Gaming Lingo 101 - The Basics (2024)

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The world of gaming can be a lonely one if your vocabulary isn’t up to speed with the latest terms. To help you fit right in with the gaming crowd we’ve come up with an extensive list designed to enlighten you so that words like RTS, FPS, MMO, DLC etc. no longer give you sleepless nights. Since this feature is turning out to be pretty huge, we’re splitting it up into multiple parts, the first of which (the more serious of the lot) will give you a lowdown on all the various terminologies used in industry today.

FPS: First Person Shooter

Unlike games where you can see the entire character, first person shooters literally put players into the bodies of the main characters, as a result of which they can only see the hands and the weapons (and in some cases, the feet) from a first-person perspective. FPS games are considered more atmospheric since your field of view is limited. Examples: Call of Duty 4, BioShock, Halo etc.

TPS: Third Person Shooter

The camera in this game is placed behind your character’s head, giving you the entire view of his body as well as the nearby surroundings. Very useful in stealth games. Examples: Splinter Cell series, Max Payne series etc.

Frag: A kill

Used commonly in multiplayer games to denote kills. Example: Mr X rocks in Counter Strike because he racked up 100 frags in a single round.

Camp: Stay in one place for a period of time

Once again a term mainly used for multiplayer games, a camper is someone who finds a cozy little spot for himself in the map (that’s well-hidden, of course) and picks people off one by one before they know what hit them. Most campers tend to play with sniper rifles since they can’t go running around the battlefield wielding that kind of a weapon. The term camp can be used in a derogatory manner as well for example, “Dude stop camping like a lil b***h!”

NPC: Non-Playable Character

Characters controlled by the game’s AI, and not by another human.

Gone Gold: Game has been sent for replication

Simply put, going gold means the developers have finished working in a game and have sent the master disc for replication and packaging. The entire process takes roughly a month.

RTS: Real Time Strategy Game

A lot slower than an action game, an RTS is one where players basically sit around and manage multiple units from a top down view to achieve a certain goal. Example: Company of Heroes, Starcraft etc.

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RPG: Role Playing Game

A role-playing game is one where players either create their characters from scratch or assume the role of an existing one and then customize it to their heart’s content. Throughout the course of the game players will be required to make certain decisions that could affect the outcome of the game itself. Example: Mass Effect, Oblivion etc.

MMO: Massively Multiplayer Game

A game played online (for a fee or free) with or against other human opponents on the Net. MMORPGS are extremely popular, as seen from Blizzard’s monumentally successful World of Warcraft.

Expansion

Additional content made for a particular game in the form of extra levels, newer weapons/ vehicles/ enemies/ characters etc. In most cases the original game is required to install the expansion, but a lot of developers today are opting for standalone expansion packs that do NOT force players to have an installed version of the game. Example: Crysis Warhead, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky etc.

DLC: Downloadable Content

Additional content made for a particular game in the form of extra levels, newer weapons/vehicles/enemies/characters etc. Even though it’s pretty much the same principle as an expansion pack, DLC is a lot smaller in size, scope and price. However there are certain developers out there who distribute DLC for free. Example: Criterion’s Bike Pack for Burnout Paradise.

Multi/Cross Platform Games: Consoles like the Xbox 360 and the PS3 are also known as Gaming Platforms, so a multi/cross platform game is one that will appear on more than one console.

Gib: Used to denote a chunk of flesh that was once part of an enemy. Usually the aftermath of an explosion or a rocket to the face.

Mod: Modification

Modding a game involves tweaking certain aspects of gameplay to create a different experience. Games like Max Payne and the GTA series enjoy a healthy modding community, and certain users out there have even made Total Conversion Mods changing the way the game looks and plays.

HUD: Heads up Display

A transparent overlay of sorts used in games to denote health, ammo, mini-map etc. Most games today are axing the HUD to create a more immersive experience.

Stay tuned for our next list soon that’ll explain the enigma that is “l337 speak”.

Nash, as he prefers being called, woke up to the wonders of gaming rather late but don't bring that up around him. It's a touchy subject. A self confessed Battlefield veteran, Nash spent a good part of 2010 on the Steam Battlefield - with Bad Company (see what we did there?). He has a zero tolerance policy towards RTS games but is currently showing an interest by picking up and moving people - who he refers to as units - in the office. Thank God he's not that enthusiastic about Angry Birds or we'd be seeing women flying all over the place. Bali... Bali, put the receptionist down now.see more

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