PC gaming glossary
From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
Revision as of 11:22, 27 April 2012 by 193.60.199.34 (talk)
The following is a list of common technical terminology and its respective definitions, as used in reference to video games and gaming-related software. You may link to a specific definition by adding an anchor to the page name (e.g. [[Gaming_Glossary#Abandonware]]). Note: Definitions with spaces in their titles must be anchored using "_".
Software
Licensing
| Terminology | Abbreviations/Synonyms | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discontinued software for which there is no support, or whose copyright ownership is unclear. Sharing abandonware is legally considered copyright infringement, however in practice copyright holders rarely enforce their abandonware copyrights. | Re-Volt | ||
| Software released or distributed without its corresponding source code - only the binaries of a computer program are distributed and the license provides no access to the program's source code. | Origin | ||
| Software Libre, Libre Software | A video game or piece of software which the consumer can use, study, modify, copy and redistribute without restriction. | Linux | |
| OSS | Software (usually free) available in source code form, permitting users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software. | Wine | |
| A video game or piece of software licensed under the exclusive legal right of the respective copyright holder. The user is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification or redistribution. | TERA | ||
| A piece of software whose intellectual property rights have expired, been forfeited, or are no longer applicable. |
Life Cycle
Note: The following terminology is listed in order of its place in the software release life cycle, and not alphabetically as with the majority of this page.
| Terminology | Abbreviations/Synonyms | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| All activities performed during software development prior to testing - this may include software design and development. | |||
| The first phase of software testing, often focused on "white-box testing" - testing the internal structures or workings rather than its functionality. | |||
| The second phase of software testing, generally beginning when the software is "feature complete" (there are exceptions to this, e.g. Minecraft), but may still have significant bugs. The Beta phase may be 'closed' (released to a restricted group of individuals for a user test by invitation) or 'open' (released to a larger group, or anyone interested). | Closed: Diablo III Beta Open: Minecraft Beta | ||
| RC | A Beta version with potential to be a final product, which is ready to release unless significant issues emerge. By this point in development, all product features have been designed, coded and tested through one or more Beta cycles with no known remaining major bugs. | ||
| RTM, Release To Marketing, Going Gold | Software which has been mass produced and is ready for delivery to the customer. | ||
| GA, General Acceptance, First Customer Shipment | The point by which all commercialisation activities are complete and the software has been released to the general public through the web or physical media. | Legend of Grimrock | |
| Service Packs, Service Releases, Interim Releases | The software has been released and its developer has begun offering updates to improve its features or fix known bugs or security flaws. | ||
| Abandonware | The product is no longer sold or supported, is discontinued or obsolete. However, a user-base may still be active for some time after this. |
Revenue Models
| Terminology | Abbreviations/Synonyms | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payware | Software that is produced for a user to purchase, or that serves commercial purposes. | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | |
| A freely available preview or demonstration of an upcoming or released video game, often limited to a selected fraction of the full game's content, in order to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version. | Naval War: Arctic Circle demo version | ||
| F2P | Any video game that has the option to play indefinitely with no charge. | Age of Empires Online | |
| Pay-For-Perks | A business model in which users may play a video game without charge, but can access extra or more advanced features for a fee. | Microsoft Flight | |
| Software which is available for free use - however it is usually packaged with one or more restrictions on usage rights. | Steam | ||
| Trialware, Demoware | Software provided free for use for a limited 'trial period' before purchase, often restricted in functionality, availability and convenience. | EVE Online | |
| A video game or piece of software for which the user must pay a repeat subscription fee (usually monthly or yearly) to obtain continued access to. | World of Warcraft |
Use Restrictions
| Terminology | Abbreviations/Synonyms | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRM | A method in which digital products, such as games can be controlled with the aim of reducing piracy. It can be implemented in a number of ways. | Serial Key |
Types
| Terminology | Abbreviations/Synonyms | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial Key, Software Key | A software key for a computer program, designed to certify the game as genuine, and restrict piracy. Activation is undertaken offline, with an unlimited number of installs, or online, often tying the game to a user account and restricting the number of installs. | ||
| Software released or distributed without its corresponding source code - only the binaries of a computer program are distributed and the license provides no access to the program's source code. | Origin | ||
| Software Libre, Libre Software | A video game or piece of software which the consumer can use, study, modify, copy and redistribute without restriction. | Linux | |
| OSS | Software (usually free) available in source code form, permitting users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software. | Wine | |
| A video game or piece of software licensed under the exclusive legal right of the respective copyright holder. The user is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification or redistribution. | TERA | ||
| A piece of software whose intellectual property rights have expired, been forfeited, or are no longer applicable. |