How To Handle Gaming Jargon And Get Up To Speed Online
The gaming world is as rich and vibrant as it comes. With every imaginable genre and plenty of creative twists and amalgamations, it has a lot to offer... but with that comes an almost endless flood of new terminology, and if you’re relatively new, it can get a little overwhelming, to say the least.
Gaming jargon shouldn’t dent your enjoyment, though. After all, the point of the terms is to give you more access, not less. That’s why this kind of language develops in so many different areas, from gaming to business. So, that means tackling this in a way that feels manageable. Let's explore what you can try.
Learn Game-Specific Terms For Your Favorites First
Don’t jump in feet first and try to learn every gaming term under the sun. You’ll be burnt out before you’ve hit a quarter. Instead, focus. Pick your favorite genre and figure out the common terminology you’re likely to see in this world.
Take, for instance, the slots niche. It might seem like a straightforward one, but over the last few decades, these games have evolved some amazing nuance, with all kinds of mechanics being devised by the creators to help each title stand out. That’s excellent news for gaming enthusiasts, but it does mean that suddenly, a whole wealth of new terms exists in this niche, which was once simple.
The answer? A little bit of focused reading! Look up the terms you see. For example, you might Google something like, what is hold and win slots, and you’ll soon have a straightforward breakdown telling you precisely how this mechanic works, what you should expect, and more. A term that isn’t instantly intuitive like this bears a bit of research, and taking the time will ensure you can find slot games you’re more likely to enjoy, rather than randomly clicking and not really understanding the mechanics.
Hold and win slots are one of the most popular slots because of their dynamic nature and the potential for big wins, so it’s well worth understanding how they function, especially if you tend to enjoy this kind of game. You can use the same approach for any other mechanics you don’t understand, getting yourself well prepared for games of all kinds.
Of course, this goes way beyond slots. Use it in any genre you are curious about. Across the board, games are constantly adding new mechanics, so don’t let the language hold you back. Let it teach you about the options now on offer!
Check Out A General List
The above will get you started well, but if you’re a broad-horizon kind of gamer, it might feel too overwhelming, or just not give you as much insight as you want. Fortunately, there are lists designed specifically to help gamers out. Here are a few terms you might see that span genres and crop up in gaming circles everywhere:
- AFK – Away from Keyboard, not currently playing
- Aggro – Aggression from the enemy
- AoE – Area of Effect (often spells or special attacks)
- Biome – Specific terrains or areas of the map defined by geographical features
- BRB – Be Right Back
- Buff – Something that will boost a player’s stats, often temporarily (but sometimes permanently)
- Combo – Attacks that have been strung together into a specific combination, sometimes for additional points or extra effects
- Cooldown – A period where a special can’t be used because it needs to recharge
- Debuff – Something that makes a player weaker, often temporarily
- DPS – Damage per second
- Easter Egg – A little fun clue that the game developers added, usually as a joke, with no particular purpose
- F2P – A game that can be played for free
- Farming – Carrying out repetitive tasks to gain resources or money
- G2G – Got to go
- Gank – Common in certain games, this refers to an ambush before a fight
- HP – Hitpoints, how much life a character or monster has
- HUD – Heads-up display, the information displayed above the main game, usually showing things like HP, spells, compass direction, etc.
- Lag – When your game is struggling to keep up with the server, often because of internet issues, causing your screen to be delayed
- MMORPG – Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game, where lots of people come together to play
- Mob – A hostile creature in the world, usually attacking the player
- MOBA – Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, usually with two teams competing
- NPC – A non-playable character, usually referring to neutral entities in the world, such as townspeople
- Peel – Directing damage away from another character so they can keep attacking an enemy
- PVE – Player versus environment, where you have to survive against the computer
- PVP – Player versus player, where you test your skills against other people
- RTS – Real Time Strategy, where you must think on your feet and respond quickly
That’s quite a list to start with, but you’re likely to already be familiar with some if you’re into gaming – and if not, you can always refer back to this when necessary! There are more terms to learn about here once you’ve mastered the above.
