Computer Game Language of the cRPG Blog by Lilura1


Classic Computer Game Language



The computer game language consists of specific words and phrases that are commonly employed when commentating on computer games. While the language of computer games is not static but rather ever-changing, there is always something to be said for classic-language employment. And there are always standards of writing and speech that are to be upheld and defended.

In these darkest of dark times, pitch-black one could say, when not even the faintest glimmer of light can be seen on a horizon, those commentators who man the fort of classic computer-game language are to be commended: they don't modify their language just to get mainstream clicks.

The incorrect application of acronyms and lack of consistency in employed terminology stems from historically unclear computer-game commentary dating back, in some rare instances, to even the 8 bit 1980s.

But as Criticism of Computer Game Journalism makes clear, 80s and 90s computer-game commentary nevertheless constitutes the apex. And this is what I mean by classic computer-game language.

Without at least some formalizing of computer-game concepts and categories, computer-gamers cannot think in or communicate clearly and efficiently in computer-game terms.

Thus, the object or goal is to think in and communicate using a clearer and more efficient yet still sophisticated computer-game language.

Note that, as it pertains to computer games, I do not like how the English language is employed by most commentators. To put it simply, I like neither the words most commentators employ nor how they write or speak, to say nothing of their content. For me, most are unreadable and all are unwatchable.

Even the most prestigious yesteryear computer-game commentary made mistakes in its language employment. Every commentator makes mistakes. Commentary can only get better by acknowledging its mistakes and learning from them.

But for some long-established computer-game commentary and communities that ship has long-since sailed. For too long they have employed the wrong words or phrases even after realizing their mistakes. But they would not have made such blatant errors if they were not fake commentators and community-creators in the first place. And since they stubbornly double-down after reality finally dawned upon them, their commentary or communities are rightly deemed to be inauthentic and low-brow. The only way they can attain authenticity is by starting over from scratch, rebranded.

Computer Game Terminology & Liluran Language


In order to facilitate refined and authentic computer-game commentary the following recurring terms or phrases were coined, formalized, empowered or resurrected from the dead by the cRPG Blog. It does not matter to me if the vast majority of computer-game commentary prefers to refer to computer games as video games, cRPGs as RPGs, or real-time 3D rendering as screen-scrolling: what matters to me is that my commentary is authentic, technically correct and true to classic computer-game tradition, and theirs is not.

For example:

If you refer to cRPGs as RPGs or RPG Games then by measure of classic computer-game commentary you are simply speaking or writing about the genre incorrectly.
And if you have "RPG" in your site or channel name yet you do not actually cover tabletop role-playing but only lowly computerizations thereof, then your site or channel is incorrectly named as well.
If you refer to cRPGs as RPGs, you KNOW that you are wrong. Because you KNOW that cRPGs do not deserve to be called RPGs.

This has been explained clearly in cRPG Definition via the section entitled cRPG vs RPG. Moreover, the prefixed "c" must be uncapitalized in order to honor real RPGs.

You don't refer to lesser things as greater things or vice versa; it invites Darkness.
RPGs are much greater than cRPGs.
And those who play RPGs are much greater gamers than those who play cRPGs.
And those who design and write RPGs are much greater designers and writers than cRPG designers and writers.
The difference between cRPG writers and RPG writers might as well be akin to the difference between RPG writers and Tolkien, Howard or Asimov.
The difference is that of night and day.

Bear in mind that "RPG" does not equate to Dungeons & Dragons. There are RPG systems out there that require deep historical knowledge and a high degree of literacy as well as talent in role-playing to properly experience. No cRPG can ever come close to matching them. And no one wants to see dumbed-down computerizations of such systems; except for some try-hard cRPG devs that would like to fancy themselves as classicists even though they are illiterate in Latin.

TRYYY-HAAAARDZZZzzz.

It is interesting to note that most of those who refer to cRPGs as RPGs also refer to computer games as video games and vidya. cf. Wikipedia 1990s in Video Games Criticism.

The meanings of some computer-game terms have been restored to their original state by Lilura1; that is, the unlettered and insidious mutt-like mainstream tried to distort and reverse some word-meanings, thereby ushering in the Dark Ages of Computer-gaming.

It is foolish to believe that an epic-level neck-bearded grognard cannot be nerfed to a piddling Level 1 casual by the pernicious mainstream that ushered in the Dark Ages of Computer-gaming.
 
To dumb down computer-gamers all you need to do is change the way they speak and write; change how they communicate; change their language. This is how you turn computer-gamers into uncritical consumers; this is how you control and conquer.

List of Computer Game Terms & Phrases


Some of the following are not just terms or phrases but rather entire subjects that I was the first to formalize in articles; that is, some of my articles are seminal: the subjects had not before been broached by formal commentary.

If a term or phrase has Empowered by Lilura1 appended, that means my commentary has increased suchlike's usage and acceptance. Or at least, I empower the term via frequent or prominent employment of the term.

If suchlike have First Formalized by Lilura1 appended, that means my commentary on the subject is seminal; that is, the first of its kind.

By coined, I mean that Lilura1 originated the term either wholly, independently or within a context that developed my language as it pertains to computer-game genre or specific computer games.

For example, I employ the most refined, authentic and sophisticated Infinity Engine language that has ever been communicated in commentary; a language that was naturally acquired over two decades of playing IE computer games; a language that forever eludes charlatans and mutt-level wikis and subreddits.

Behold, an alphabetical listing of computer-game terms and phrases employed by Liluran commentary over a 10-year period. Posted for reference purposes.


[1]

Some readers may be confused. Yes, many people write reviews of cRPGs. But Lilura1 of the cRPG Blog was the first to write about what cRPG Reviews are or should be. Big difference. Learn to distinguish between things that are not the same. And then apply that to all of my writings.

Because you can never mistake someone else's commentary for Liluran commentary. It just isn't possible unless you are borderline-illiterate.

List of Outlawed Computer-Game Terms & Phrases


Reddit RPG Game drivel and much of Wikipedia's revisionist distortions are outlawed on the cRPG Blog or only employed tongue-in-cheek by Lilura1.

(Format is outlawed term / authentic term)

  • Video game or vidya / computer game
  • Video game machine / computer-game machine
  • RPG Game, RPG or wRPG / cRPG
  • TTRPG / RPG
  • SHMUP / shoot 'em up or shooter
  • Narrative designer / Writer
  • "Generation" / 8 bit, 16 bit
  • Toon or Main / Avatar
  • OG / Original
  • The Wailing Death (idiotic) / Original Campaign
  • Many other computer-game terms and acronyms are outlawed by Liluran commentary. And no substitute is given because the existence of the thing itself is ignored by Liluran commentary.

Samples of Liluran Language in Action


Aloud, these are best read by Yorkshiremen.

My most famous passage on computer-game commentary:

Then, as often happens in human endeavors, the wild-eyed hack comes along to snatch a piece of the pie. In the name of the quick buck and click the hack cares not for the endeavor, the creative process or genre legacy, but only of shortcuts, leeching and leveling down to the lowest common denominator.


In risible attempts to ascribe an unmerited importance or scholarly significance to Morrowind, mainstream commentary never tires of telling its readers how the developers studied real-world cultures, biomes and architecture for creative inspiration.


My most ardent tribute to a computer-game:

Frontier: Elite 2 represents coding and design wizardry of the highest order.
Frontier ignited imaginations like no computer game before it. And that goes beyond entertainment and into the realm of significance to humanity. It is a work of genius, a digital artifact.
Frontier ran on 1985-tech yet anyone who played it in 1993 felt like they were playing something from the future: it was the space-age subject matter coupled with the geometric lightsourced graphics, physics engine and spartan color scheme that made Frontier a futuristic experience, a computer game that evoked the scope of Asimov's Foundation (1951).

Making Quake sound almost as good as it is:

Quake is the most technically advanced computer game ever coded:
No computer game came close to matching Quake's graphics quality or high-impact, high-speed gameplay. No computer game came close to conveying the friction and intensity of Quake's combat; the weight and energy behind its earthquake-evoking battles.

Belittling a King-tier computer game by comparing it to a God-tier one:

Diablo came out in 1996 as well, but Quake's 3D rendering engine powering along at 40 FPS while shifting around thousands of Gouraud-shaded polygons made Diablo's 2D engine chugging along at 20 FPS while shifting around 20 sprites look like a complete joke.

Making Blizzard sound small:

Dwarfing Blizzard's Diablo, WarCraft and StarCraft taken together, it is not even possible to assess the impact Doom has exerted on computer game culture and industry for three decades and counting; its influence is seminal, incalculable and multi-faceted.

And truth be told, much like BioWare and Bethesda, Blizzard did not deserve the level of success they attained. id Software destroys the three Bs taken together.

BioWare, Bethesda and Blizzard have never had prestige, don't have it now and never will have it. They are simply not king-tier computer-game developers; they are of third-rank at best.

Doom Engine:

Coded by Carmack the Doom engine is most notable for its efficiency in shifting around a ton of sprites and texture-mapped geometry at high framerates. Doom is all about high-speed gameplay driven by efficient code.

Quake Engine:

Suffice it to say that Quake is optimized for polygonal walls, ceilings and floors. It is mostly about rooms and halls. And it can shift about dozens of 500-polygon, vertex-animated monster models within such interiors, CPU-permitting.
The Quake engine is optimized for the urban sprawl, the dungeon and the denizens, not wilderness, vegetation or terrain. Quake is about huge and complex structures jam-packed with raging monsters.

A Big Question:

If Quake was answerable to Doom, Half-Life is answerable to Quake.
Half-Life was released more than two years subsequent to Quake and one year subsequent to Quake 2. Considering that two years in the 1990s was akin to a life-time in terms of software and hardware engineering advancements, does it show?

The object of Sid Meier's Colonization:

In assuming the role of Your Excellency, Viceroy of the New World of The Americas, the object of Colonization is to establish colonies, build wealth and assemble an army in the New World before declaring independence from the tax-hiking Crown and defeating the King's attempt to quell the rebellion in a War of Independence: all-out-war between the Rebel Continental Army and the Royal Expeditionary Forces, complete with Tory unrest, Native councils and foreign intervention.

On Computer-game Technology



Which brings us to yesteryear tech-dearth + obvious talent versus present-day tech-excess + questionable talent as it pertains to both coder and artist:
Overall, the expert employment of limited computer tech, the pushing of restrictive hardware to the max, is infinitely more impressive than the all-too-common rank-amateur employment of excess high-tech.
And whereas tech of the 80s often didn't do game coders and artists justice, game coders and artists of the 2020s often don't do tech of the 2020s justice.


8 bit and 16 bit simulators are technical feats because they were developed on strictly limited microcomputer hardware whose CPU and chipset life-cycles far exceeded those of today.
Computer games that push static and restrictive hardware to the limits are special; relative to tech, many such games are more impressive than current gen ones. And they are also just as playable for those who know how to set them up properly. Flight sims are no exception.


Throughout computer-game history the targeted hardware platform has been an instrinsic, all-important consideration: the coder tailors the engine to the hardware capabilities of the end-user's PC.
The variability in end-user operating system settings and hardware specifications has for decades posed immense problems in compatibility and performance. Often resulting in increased efficiency assembly-coded computer games largely bypassed the OS issue by virtue of tapping hardware directly and independently of the OS by auto-booting volumes from ROM chips. In addition, the targeted microcomputers usually shared the exact same CPU, custom chipset and memory size. Coupled with the comparitively long life-cycles of such hardware in the assembly era, coders became grandmasters at maximizing the potential of certain microcomputers.

Memories


It was every young Amigan's dream to have what equates to an arcade game in their bedroom. And our dreams came true. We lived the computer-gaming dream from the late 80s to the early 90s. We played shoot 'em ups with our best friends sitting next to us, taking turns or playing coop for hours on cutting-edge yet affordable home-computer hardware. It was such a special time to be a computer-gamer; one that lasted only a few precious years. No one understands this except us. We miss our old friends and long for those times, but those days are gone forever.
Long gone.
Only fond memories remain.

cf.:


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