Anatomy of a Video Game

So, I've been throwing around a few words in my lectures which may need clarification. Just like any other subject, game development has its own vocabulary, which you need to understand so you can pretend to be an expert. Here are some of the terms you need to know:

 

Game Object

Definition - A single entity that exists within the game

Game objects are listed in the Hierarchy menu. Your game will usually have a player object, enemy objects, barriers, pickups, collectibles, lights, cameras, sound effect generators, spawners, and so on. Simply put, without game objects, your game wouldn't exist.

 

Asset

Definition - Files imported into Unity3D used to modify game objects

All of the files we bring in to Unity3D (either from our own computer, or downloaded from the Unity Store) are assets. These live inside the Assets Folder. This includes the sprites, scripts, sound effects, and videos that make up the game. Assets are usually generated outside of Unity3D in special software designed for that purpose. For example, all of the art assets I've given you so far were created in Adobe Photoshop. 

 

Component

Definition - Something we attach to game objects to give them certain qualities

These can be scripts, which modify the behavior of the object; sprites, which modify the look of the object; or things like box colliders and RigidBody2D which allow the object to interact with the physical space of the game. The transform component allows the object to be moved, rotated, and scaled in three different directions. You can see which components are attached to an object in the Inspector Menu.

 

Prefab

Definition - A saved copy of an object which can be called (instantiated) at any time

When you build a game object and attach all the components and assets to it, you can save that object as a prefab, or prefabricated object. This will allow you to create clones (instance) of that object using a script. Prefabs are stored in the Asset Folder.

 

Instantiation

Definition - The practice of creating instances of a prefabricated object

Whenever we call a clone of a prefabricated object into being, that is called instantiation. The clone is an instance. For example, if I had a prefab called "bullet", every time my player pushed a certain button, an instance of the "bullet" would pop into the game world.