Video Game Developer Glossary "C"

Glossary by George Spanos with Special thanks to Xan

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Certification:

Certification or Cert as it is also known is the point in a game's development cycle where all features, content, and bugs are complete. The game is sent to console manufacturers for their own internal testing to ensure the game will run on their systems (Xbox 360, Sony PS3, for example). Certification is the stage after Beta.

Composer:

The person responsible for writing the game's musical soundtrack. Quite often the role of writing music is outsourced to a composer. Because many studios will work on only a small handful of game titles at one time (and they probably are all at different stages of development), it is not economically feasible to maintain an on-site composer. Video game composers can be paid in a number of ways including per minute, per cue, and even on a royalty basis... sometimes combinations of any of those three can occur as well.

Compressor:

A compressor when used in audio production is a device that is employed to automatically raise low-level signals and lower high-level signals to provide for a more smooth and even playback. It has a similar effect to manually raising and lowering a volume fader during playback (raising the fader during quiet passages and lowering the fader during loud passages).

Console:

A video game console is a platform where a game can be played. Examples of consoles are the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3.

Creative Director:

A creative director for video games is the person responsible for the game's overall vision and direction. Much like a director in film, the creative director, or CD for short, is the person whom all departments report to.

CSG:

Constructive Solid Geometry, or CSG, is a method that 3D modellers use to combine complex objects for use in a game engine. CSG uses solid shapes as a basis for the game's geometry. Basically, CSG is created from a set of basic geometric solids that are then combined to form shapes in video games.

Crash:

In video game development a crash is when the game encounters a critical error and cannot recover. The game is aborted by the system and must be restarted. It is a fatal error.

Cut Scene:

A section of the game where a series of pre-designed events play out. Usually control of the game is removed from the player during these moments. Sometimes cut scenes can be "seamless" where it is not obvious that regular gameplay has been interrupted (i.e. there is no camera change or cut). A cutscene can also be a scene where the animators animate the camera, thereby removing player control. This has the effect of watching a movie.

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