Lexicon

A

Accessibility

Accessibility is the practice of making information, environments, and technology meaningful and usable for as many people as possible. In games, this means making the gaming experience understandable and controllable in a way that matches the player's abilities and circumstances. Not to be mistaken with approachable and affordable.

Adaptive controller

adaptive controllers

Adaptive controllers provide alternative or customizable input methods designed to be more accessible for players with limited mobility. They often include ports to attach adaptive switches. Examples of adaptive controllers are the Xbox Adaptive Controller, PlayStation Access Controller, and the Hori Flex.

Adaptive switch

adaptive switches

capability switch

capability switches

Adaptive switches are easy to use inputs, such as large buttons, or buttons and triggers with very low resistance. These can be attached to devices directly, or through switch interfaces. Controllers like the Xbox Adaptive Controller, PlayStation Access Controller, and the Hori Flex include switch interface functionality.

Aim assist

Aim assist is a way to help players aim at their targets. This can be done by automatically moving the aim to a target when players aim close enough or select the target in another way.

Audio cue

Audio cues are sounds to let players know about an event, like progress in a quest or damage taken in combat, or where to go next.

Audio description

Audio descriptions are spoken descriptions of the visuals in games during gameplay or cutscenes. It can provide important context about the player's surroundings and the game's story.

B

Barrier

Barriers are elements in games like combat, puzzles, and hard to reach places. However, in the context of accessibility, a barrier can be a feature or design choice that partially or completely blocks a player's progress by not accounting for different levels of players' abilities or experience.

Biome

biomes

Like in real life, a biome in games is an area with a specific climate, vegetation, and animals. They can introduce specific gameplay challenges, such as managing heat or cold. They can also provide opportunities like unique resources.

Blind

Blind is a spectrum of very limited vision. It ranges from still having some amount of usable sight, to only being able to perceive light and dark, or seeing nothing at all. As it is an umbrella term, we try to define which end of the spectrum is meant in our writing.

Boot flow

In games, the boot flow contains the steps that guide players when they first start a game. This often has players going through some settings to set up the game, and can include accessibility options.

Braille

Braille is a tactile writing system, designed to enable blind people to read. The system uses raised dots arranged in a grid to represent letters, numbers, and other characters.

Buffs and debuffs

buff

debuff

Buffs and debuffs are effects that positively (buff) or negatively (debuff) affect the player or other characters in a game.

C

Captions

Captions are textual representation of non-dialogue audio in a game. These can be sound effects like footsteps or explosions. They can also include an indication for the direction of the sound.

Cardinal directions

Cardinal direction

Cardinal directions correspond to the points on a compass, meaning north, south, west, and east. On controllers this can refer to the directions on a d-pad or thumbstick, meaning up, down, left, and right.

Chord

chords

Similar to musical chords, in game design a chord is a combination of simultaneous inputs resulting in a single action. These can be useful for binding more actions than the number of buttons available.

Co-op

Co-op is short for cooperative, and is often mentioned together with multiplayer. It refers to gameplay where players don't fight against each other, but work together towards a common goal.

Colorblind

color blind

Colorblind means someone has a different or limited perception of colors. This can make it difficult to distinguish between visual elements of those colors. Colorblindness is a diverse spectrum, making it difficult to truly account for with predefined filters.

Consumable

consumables

In games, consumables are items that have a single use. This includes food, health items, and items that give the players other, often temporary, effects.

Content warning

content trigger

content triggers

content warnings

Content warnings are ways to inform players of upcoming disturbing or triggering content in a game. This content, especially when unexpected, can negatively impact players' mental health.

Control scheme

A control scheme is the collection of inputs bound to actions in a game. Games may provide several preset control schemes, or even remapping to let players customize the control scheme.

Cooldown

cooldowns

A cooldown refers to the time between repeated actions in games, such as attacking or using an ability. This is often implemented to balance a game, where stronger attacks or abilities may have a longer cooldown period before they can be used again.

Cross-play

cross-compatible play

cross-platform play

crossplay

Cross-play or cross-platform play means a game provides multiplayer experiences that allow players to play together while using different platforms, such as Xbox, PlayStation, or PC.

D

D-pad

directional pad

A D-pad (or directional pad) is a cross shaped control, usually controlled with a thumb. It has inputs for the up, down, left, and right directions. Combining inputs allows for diagonal directions as well.

Deaf

Deaf refers to people with significant or total hearing loss. Some people may use hearing devices, sign language, both, or neither. Community members use Deaf with a capital "D" to signify Deaf culture, which encompasses shared experiences, values, language (such as American Sign Language, or ASL), and a sense of identity.

DEI

DEIA

DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. It refers to programs and frameworks to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all, including historically underrepresented, discriminated, or otherwise marginalized groups. Accessibility often also falls under the banner of DEI, which may be indicated by the acronym DEIA.

Dexterity

Dexterity, while playing a game, is how accurately and quickly a player is able to physically press (combinations) of inputs. Within games, dexterity can define how quick or nimble a character is.

Difficulty

Difficulty refers to the level of challenge a game presents a player, and is relative to their experience and abilities. Difficulty and accessibility of a game affect each other.

Disability

Disability is a mismatch between a person and their environment, resulting in the person not being able to access or experience an environment, product, or service as intended. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or situational.

DLC

expansion

DLC (downloadable content) is an often paid for expansion to a game. It can include new in-game items, characters, levels, and storylines.

Dodge

dodging

Dodging is the action of moving away to avoid being hit. In games this often involves quick sideways movement or precisely timed button presses which can be inaccessible. More generous timing or automatic dodging can help prevent issues.

Dyslexia

dyslexic

Dyslexia is a disability that affects a person's reading or writing ability. This can present in difficulties with spelling or reading quickly. Stylized fonts in games can be inaccessible to dyslexic players. A choice of alternative fonts or formatting can help. Despite their name, dyslexic-friendly fonts are not universally helpful but may help certain players.

E

Eye control

eye gaze

eye tracking

Eye control is any means of controlling a game (or other software) by using your eyes. This often needs specialized hardware or a combination of software and a webcam to translate eye movement to different inputs.

F

Fast travel

Fast travel is a method for players to instantly travel to a certain, often previously discovered, part of the in-game world.

Field of view

fov

Field of view (FOV) in games is how wide or small the camera view is on screen. A mismatch between the FOV and the position of the player relative to the screen can cause disorientation.

First person

first-person

First person perspective in games means the player views the gameplay from the perspective of the playable character.

Fully blind

completely blind

sightless

totally blind

Within the spectrum of blindness, being totally blind (or fully blind, completely blind, or sightless) means someone has no useful visual perception at all.

G

Game engine

engine

A game engine, or engine for short, is a software framework that is used to provide functionality in games. They often come with software development tools to support development of games in the engine.

H

Haptic feedback

force feedback

haptics

vibration

Most often found in controllers, joysticks, and steering wheels, haptic feedback translates in-game events to vibrations or physical resistance to inputs.

Hard of Hearing

hoh

Hard of Hearing refers to people who have some amount of hearing loss. Some people may use assistive devices like hearing aids.

Hat switch

A hat switch is a small stick that can be pushed up, down, left, and right like a d-pad. It's often found on the top of joysticks where it can be controlled by a person's thumb.

Head bobbing

head bob

Head bobbing is the effect of the camera moving up and down to simulate the movement of a body when moving in a first person perspective. This may be a trigger for motion sickness in players.

High contrast mode

high contrast modes

high-contrast mode

In games, a high contrast mode colorizes or outlines important visual elements on screen, such as characters and items. Often these also darken or remove the color from the background. This is most effective when the colors can be customized by players, and can be an important accessibility feature for low-vision and colorblind players.

HUD

head up display

heads-up display

status bar

The Heads-up Display, or HUD, is the part of the User Interface that communicates important data to the player. This depends greatly on the game and can include health, speed, items, and (mini)maps. In certain games it's also known as a status bar.

L

Light sensitivity

photophobia

photosensitive

photosensitivity

Light sensitivity is an intolerance to (bright) lights, flashes, or patterns. It may result in eye discomfort or pain, headaches, or even seizures.

Low vision

low-vision

Low vision indicates someone has a moderate amount of sight loss that can't be corrected by glasses. This can mean their field of view is limited (tunnel vision or central vision loss), their vision is blurry, or a range of other things like difficulty with depth perception, contrast sensitivity, or glare.

M

Map

A map in games is a representation of the in-game world, helping players navigate and locate objectives. A small representation of the map in a game's HUD is called a minimap.

Melee

Melee in games involves every type of close hand-to-hand combat, this can involve weapons like clubs and swords as well.

Menu narration

Menu narration is when elements of menus are read out to players, either by using a screen reader or another method. This an essential part of accessibility for sightless players.

Minigame

A minigame is an activity within a larger game, with its own defined mechanics. Common examples of minigames are fishing or lockpicking.

Minimap

A minimap is a small representation of the in-game map or surroundings, helping players navigate the in-game world.

Misophonia

Misophonia is an intense dislike or intolerance to certain sounds, often related to "wet" sounds like eating but can be triggered by other sounds as well.

Mixed reality

augmented reality

Mixed reality, or augmented reality, places computer generated graphics or images in the real environment through a screen or virtual reality headset. In mixed reality the user is generally able to interact with the digital elements as if they exist in the real world, bridging a gap between augmented reality and virtual reality.

N

Neurodivergent

neurodiverse

Neurodivergent people are those who process information in a-typical ways. Neurodiverse is an umbrella term covering ADHD, autism, and many others. Cognitive accessibility is often important for Neurodivergent people, to help them process and remember the information presented in a game.

New Game Plus

New Game+

NG+

New Game Plus is a game mode that may be unlocked after finishing a first playthrough of a game. This game mode may present additional challenges and usually allows players to start over while retaining all experience and items collected in the previous playthrough(s).

NPC

Non-Player Character

NPC is short for Non-Player Character, and refers to all characters in a game that are not controlled by a player.

O

Onboarding

Onboarding is the process of introducing a player to a game's mechanics, story, and settings. This can involve guiding them through some important options, providing tutorials, and gradually explaining the story.

Options

option

setting

settings

Settings or options are elements players can adjust to change the input, gameplay, and output of a game to match their ability, preferences, or specific hardware requirements.

P

Parry

parrying

Parrying is deflecting an attack to avoid damage. In games this can often be followed up with a chance to counterattack. Like dodging, this often requires precisely timed button presses which can be inaccessible. More generous timing or automatic parrying can help prevent issues.

Patch

update

A patch or update is a change to a game after launch, often to fix issues, introduce new features, or add additional (free) content.

Playthrough

playthroughs

Playthrough means playing through the entirety of a game. Usually this means completing the story, but it may also refer to players playing through until they reached a certain goal (especially in open-world or sandbox games).

Q

QOL

quality of life

In games quality of life (QOL) refers to features or improvements that provide a smooth experience for a player. This can be present in all parts of a game, from easier to use interfaces to fast travel options. By extension, better quality of life often improves the overall accessibility as well.

QTE

quick time event

Quick Time Events are gameplay sequences that require fast or precisely timed button presses in a set amount of time. These can be difficult or impossible for players with limited strength or dexterity.

R

Radial menu

pie menu

A radial menu is an often circular menu that appears at the press of a button. It allows someone to make a choice between options by moving the mouse, joystick, or other input in a certain direction. This kind of menu can give players more options with limited inputs. Having to hold a button down can be inaccessible, this is why it's better to allow a toggle that keeps the menu visible until a choice is made.

Remapping

key binding

rebinding

Remapping or rebinding is changing the inputs for in-game actions from their default input. This can be done to match a player's ability or preference.

RPG

role playing game

role playing games

rpgs

An RPG is a role playing game, often allowing the player to choose skills and explore different playstyles and storylines. RPGs often have several endings as well, encouraging players to play through several times with different outcomes.

S

Save

auto-save

autosave

game save

Saves are a feature to store a player's progress in a game. Depending on the game they can be triggered manually, at certain key moments, or at certain intervals (auto saves).

Screen reader

screenreader

A screen reader is software that reads out textual elements of a game or other software. This can be a separate piece of software, included in the operating system, or included within a game.

Screen shake

screenshake

Screen shake is a visual effect, shaking the entire view of the game in response to in-game events such as explosions.

SFX

sound effect

sound effects

SFX, or sound effects, are sound effects in games that may by important to players, or add to the immersion of the game. Sound effects can be distracting, and some games allow players to adjust the volume of sound effects to prioritize important sounds.

Side quest

side quests

side-quest

sidequest

sidequests

Side quests are objectives in a game that are not part of the main story. These can be single quests, collection targets, or even short story lines. They often encourage further exploration and immersion into the game's world.

Side-scrolling

side scrolling

side-scroller

A side scrolling game features a view that scrolls along with the player's sideways movement. Often these are 2D games. A famous example are the early Super Mario Bros. games.

Sign language

ASL

BSL

GSL

signed language

Sign language is communication of language through (hand) signs. Signed language is not a literal translation of spoken language and has its own unique grammar and dialects.

Skill

skills

In games, especially RPGs, skills represent player abilities. These are often part of a skill tree, where skills need to be unlocked in sequence. Common skills allow players to carry more, move faster or more quiet, or do more damage.

Speaker names

speaker name

Speaker names refer to the names of the current speaker being visible along with subtitles. This makes it easier to know who is speaking. Often they can have unique colors or a character portrait to further help identify the speaker.

Stamina

Stamina, while playing a game, is how long a player is able to hold down or repeatedly tap inputs, or control the game in general. Within games, stamina can define how much energy a character has.

Stealth

In games, stealth is a mechanic where the player can (or must) try to remain undetected to complete an objective or avoid combat.

Strafing

strafe

In games, strafing refers to sideways movement to the left and right without turning. Especially in shooters this is useful to move from cover to cover while keeping aim towards the opponent.

Subtitles

subtitle

Subtitles are textual representation of audio in a game. This can be a transcription or translation of spoken dialogue. Non-dialogue sounds may be described as well, these are called captions.

Switch interface

switch interfaces

A switch interface is a device that can be used to connect adaptive switches to a computer or console. Controllers like the Xbox Adaptive Controller, PlayStation Access Controller, and the Hori Flex include switch interface functionality.

T

Thalassophobia

Thalassophobia is an intense fear of large or deep bodies of water. This can be triggered in games as well.

Third person

third-person

Third person perspective in games means the player views the gameplay from behind the playable character, often looking over their shoulder or from further behind.

Throwable

throwables

A throwable in games is a weapon to be thrown, such as grenades and molotov cocktails.

Touchpad

touch pad

A touchpad is a touch sensitive area on a laptop or controller that can recognize touches and gestures like swipes to act like an input or mouse-like control. Players with limited mobility may find these difficult to use.

TTRPG

TTRPG stands for Table Top Role Playing Game. These are games where people role play as characters, often with a group of players and a dungeon- or gamemaster. Traditionally played at a table, with success and failure decided by dice-rolls. Dungeons and Dragons is the most well known example of a TTRPG.

Tutorial

A tutorial is a guided segment in a game to explain certain mechanics to the player. This can cover any mechanic like movement, combat, crafting, and other depending on the game.

U

UI

User Interface

The User Interface (UI) in games refers to all the visual and interactive elements that players interact with to play or set up a game.

V

Virtual reality

VR

Virtual reality places users inside a 3D environment where their position and movements are controlled by their real-world movement or using controllers. Virtual reality is very immersive with a wide number of applications. But it can also lead to motion sickness, discomfort, or longer lasting side effects.

Visual cue

visual indicator

Visual cues or indicators are visible on screen elements like icons, notifications, or effects to let players know about an event, like progress in a quest or damage taken in combat, or where to go next.

Voice control

Voice control is any means of controlling a game (or other software) by using your voice. Often this uses special software to translate specific commands to single or multiple inputs.