Games

What is hierarchy in design?

The order in which we notice elements in a composition.

How can contrast control visual weight?

Contrast can control visual weight by differentiating elements to draw attention.

What relationship does A+B have to A as A has to?

B.

What is the Golden Ratio in composition?

Compositions are usually more pleasing when there’s an odd number of things.

What is the term that describes how your eyes look over/around/parse a composition?

Movement.

What does visuospatial resonance refer to?

The distance a viewer is viewing a piece and the info (and frequency of info) within.

What are serif fonts?

Small decorative features on letters.

What is value in color theory?

Relative lightness or darkness of a color.

What is Contour Bias?

The tendency to favor smooth, round objects and not sharp pointy things.

What does straight ahead mean in animation?

An approach where you make the frames sequentially instead of using keyframes.

What is closure in perception?

When a human perceives the presence of a full shape.

What does staging refer to in animation?

The principle that says you should use motion to guide the viewer's eye.

What is ambiguous space?

When space alternates between two different spatial orientations such that things advance or recede.

What are organic shapes?

Irregular or rounded shapes; not easily mathematically defined.

What is a vanishing point in perspective?

A point on the horizon where parallel lines meet.

What is overlapping in visual order?

The simplest way to achieve space for a viewer; basic visual ordering.

What colors appear to come forward/advance?

Warm colors.

What is atmospheric perspective?

Space created by the illusion that objects deeper in a scene are viewed through multiple layers of air.

In a game’s viewpoint, what two things make up the view?

Direction and projection.

What is orthographic projection?

A lack of perspective and relationship between axes; objects don’t change size with distance.

What is oblique projection?

Rays that aren’t all perpendicular to the viewing plane; viewer sees different views.

What is cabinet projection?

One side drawn as if viewed directly, with two sides usually at 45 degrees.

What is dimetric projection?

The most common axonometric projection used in games, where two axes are proportionally foreshortened.

What type of space creates an illusion?

Physically impossible space.

What is an emsquare?

An imaginary box around characters and glyphs.