Abstract:

In every new game released, there are seemingly more new words that are coined. Probably the first such word is the Atari Democrat, which referred to a Democratic Party politician who was bullish on high tech. Next-gen is short for next generation, as used for the next gaming consoles such as the Sony PS3. One indicator that video games are growing up is the new academic field of ludology, which covers not only hardcore graphics programming courses for future game designers but also sociological studies examining the impact of video games on the culture. A first-person shooter is a game in which the player assumes the perspective of a gunman while a deathmatch is a game in which the objective is to kill as many opponents as possible. Thumb candy refers to all hand-eye coordination with little strategy or thought required. Internet service games incorporate the concept of massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMOPG).