreme, "total conversion" mods can change the game so much that an entirely new experience is created.
Legendary, stealthy assassins from Japan's feudal era, who are well-trained in the art of the sword, and who may or may not have access to magical powers.
A style of action-adventure gameplay revolving around exploring a labyrinth with the necessity of locating new items and equipment to progress beyond otherwise impassable obstacles. The concept is named for its common usage in the Metroid and Castlevania franchises. While the term most commonly refers to 2D games, it can also refer to 3D games.
Games that have animals (except humans) as the main character. The character must be playable.
Any character you can control in a game is a Player Character (PC), as opposed to a non-player character (NPC), which is a character that can only be controlled by the game.
Electricity is commonly used as a damage-introducing element causing inanimate objects to become harmful (electrified water, floors, cables, etc). It can also refer to a power wielded by characters that generates sparks, is conductive to metal surfaces, forks or branches, and is often blue in color.
Games that have been accepted by Valve through Steam's Greenlight service.
Player versus Environment, commonly abbreviated as PvE, is a gaming term that originated in MMOs to refer to gameplay in which players fight against computer controlled creatures or characters.
Small payments made with actual money which result in an in-game bonus, such as an extra item, character, etc...
An umbrella term for any sexual orientation or gender identity that is not straight.
A point within the game whereby the game saves its current state whether it be for the purpose of a more convenient respawn point or a gameplay design (such as in racing).
It's all in the family.
An environmental hazard that can be exploited to inflict massive areal damage, exploding barrels are one of the most ubiquitous objects to be found in games. The most common methods of ignition include shooting and throwing. Exploding barrels are usually distinguished from the non-exploding kind by a conspicuous red tint.
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