8-bit: a style of pixilated art, based on the look of early video games.
achievable challenge: a goal that is within reach, but only with effort.
addictive: causing a strong and harmful need to do something.
algorithm: a series of steps to complete a task. There can be different algorithms to do the same thing.
arcade: an amusement area with games you play by inserting money or tokens. Arcade games sometimes award tickets you can exchange for toys and other prizes.
augmented reality game: a game that inserts real-world images into the game environment or interacts with real-world objects.
backdrop: a design that can be applied to the stage on the Scratch UI.
BCE: put after a date, BCE stands for Before Common Era and counts down to zero. CE stands for Common Era and counts up from zero. The year this book is published is 2015 CE.
binary: a math system containing only zeroes and ones. The word binary comes from the Latin word bi for “two,” as in bicycle and binoculars.
bit: the basic unit of information storage in a computer, consisting of a zero or a one.
bitmap image: a digital image saved in the computer’s memory as a grid of pixels.
block: a puzzle-piece shape that is used to create code in Scratch.
Boolean logic: named after George Boole, to turn every decision a computer makes into a yes or no question.
bosses: the main enemy in one level of a game that must be defeated to move on.
brainstorm: to come up with a bunch of ideas quickly and without judgment.
broadcast: in Scratch, sending a message to blocks in every script for every sprite.
bug: a mistake in the code that causes unexpected problems.
byte: a group of eight bits that is treated as a single piece of information.
call a function: to tell the computer program to run a function.
cheat codes: keyboard commands that let you skip steps or give you extra powers.
chemistry: the science of how substances interact, combine, and change.
chiptune: a type of electronic music based on the music used in early video games.
command: an instruction in the form of code that tells a computer to do something. Also called a statement.
computer memory: the part of an electronic device that stores information so that it can be reached quickly when needed.
conditional scripting: the part of a script or plan for a game that shows what happens when a player makes one choice or another.
conditional statement: a step in a program that gives a computer two choices depending on whether the answer to a certain test is yes or no.
console: a specialized computer used to play video games on a TV screen.
controller: a part or device that players use to interact with a game.
cosplay: dressing up in the costume of a character from a video game, movie, etc., for a special event.
costume: a variation of a sprite that looks somewhat different than the original.
data: information, usually given in the form of numbers, that can be processed by a computer.
define a function: to tell the computer what steps a function contains.
degree: a measurement used for angles and circles. A circle is divided into 360 degrees.
design document: a guide for the team that will be working on the game, containing all the details and plans.
documentation: an explanation of a section of computer code, written in non-machine language.
dopamine: a chemical in the brain that improves your mood and lowers stress.
drag-and-drop: clicking on an object and holding a button on your mouse while you move it to the desired spot.
Easter egg: a secret message or surprise hidden in a video game for players to find.
endorphin: a neurotransmitter that masks pain.
experience points (XP): points you accumulate toward your goal, often shown as a long narrow bar.
fan art: artwork made by a fan of a game, movie, comic book, etc.
feedback: information about how you are doing.
flowchart: a diagram that shows all the possible options and results.
function: a short piece of code that is given a name so it can be used multiple times in a program simply by inserting the name. Also called a subroutine or procedure.
game assets: any part of the game that the player can see or interact with directly, including characters, objects, backgrounds, text, sound, and special effects.
game engine: a computer program that serves as a framework to make all the parts of a video game work together.
Game jam: a gathering of game developers to design and create games in a short period of time.
gameplay: the way players interact with a game and the experience it provides. Game reviewers use it to rate how well they liked playing the game.
gamer: someone who loves to play games.
gamification: adding game elements to another kind of activity to make it more fun or appealing.
geometry: a branch of mathematics that deals with points, lines, and shapes and where they are in space.
graphics: the images on a computer screen, including a game’s characters and background.
hack: finding a new and different way to use or control something.
haptics: the use of vibrations in a smartphone or game controller to make it seem as though you can feel the movement happening on the screen.
hardware: the physical parts of an electronic device such as the case, keyboard, screen, and speakers.
high definition (HD): a better level of clarity for digital screen images than had been the standard before.
horizontal: going straight across from side to side.
hormone: a chemical that carries signals from one part of the body to another.
IF-THEN-ELSE statement: a command that tells the computer to test whether a certain condition is true, then either go on to the next step or else a different step depending on the result of the test.
in-app purchase: an item that you buy with real money to use in video games.
innovation: a new invention or way of doing something.
iteration: using a process that repeats itself, in this case, developing a game, testing it, developing it further, and testing it again.
joystick: a control lever that can be pushed in different directions.
level up: to achieve the next level by earning a certain amount of XP.
logic gate: a test that results in only one true-or-false answer.
loop: a section of code that is repeated a certain number of times or until a specific condition is met.
machine language: the code used directly by a computer, written in zeroes and ones.
massively multiplayer online (MMO): an online role-playing game in which large numbers of players all take part in the same game.
mass produce: to manufacture large amounts of a product.
microtransaction: a very small online payment.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): computer code that tells a device what notes to play.
minifig: a Lego minifigure.
mission: one of the goals players must complete to advance in the game.
mobile game: a game that can be played on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet.
mod: to modify a game to create new levels, characters, or objects or make a new version, when done by a fan rather than a company.
narrative: something that has the form of a story.
nest: in computer programming, putting one conditional statement inside another. Loops can also be nested.
neurotransmitter: a chemical that carries signals between parts of the brain.
non-playable characters (NPC): characters in a video game that are controlled by the computer program, not including enemies.
object of the game: what you have to do to win or reach the final goal, also called the objective.
oscilloscope: a device that measures electrical signals and shows them as wavy lines.
oxytocin: a hormone that makes you happy when you interact with people you like.
physics engine: the software that controls how objects in the game react to gravity and other forces.
pixel: short for “picture element,” one of the small squares of color used to show an image on a digital screen.
playable characters (PC): characters or avatars in a video game that are controlled by the players.
playtest: a research session where players are asked to play an unfinished game while the designers take notes on how it works and players’ comments and reactions.
plot: the events that happen in a story.
power-up: an object that gives a character more ability or strength.
programmer: a person who writes computer programs. Also called a coder.
programming language: a language invented to communicate instructions to a computer.
prototype: an early version of a design used for testing.
pseudocode: from the Greek word for false, this is an algorithm written in language a human can read and understand.
psychology: the study of how people think, behave, and feel.
quality assurance (QA): playing a game that is nearly finished to find any problems before it is published.
quest: a search or challenge a player must complete to level-up or win a game.
reskin: adding new graphics and other design elements to the structure underneath an existing game.
resolution: the degree of sharpness and detail in an image, measured in pixels.
retro: a style of graphics that looks like an early video game, with low resolution and blocky pixels.
role-playing game (RPG): a game, usually with a fantasy setting, where players’ actions reflect the characters they play in the story.
script: the name for a computer program that a user can write in Scratch.
sequence of commands: the order of the steps in a program.
serotonin: a neurotransmitter that makes you alert and responds to light levels.
software: another name for a computer program that tells the computer what to do.
sprite: an object or character.
stage: the background of a Scratch project.
string: a short group of letters or words that is used as data.
Supreme Court of the United States: the highest court in the country, which reviews laws and decisions of lower courts.
syntax: the rules for writing commands in a programming language.
tempo: the pace at which a musical piece is played.
text adventure game: a game in which players go on a quest with only written directions to guide them.
three-dimensional (3-D): something that appears solid and can be measured in three directions, length, width, and depth (how deep it is, how far back it goes).
thumbnail: a small copy of an image on a computer, usually linked to the full-sized version.
toys-to-life: a type of game that includes playable action figures.
transistor: a small device that acts as an on/off switch to control the flow of electricity in a computer.
treatment: a short description of how the game works. two-dimensional (2-D): something that appears flat and can only be measured in two directions, length (how long it is) and width (how wide it is).
user interface (UI): in Scratch, the screen where you build your project.
variable: a symbol that holds the place for information that may change each time a command runs. vector image: a digital image that is saved in the computer’s memory as points, lines, and shapes.
vertical: going straight up and down.
video game: a game that is played by controlling images on a screen. Also known as an electronic game or digital game.
virtual: a computer version of something real.
virtual reality game: a game designed for a wearable screen that makes players feel as though they are inside the game itself.
visual programming language (VPL): sometimes called graphical software, this is computer code that uses images such as blocks to create a program instead of typed-out commands.
voxel: short for “volume pixels,” a 3-D style of pixel.
WHILE statement: a command that tells the computer to keep repeating a loop as long as a certain condition is true.
wiki: a free website that allows users to write and edit articles explaining a topic or range of topics.
wireframe: a blueprint that shows the arrangement of content on the screen.
world-building: designing an imaginary setting for your game to take place in, including the people or creatures that live there, how they move and communicate, and what the buildings and landscape look like.
x-axis: the horizontal line on a graph that passes through the center point (0,0). Points are measured by how far to the left or right of the y-axis they are.
xy coordinates: a pair of numbers written like this (x,y) that tell where a point is on a graph, measured from the x-axis and y-axis.
y-axis: the vertical line on a graph that passes through the center point (0,0). Points are measured by how far above or below the x-axis they are.