Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Glossary
abstract class
class containing abstract methods, intended as base class
for subclasses but not for creating instances, 303
abstract method
method without body that must be redefined in a subclass,
304
animation
rapid display of a sequence of images to create an illusion
of movement, 351
app
program that can be run on a smartphone, 32
applet
program that can be run inside a web browser, 32
application
program that can be run, 31
array
(object containing a) numbered row of values of the same
type, 190
asset
resource used for developing a game, such as a sprite or a
sound effect, 55
assignment
instruction to change the value of a variable, 44
base class
class that a class inherits from, 152
bit
unit of memory in which two different values can be stored,
48
bitmap
description of a picture consisting small colored dots called
pixels (the word is imprecise, as with a bit only a black-or-
white pixel can be designated; an alternative is “pixmap”),
261
block
group of instructions and declarations that can be treated as
a single instruction, 88
bool
(type of a) logical value, i.e. either false or true, 84
bounding box
two-dimensional box that encompasses an object, 365
bounding circle
circle that encompasses an object, 365
branch
conditional execution of an instruction, e.g. in an
if
or a
switch
instruction (named after the bifurcation that occurs
in a diagram showing the flow of execution), 82
