Glossary - Writing for Video Games - page 169

Gold master :The final version of the game that is ready for release. In theory,
the gold master should be free of any bugs or other flaws.
Heads up display :Any information that is displayed on screen that is aimed
specifically at the player and not really part of the game world. This can
include such things as positional maps, health meters, inventory and
current objective. Exactly what is displayed and the style it is displayed in
will vary greatly from game to game.
Immersive gameplay :When the game offers a pleasurable experience in
which the players lose themselves in the game world to the exclusion of
everything around them.
Interactive narrative : The story, or story elements, is affected by the actions
or choices of the player.This may lead to multiple endings or give multiple
paths to flavour the same ending.
Interactive plot : This is slightly different to the interactive narrative in that
the story is fundamentally the same, though the player has control over
how or in what order that story is revealed.
Joypad :The control device that connects to a console.Versions to connect to
computers are also available.
Level :A section of gameplay that's separated from other such sections in some
way.Originally came from games in which an increase in level meant that
the gameplay got a little harder. It can also refer to the level a character
has achieved in a game, particularly RPGs where characters increase their
level as they earn experience points.
Level design : This is a section of the game design which concentrates on a
single section, or level, of the game. This may be created from a broad
design document by the game designer or by a specific level designer
acting under a lead game designer.
Level designer :A person whose job it is to create detailed level designs from
an overview design.
Linear :When a game has no branching and all of the game levels are played
in a fixed order, it is said to be linear.
Localisation : This is the act of creating versions of the game in languages
other than that in which it was originated. Localisation may involve some
language specific graphics, translation of the game's text, specific voice
recording and specific version testing.
Location : Another term for environment.
Logic script : This is a script that is usually written in a high level code and
deals with all of the logic in the game. It is usually broken down into a