Glossary

AI - Artificial Intelligence

That part of the game engine that acts independently through flexible algorithms and code to interact with the gamer in a non linear fashion.

Buffing

Ritual based preperation for an examiniation - in the traditional classroom students study. In the virtual world they prepare an avatar

Craft

A general category of skills that a player must learn and develop so that they can manufacture objects from raw resources.

DGBL

Digital Game Based Learning: Learning that happens through the use of digital (computer-based) games.

Engine

The fundamental nevous system of the game. The engine is subdivided into the physics engine, the AI etc. The engine defines the parameters for the games universal rules and principles.

Edutainment

Entertainment media with Educational content. Film, Games, Videogames. Sometimes known as Chocolate covered broccoli.

Epic

Main quest is an Epic Quest - it will be built out of a large number of smaller quest completions. Epic also refers to a rare outcome or reward either due to luck or achievement.

Farming

Repeating a process for a large number of times to collect reward.

Game Master Instructor, teacher - controls the players objective setting and influences their learning experience.

Game Mechanics Game mechanics are the mechanisms by which the player achieves the goals of the game. They include the actions that the player can perform like: turn-taking, shooting, collecting, aiming, moving, choosing, and buying.

Gameplay

Gameplay includes aspects of the game mechanics but is viewed and described at a higher level of abstraction. Gameplay could include terms like cooperative, leveled, or 2D platform. It often describes what the player does, but in general terms. Gameplay includes all player experiences during the interaction with the game.

Gamification

The application of typical elements of game playing (e.g., point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity.

Grind

Gamers sometimes choose to perform mindlessly repetitive tasks in order to level up or proceed in the game – this is often done at the expense of a single or smaller number of more complex tasks.

Guild

Group or Team

Guild Quest

Collaborative Learning task or assignment.

HUD

Heads-up display. 1st Person Easy-reference display that shows relevant Avatar and Game Metadata without obscuring view. Progress, Level, Equipment in hand etc

Instructional Decomposition

The process of examining an interactive digital object, such as a video game, website, or application to determine what kinds of learning are required in order to use, navigate, or reach the end. (Becker 2007 (thesis, p. 21))

l33t skillz

Real World Abilities

Lag

The network delay sending a requested action (select, combine, move) and the action actually being performed in the game.

Microworld

A Microworld is a term coined at the MIT Media Lab Learning and Common Sense Group. It means, literally, a tiny world inside which a student can explore alternatives, test hypotheses, and discover facts that are true about that world. It differs from a simulation in that the student is encouraged to think about it as a “real” world, and not simply as a simulation of another world

NPC

Non-Player Character: In game character controlled by the games AI engine

PvE

Player vs Environment - In game Test or examination

PvP

Player vs Player - In game competition bewteen players

Quest

Defined learning Task or Assignment.

Solo Quest In game single

layer learning Task

XP

Experience Points:Points earned towards a final grade in the course.

Zone

A portion of the game/real/world.