Introduction to Game Design and History

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key terms, theorists, and concepts from the lecture notes on game design history, industry roles, and development processes.

Game Design

The creation of an experience that a player undergoes.

Ludology

The study or theory of games; in English, the term Game Studies is often used specifically for video games.

Play (Lazarus' definition)

A free, aimless, unbound, and self-satisfied activity described as a movement that returns to itself.

Agon

One of Roger Caillois' four basic forms of play, referring to competition.

Alea

One of Roger Caillois' four basic forms of play, referring to chance.

Ilinx

One of Roger Caillois' four basic forms of play, referring to vertigo or a 'rush'.

Mimikry

One of Roger Caillois' four basic forms of play, referring to masking or role-playing.

Paidia

Free, rule-less, and unbridled joy in play as defined by Roger Caillois.

Ludus

Artificially structured and rule-bound play as defined by Roger Caillois.

Game (Salen/Zimmerman definition)

A system in which players enter an artificial conflict, determined by rules, that ends in a quantifiable outcome.

Serious Games

Games developed with a clear purpose other than pure entertainment, such as for education or training.

Trading Card Games (TCG)

A genre where each player brings their own set of cards (deck) from a collection into the match.

Tabletop Games

Originally complex simulation games with terrain and figures that evolved from Prussian wargaming.

Game Mechanics

A description of a game process that relates game materials and players to one another.

Magic Circle

The framework of a game that separates it from 'normal reality,' which players enter voluntarily while submitting to the game's rules.

Trash-Talk

Communication behavior adopted from sports where exaggeration, metaphors, and wordplay are used to psychologically influence an opponent.

Pen & Paper

An expression used for role-playing games or prototypes indicating a haptic, physical product rather than a digital one.

First-Person-Shooter (FPS)

A video game genre defined by the camera perspective looking through the eyes of the avatar and the option to aim and shoot with a weapon.

Virtual Reality (VR)

The representation of games where the player finds themselves inside the game environment and perceives it as reality.

Augmented Reality (AR)

A computer-supported expansion of reality, usually involving visual overlays of digital content.

Game Engine

A software environment with tools for game development where audio-visual content is processed into a game sequence.

Pacing

The tempo or rhythm at which the game events occur for the player.

Vision Keeper

A role, often held by the lead designer or producer, who ensures that the core ideas of the game concept are maintained throughout development.

Stage-Gate-Process

A standardized process model for software production that divides development into different phases with approvals by stakeholders.

Vertical Slice

A section of the core game in final quality used to test a shortened but final game experience before full production.

Mastery

The point at which a game no longer represents a challenge because the player has fully mastered the required skills.

Flow

A state of extreme focus and self-control, identified by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, where the player is ideally challenged.

LTV (Lifetime Value)

The average total revenue expected from a player during their entire time playing the game.

CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

The costs associated with acquiring a new customer or player.