GLOSSARY - Fundamentals of Game Design - page 649

side-scrolling perspective A camera model normally used with avatar-based interac-
tion models in which the game's virtual camera follows the avatar through a 2D game
world presented in a side view.
simple entity An entity containing a single datum, such as a number or a sym-
bolic value. The number of points a player has scored is a simple entity.
simulation A mathematic or symbolic model of a real-world situation.
skill tree A diagram showing the sequence by which a player may add new skills
to his avatar or the characters in his party in a role-playing game.
small multiple A visual indicator used to show an amount by displaying multiple
copies of a small image on the screen. The number of lives remaining in an action
game is often shown as a small multiple of pictures of the avatar; as the player
gains or loses lives, pictures are added or removed.
source A mechanic that introduces resources into the game world without requir-
ing anything in exchange.
spawn point A location in the game world where enemies appear (which means it
is also a source ). Sometimes also used to refer to locations where the avatar reap-
pears after dying, typically in multiplayer first-person shooter games. The player
normally cannot interfere with the operation of a spawn point, and often the
spawn point is visually indistinguishable from the rest of the environment.
status attributes Attributes that describe the current state of a character or unit and
may change frequently. Current speed and current health are examples. See attributes .
story A credible and coherent account of dramatically meaningful events, whether
true or fictitious.
strategy A plan or approach for playing and winning a game.
stress The time pressure placed on a player while she tries to complete a challenge.
Stress is one element of the challenge's absolute difficulty .
structure of a game The relationships among a game's gameplay modes , including
a specification of the circumstances in which the game switches from one mode to
another.
survival horror A subgenre of action or action-adventure games that uses some of the
qualities of horror movies: lone protagonists, disturbing images, and startling attacks.
suspension of disbelief Term originally coined by Samuel Taylor Coleridge to refer
to a reader's willing choice to believe in the fantasies of romantic poetry despite
their incredibility. Subsequently adopted by the game industry and other fictional
media and significantly redefined. See immersion , which is now used synony-
mously, for the game industry's definition.
symmetric game A game in which all the players begin with the same initial con-
ditions (resources, starting positions, and so on), are trying to achieve the same