The time it takes information to go from one computer to another. Usually it is only refered to when it is noticeably slow. See latency.

A shading model where the light intensity is calculated at one point along the polygon and is used to shade the entire face. Also commonly refered to as flat shading.

Well-known author of a number of successful game programming books, including Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus and The Black Art of 3D Game Programming. Also the founder of Xtreme Games.

Local Area Network. A computer network limited to the immediate area, often connected with Ethernet. It is often supported in multiplayer games.

Lorne Lanning is one of the creators of the PlayStation?s "Abe?s Oddysse" [sic] and "Abe?s Exoddus." He is one of the loudest detractors of the PlayStation2, and is the creator of "Munch?s Oddysee."

The time it takes for information to travel. Often measured in the time information can go across a network and return with the "ping" command. Sometimes called lag.

A point lattice generated by taking integer linear combinations of a set of basis vectors.

LCD - Liquid Crystal Display. LCD screens are used widely among electronic devices. Probably the most common application of LCD screens, is in Digital Watches. How it works is as follows: Two sheets of clear plastic are pancaked together with a think lair of a substance called Liquid Crystal. When a voltage is applyed, it causes the liquid crystal to turn opaq.

A version of the Cartesian coordinate system where positive X points right of the origin, positive Y points up from the origin, and positive Z points beyond the origin.

A RPG/Adventure game made by Nintendo in 1998. It is the 5th game out of the series and is about a boy named Link who is courageous to save the Princess Zelda from the evil Gannondorf.

Zelda hold the triforce piece of wisdom, Link has the triforce piece of courage, and Gannondorf steals the triforce piece of power. Link needs to save all the pieces to make a triforce (powers that make up the whole world) so that Gannondorf can?t rule the world.

Considered by some to be one of the best games of all time.

A refraction that appears in a camera lens normally when it is directed at the sun. A favorite added effect by many computer artists.

Abbreviation for Linear Interpolation.

1) A character level: This is a measurement of a game character?s strength, ability, etc. In many games, especially RPGs, the characters which the player controls may grow and become more powerful or more skilled throughout the course of the game. The character?s level provides an indication of how capable the character currently is.

2) A monster level:

The relative strength and skill of monsters and NPCs may also be indicated by level. For example, a 1st level monster is very weak. But a 23rd level monster is a much more formidable opponent.

3) A difficulty level: In some games, the player is able to control how easy or difficult it will be to play the game. For instance, playing the game on the "easy" or "please don?t hurt me" setting makes the game easier, while playing the "difficult" or "I?m completely insane" version will be much different.

4) A game level: A section of the game. Most modern games require the computer to process a tremendous amount of information. These data cannot all be stored in the computer?s main memory at the same time. (Sound files in particular take up a lot of space.) So the game is broken up into sections, or levels.

When a game level is to be played, the computer loads only the information which is required for that section of the game. When that portion of the game is finished, the computer loads the information for the next game level. (Because this usually means that the player must wait before continuing to play the game, some developers have chosen to implement "streaming", in which portions of the game are alwaysbeing loaded.)

5) To gain a character level: Some allow the player?s character to increase in level. When the character attains the next level, the character is said to have "leveled up". It is not uncommon for players to refuse to stop playing an RPG until a character has reached the next level.

Alphabetical or ``dictionary?? order.

A collection of routines that are stored in a .lib file to be used at the linking time and are included in the executable file that is made.

A right given to use a brandname or theme from another company for a game. For instance many movies have been licensed for video games, such as Goldeneye.

A game based on a story or character from another medium, such as a movie, comic book or TV show. Examples include Batman, Beavis and Butt-Head, Bart Simpson, etc. The rights to make these types of games have to be licensed from their respective owners.

An agreement between a publisher and a developer where the developer grants the rights to distribute a game. Deals are normally exclusive and detail regions for distribution, such as North America or world wide. See Work-For-Hire.

Many videogames give you multiple chances at gameplay, which are commonly called lives. Failing in a videogame results in your character getting ?killed? or otherwise terminated. When all the lives are lost, the game is over. Almost always, there is a way to acquire more lives, by reaching a certain goal or objective in the game.

A special type of image map that, when applied, effects the intensity of the texture of an object.

Usually refers to a line segment -- i.e., a one dimensional span of space between two points.

Linearity can occur in a game?s story and in a game?s gameplay. A game?s story is linear when there is only one story that is introduced to you as you move on, much like reading a book or watching a movie. A game?s gameplay is linear if there is only one option for how to react. Adventure games normally have both linear story and gameplay.

Linux is a free Unix-like operating system available for x86, PowerPC, ARM, Alpha, Sparc, MIPS, and several other platforms. Its strengths are its open source and rapid development, in addition to the traditional strengths of Unix (stability, Internet, networked graphics, scripting).

Formed by Peter Molyneux, the former owner/founder of Bullfrog and the creator of Populous and the god game genre.

The time it takes for information to transfer from the storage deice, like a CD-ROM or cartridge, to RAM. Long load times from CD-ROMs were initially thought to be a potentioal problem with next-generation systems. Now dynamic loading methods are being developed to lessen or eliminate the load-waiting experience for the player.

Level of Detail. Often pertaining to the complexity of 3D models, such as having less or more polygons when the model is closer or farther from the camera.

The word ?logic? comes from the ancient Greek word for ?Reason? and is primarily about proof and reasoning in arguments. In a computing context, logic implies a precise, reasoned, provable system which can be rigorously tested for accuracy.

The codename of the next generation Microsoft Windows operating system due for release in 2005, which will implement tighter security features over current Windows versions.

A Lossy Compression, used in such formats at .MP3, discards what it feels is ?unnecessary? information during encoding. Therefore, after compressing a file with a Lossy format, you are unable to decompress it to the same state in which it was originally. While many times this information truly is unnecessary, proponents of lossless compression would argue that it?s a sloppy practice.

"Lua is a powerful light-weight programming language designed for extending applications. Lua is also frequently used as a general-purpose, stand-alone language." http://www.lua.org

A coordinate that represents a point in a light map.

A PSX Remake of the Sega CD game Lunar: The Silver Star. Lunar is an RPG game with almost an hour of anime FMVs and a story about a boys quest to become a hero and his journey to rescue the girl he loves from an evil magical emperor. Of course along the way there are many twists and turns where the hero and heroin both realize thier fate. Lunar also spawned a sequal in which a boy name Hiro must accompany a girl to see the goddess of Lunar. Both stories intertwine greatly and both have endings that set them for a sequal.