Usually a polygon that is part of an object.

As defined by GOF: Creational Pattern "Define an interface for creating an object, but let subclasses decide which class to instantiate. Factory Method lets a class defer instantiation to subclasses."
See Also:GOF

A computer rpg by Black Isle Studios. Considered by some as the closest to traditional RPGs a computer RPG has come.

A special move that can be executed in some fighting games, notably the Mortal Kombat series, after a match is over, which results in the graphic death of the losing character. Variations include; "animalities", where the character is turned into an animal before killing it¡¯s opponent, "babalities", where the loser turns into a baby, and "friendship" moves where the character does something goofy, like signs an autograph for the loser.

A sequence of numbers such that each number is the sum of the preceding two. The first seven numbers are 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 13.

First in, first out. This is opposite of how the stack works, LIFO. This stands for Last In First Out.

So that files can be loaded by different programs, there are different formats that are adhered to for compatibility. Examples of file formats would be .BMP, .TGA, .JPG, .WAV, .TXT.

TOP

Used to describe the number of pixels a card can move onto into view, thus the screen. Often the fill rate is given with different qualfiers, such as textured, zbuffered, filtered pixels.

A component that attenuates certain frequency ranges. Various filters have different volume reduction slopes; the most common being 12 decibels per octave.

Very popular RPG series created by Squaresoft, started in the mid-late 1980's. Most take place in a fantasy/sci-fi environment. So far there are 8 Final Fantasy games, with an upcoming 9 and 10. Extra tidbit: It's even getting a movie next year

A perspective in which a player's character is not represented on the screen, but rather the view is such that the player "sees" what he or she would if they were actually performing the actions found in the game (looking through the window of a cockpit, for example).

That which assigns only one color shade per face.

Design tool that graphically shows the logic in an algorithim, using symbols that represent various operations in a program's logic.

A chart or plan that is used to help out in designing a program by using standard ANSI symbols to present the detailed series of steps needed to solve a programming problem (in chart form).

Full Motion Video. Video streams such as AVIs and MPEGs are examples of FMV. Games that used FMV extensively, both real actors and computer created, were often classified as FMV games.

The process of putting a hazy, fog-like area near the end of the visibility distance so that objects appear to disapear more naturally.

TOP

Foo is a generic word that game designers use to stand for any object.

A foozle is an object which a player must acquire and give to an NPC or use in a certain area to advance the plot.

First Person Shooter

Frames per Second.

Frames Per Second. A measure of animation display rate. Not to be confused with First Person Shooter.

First Person Shooter. Shooter of the first person perspective. E.g. Quake, Unreal Tounament, Rainbow Six, etc.

Floating Point Unit. The unit that compute all floating point types. For Intel Processors series, until the 80486 (1992), the FPU was dissociated from the main Processor (x87 series).

Fractional Dimensions. The name comes from the process of using fractional dimension mathematics to create images or data.

The data often works on a system of patterns being repeated in larger and smaller forms with the same algorithm.

Another name for a kill, usually associated with First Person Shooter deathmatch. Originally used in Vietnam as slang for killing the officer with a "stray" fragmentation grenade.

A processed scene that consists of a static view of the game moment, it includes all objects, sprites and textures. Along with a set of frames, its possible to create an animation.

When a computer cannot process the frame graphics, or the game engine fast enough, a solution is to compensate the frame rate with "skipping". Each time the game loses performance, it skips some calculations and think ahead for compensating the time, without the heavy processing.

TOP

This game was developed by Legend Entertainment in the early 1990s. It is a Space science-fiction title based on "The Heechee Saga" books by Frederik Pohl.

A concept that grew out of the desire to make software free for use, but not to give up all authorial rights which a public domain license does.

When a signal's frequency is altered by another signal's.

When a polygon is clipped against the viewing frustum.

Finite State Machine. A "machine" called every frame to control an object. An FSM can take care of allmost everything by looking at the current state, plus the input provided for it, and thereby achieving a new state.

An abbreviation for "File Transfer Protocol". This is a technology which allows the transfer of files from one computer to another. FTP also allows for limited access to the files on a computer by reequesting a user name and password. Anyone who does not have a password can enter the user name "anonymous" and his e-mail address as a password. But users with special priviliges may have access to files to which the general public does not have access.

A computer or website which makes files available for download using File Transfer Protocol.
See Also:FTP

A group of instructions that perform one or more functions, mathematical or otherwise. (e.g.: main() )

A type of distortion that intentionally adds noise to the signal.

Developed by Lofty Zadeth (UC Berkeley), it is based on a system of logic what uses 0s and 1s instead of True and False to attempt to more accurately represent a conclusion that cannot be a True or False result.

TOP