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Video Game Definitions

Video Game Definition of the Week: Fighting Games

by Marie Rosa December 7, 2022

Every week the EFG staff will be defining a gaming term that is either confusing or ill-defined. Please leave a comment with any terms you find confusing and we will try to include them in future editions!

The gaming definition this week is a series of terms that is applicable to video games: Fighting Games

Fighting games are a type of action game where two or more characters fight each other. Players can fight a combination of other players or the computer. Fighting typically includes hand-to-hand or melee weapons.

Fighting games typically have a player and enemy health bar on the screen. Combat is divided into rounds. Rounds, typically 3, end when one player’s health is reduced to zero, or whoever has the least health with time runs out. In-game characters have different moves and attacks based on simple to complex button combinations. Most traditional fighter games are viewed from the side in 2-D and 3-D. Fights take place on a set area similar to a stage where players have limited movement capabilities. Animations in fighting games tend to feature exaggerated movements and reactions. Subsets of fighting games include sports-based, beat ‘em ups, brawlers, and other combat styles.

Street Fighter is the classic game most associated with this genre. Street Fighter has many series titles over the course of the years.

Fighting Game Examples Include:

Super Smash Bros
Street Fighter
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

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December 7, 2022 0 comment

Gaming Glossary

Video Game Definition of the Week: Adventure Games

by Marie Rosa November 23, 2022

written by Marie Rosa

The gaming definition this week is a series of terms that is applicable to video games: Adventure Game

In this genre the player is the protagonist of an interactive story driven by exploration, narrative, puzzle solving, or a combination of the three. These games are story based and can vary widely by content. Play is single-player. The majority of adventure games do not have action elements.

The adventure game has evolved from text-based command and prompt games into full graphic immersive stories and exploration. One of the first text-based adventure games was Zork I. The game describes player locations and actions, while the player types responses to these text prompts creating interactive fiction. You can find the Zork Anthology on Steam here.

Text-only prompts have evolved into graphic explorations such as Myst and Monkey Island where puzzles were entwined in the experience. As players move through the game, they are trying to solve a big problem or series of problems. To reach this goal, you need to complete many subtasks, in a chain of activities to work closer and closer to your goal. For example, you need a key to open a door, but to get the key you need to go solve a farmer’s problem (and in order to solve his problem you need to find some other object.)

Other subgenres of adventure games can include choosing your own adventure games and visual novel games. Many visual novels are intended for older teens or adults.

Examples of This Genre Include:

Dreamfall
Portal
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
The Last Express
Monkey Island series
Telltale games

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November 23, 2022 0 comment

Parent Resources Video Games

Video Game Definition of the Week: Open World

by Michael Duetzmann March 25, 2021

written by Michael Duetzmann

Every week the EFG staff will be defining a gaming term that is either confusing or ill-defined. Please leave a comment with any terms you are confused by and we will try to include them in future editions!

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to video games: Open World

Open World: A game feature that puts the player or players in a large explorable common space with little to no marked boundaries (visual or otherwise) between encounters. Open World games will often have game wide systems in place for various player and computer controlled characters and objects to interact with each other. In Open World games you might encounter: Weather, Traffic, Night/Day cycles, and wandering computer controlled threats.

The gameplay is considered nonlinear with multiple ways to reach game objectives. Often times sections of the map reveal as players explore the region. In some games, such as Minecraft the biomes randomly generate as players enter an area. However in Terraria when you create a world the whole space in randomly generated at once.

Examples:

Minecraft
Horizon Zero Dawn
Terraria
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
No Man’s Sky: Beyond

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

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March 25, 2021 0 comment

Parent Resources Video Games

Video Game Definition of the week: Farming/ Grinding

by Michael Duetzmann March 5, 2021

written by Michael Duetzmann

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to many video games: Farming/Grinding

Farming/Grinding: Intentionally and repeatedly performing the same game sequence in order to guarantee in game experience/levels, resources, materials, or equipment. This can be as simple as playing in the same area for long lengths of time, or as complex as repeatedly organizing and replaying entire multiplayer encounters. Farming can also be more materials and resources focused. In contrast Grinding tends to focus more ion gaining levels or XP. Grinding can also refer to an extreme case of farming where the optimal sequence to guarantee what is being sought after is not fun, or even worse, frustrating and disengaging. The line between farming and grinding is subjective and can differ wildly between players.

Examples:

Horizon Zero Dawn: You can search an area and collect the parts. Once you have gathered everything leave the area and reenter. This may trigger a new battle in certain areas and the resources will respawn.
World of Warcraft: Provides areas you can continue to reenter to battle and gain resources or experience
Minecraft: You can create spawn points for resources that you can repeatedly harvest and structures called mob grinders allow the structure to gather the enemy. Depending on how the structure is created, the destruction of the enemies can be automated or not.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

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The EFG Essentials

Video Games for kids on Xbox One
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March 5, 2021 0 comment

Video Games Console / PC Gaming

Video Game Definition of the Week: Achievements/Trophies

by Michael Duetzmann January 15, 2021

written by Michael Duetzmann

The gaming definition this week is a term that is applicable to many video games: Achievement/Trophy

Achievements or Trophies are an unlockable, purely cosmetic award that is given to someone when playing a video game. They are a set of points, badges, or icons that show successful completion of a particular type of play. Some games allow Achievements or Trophies to be publicly facing online. These awards are often visible on a player’s profile associated with a specific game console, and often represent important milestones that can be found during game play. Achievements and Trophies are mostly split into several categories:

Awards for progressing the game either in time played, levels beaten, and game completion. These awards come as part of the natural progression of play, and are often used to represent a percentage completed of the base game.

Chapter progression (Beating a World in Mario)
Bosses Defeated (Defeating a gym leader in Pokemon)

Awards for performing difficult tasks. These tasks often require an in-depth understanding of the game, and represent both individual feats of skill or game completion on increased game difficulty.

Completing the game on higher difficulty
Finishing encounters quickly or without getting hit
Finishing the entire game under a certain time limit

There also are Awards for performing absurd or unintended tasks. Trophies are often jokingly rewarded for gameplay that is not often found, but conceivably possible through game play. The existence of the awards themselves are often the only motivation needed for players to find and perform these absurd tasks.

Jump Rope Challenge in Super Mario Odyssey.
Knocking on a door over 500 times in The Stanley Parable
K.O. an opponent using a taunt in Street Fighter Series

Finally, there is the “100%” award. These trophies are given to players who complete every other trophy that can be found in a game and represents a comprehensive exploration and mastery of the game.

Other Examples of Achievements and Trophies:

Minecraft:

Taking Inventory Achievement: The first time a player opens their inventory
Adventuring Time: For finding every biome

Star Wars Squadrons:

Galaxy’s Finest (story mode): For completing the campaign on story mode difficulty

Stardew Valley:

Bronze trophy for catching 100 fish

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

You can also look at our other video game definitions from previous weeks here!

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get