Game Developer Glossary

This glossary simplifies essential vocabulary and commonly used terms to help you better understand fellow creators and developers.

Keep it handy as a quick reference! 🤓

A

• Asset – Any visual, audio, or text content used in a game, such as sprites, sound effects, and textures.
• Animation – The process of creating motion for characters, objects, or backgrounds in a game.
• API (Application Programming Interface) – A set of functions and protocols that allow different software components to communicate. In Unity, APIs enable interaction with the engine’s features.

B

• Build – A version of the game that has been compiled and packaged for testing or release.
• Bug – An error or flaw in the game’s code or design that causes unintended behavior.

• Blend Tree – A feature in Unity’s Animator that allows blending between multiple animations smoothly.

C

• Component – A functional piece attached to a GameObject in Unity, defining its behavior (e.g. Rigidbody, Collider).
• Collider – A component that defines the shape of an object for physical collisions.
• C# – The primary programming language used for scripting in Unity.

D

• Debugging – The process of finding and fixing bugs or errors in the game.
• Delta Time – The time elapsed between the current and previous frame, used to ensure smooth and consistent movement regardless of frame rate.
• Prefab – A pre-configured GameObject in Unity that can be reused throughout the project.

E

• Editor – The interface where developers create and modify their Unity projects.
• Event – A messaging system in Unity that allows different parts of the game to communicate when certain actions occur.
• FBX – A file format (.fbx) used to import and export 3D models and animations into Unity.

F

• Frame Rate – The speed at which frames (images) are displayed in a game, measured in frames per second (FPS). A higher frame rate means smoother gameplay.

G

• GameObject – The fundamental objects in Unity that represent characters, props, and scenery.
• Genre –
• Gizmo – Visual aids in the Unity Editor that help developers position and manipulate objects.
• GUI (Graphical User Interface) – The visual elements through which a user interacts with the game, such as buttons and menus.
• Godot –

H

• Hierarchy – A panel in Unity that displays all GameObjects in the current Scene, showing their parent-child relationships.
• HUD (Heads-Up Display) – On-screen elements that display information to the player, such as health, score, or inventory.

I

• Inspector – A panel in Unity that allows developers to view and edit the properties of selected GameObjects and components.
• Instantiate – The process of creating an instance of a Prefab or GameObject during runtime.

J

• JSON –

L

• Lighting – The setup of light sources in a scene to create the desired visual effect.
• LOD (Level of Detail) – Techniques used to decrease the complexity of 3D models as they become more distant from the camera to improve performance.

M

• Material – Defines how a surface appears by combining textures and shaders.
• Mesh – A collection of vertices, edges, and faces that define the shape of a 3D object.
• MonoBehaviour – The base class from which every Unity script derives, allowing it to be attached to GameObjects.

P

• Physics Engine – The part of a game engine that simulates physical behaviors like gravity, collisions, and movement.
• Play Mode – A mode in the Unity Editor that allows developers to test and play their game within the editor.
• Project – A collection of assets, scenes, and settings that make up a Unity game.

R

• Rigidbody – A component that enables a GameObject to be affected by Unity’s physics engine, allowing for realistic movement and collisions.
• Raycasting – A technique of projecting an invisible ray to detect objects along its path, commonly used for line-of-sight checks and shooting mechanics.
• Raytracing –

S

• Scene – A level or environment in Unity where GameObjects are placed and arranged.
• Script – A file containing code that defines how specific objects or mechanics behave in a game.
• Shader – A program used to calculate how surfaces appear in a game, affecting lighting, textures, and effects.

T

• Tag – A label assigned to GameObjects to identify and group them for scripting purposes.
• Texture – An image applied to a 3D model’s surface to give it color and detail.
• Tilemap – A grid-based system for creating 2D environments, often used in platformers and top-down games.

U

• UI (User Interface) – The elements of a game that allow the player to interact with it, such as menus, buttons, and HUD elements.
• Unity – A popular game engine used to create 2D and 3D games, known for its beginner-friendly approach.
• Unreal Engine –

V

• Vertex – A point in 3D space used to define the shape of a 3D model.
• Version Control – A system for tracking changes to a project, allowing developers to revert to earlier versions if needed (e.g., Git).
• Viewport – The visible area of the game as seen through the camera or editor.

W

• Walk Cycle – An animation sequence that shows a character walking.
• Waypoint – A designated point in a game level, often used to guide AI movement or pathfinding.
• World Space – A coordinate system used to define positions and movements relative to the entire game world, as opposed to local space, which is relative to an object.

Z

• Z-Fighting – A graphical glitch where two surfaces are so close that the engine can’t determine which one to render on top, causing flickering.