General Game Development Glossary

Animation — A sequence of images that make a character or object look like it’s moving.

Asset — Any resource used in a game: images, sounds, code, or text.

Background — The scenery behind the main action in a game.

Bug — A mistake in the code or design that makes the game act in an unintended way.

Collision — When two objects in a game touch each other (like a character landing on the ground).

Dialogue — The words characters speak in a game.

Engine (Game Engine) — Software (like Godot) that provides the tools to build and run a game.

Frame — A single still image; many frames shown quickly make up animation or video.

Gameplay Loop — The cycle of what players do over and over (e.g., jump, collect, avoid obstacles).

Level / Scene — A section of the game where action takes place.

Mechanic — A rule or system in a game (e.g., double jump, collecting coins, health bar).

NPC (Non-Player Character) — A character controlled by the game, not by the player.

Pixel Art — Artwork made with tiny squares (pixels), common in retro and indie games.

Playtesting — Trying out a game to find bugs, improve balance, and see if it’s fun.

Prototype — An early version of a game that shows the core idea, even if it’s rough.

Script — A piece of code that tells the game what to do.

Sound Effect (SFX) — Short sounds that give feedback (like a jump noise or coin “ding”).

Sprite — A 2D image or character used in a game.

Tileset — A collection of small images used to build larger game environments (like floors and walls).

UI (User Interface) — The buttons, menus, and displays players interact with.

Variable — A “container” in code that holds information, like a player’s health or score.