Gameplay – Glossary

Gameplay	Description	Example
Mechanics	Different games will have different mechanics which effect how the game plays like some games will allow fast movements and high jumps whilst others will be more boots on the ground and realistic.	Minecraft, Forza, Fifa. Each game is vastly different from each other in terms of how they play.
Linear	Follows a certain path and character, usually found in campaigns. Linear allows the player to follow a story rather than be a part of one. These games play out more like a movie with a beginning, middle and end.	Mario. You go from stage one to stage two and so on in a strict pattern without diversity.
Non-Linear	It gives the player the freedom to make decisions but is still contained to some extent by areas or quests.	Fallout 4. A story-driven game but the way you complete it is entirely up to you as it gives you the option to choose things such as faction and skills.
Open world	Total freedom to the player as it gives them the opportunity to adventure and skip over some things entirely. Although there is usually a main objective of the game it allows for you to complete side quests or other activities first.	The Elder Scrolls Online. ESO is a mmo game that lets you do whatever you want after the tutorial, for example you can travel across half the map and do the main quests in that area as soon as you start.
Sandbox	Sandbox games allow you to create or mess around with items and the physics of the game. Gives the player freedom to do what they want.	Garry’s Mod, Roblox, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, Minecraft Creative. Games in which your imagination is the limit to what you do or create.
Goals, Challenges and Rewards	Goals, Challenges and Rewards are a key part of most games as they play the most important part of keeping a player interested in the game. These can be doing an amount of one thing for a certain vanity item or doing one big thing for a higher completion. Whatever it may be the aim of these is to keep the player coming back.	Halo. Halo games have multiplayer challenges that you can do to gain new armor for your character or new skins as well as the skull system in the campaign which you must explore the map and look for a skull hidden out of sight.
Progression	The player can gain items to improve their character or certain attributes/skills. A lot of games contain progression as it is very appealing to have the character you play evolve as you go along.	Skyrim. In Skyrim you must level up skills such as crafting to get the best possible gear or experience of the game.
Balance and Flow	In order to keep the game smooth and maintain interest it must have a consistent level of balance as the game goes on. For example, a game must not jump suddenly in difficulty, but it should keep getting harder as the player gets better. As well as this it is key that a wall is not placed in front of the player like a boss that is 100x harder than the last.	Nier Automata. The enemies get harder with each level the player gets making it consistent with its difficulty and pacing of the game.
Fair and Unfair player punishment	A game should not be too hard on its players. Some games have features like permanent death, but not all games should have this as if a game is too unfair to the player they may stop playing completely.	Dark Souls. Dark Souls is a fair game as the enemies can be learnt and mastered although it is challenging at first. Although it is fair in mechanics if a player dies and has not saved at a bonfire, they will lose all their souls (in game experience) and will be put back to the last bonfire saved at. If the player dies again before collection the souls, they will be lost on a high-level game, these souls can be within the millions.
Secrets and Easter eggs	Hidden items in games usually referencing other games or pop culture usually locked behind an obscure challenge. Makes a little challenge for the players to solve/find.	Battlefield, Gta. These games have hidden secrets like in battlefield games there is commonly a massive shark easter egg hinting at jaws.
Replay Value	Whether a game is enjoyable enough to be played repeatedly. Could have new features the second time around or a newgame + mechanic (keep stuff but start again).	Dark Souls, Nier Automata, Risk of Rain 2. These games reward the player with new things for playing again in the case of Risk of Rain 2 replaying is more than necessary as it is kind of sandboxy in the fact that there is no conclusive end.
Target audience, Key demographics	The people targeted by the games features or style like some people would be more interested in a top-down strategy game rather than a fps.	League of Legends. League has a unique perspective and detailed art style which some people find very appealing especially as each champion has their own distinctive style to them.