Beginner's Guide to Game Translation: Mastering Essential Terminology

Being familiar with the terminology used in games is an essential skill for game translators.

Game terminology consists of specialized terms used in the gaming industry. Most of these terms have English abbreviations, which are concise to enhance the player's experience.

Today, I've compiled some professional game terms for easy reference and learning!

Basic Game Terminology

AC (Armor Class):?Indicates the level of defense a character has when wearing armor.

Account:?Used to log in to the game, in contrast to the password.

ADD:?When a player joins a team. To request to join a team, you can say "Add me pls."

AOE (Area of Effect):?A skill or effect that can damage a group of monsters within a certain area.

AFK (Away from Keyboard):?Temporarily away from the keyboard, meaning the player is not currently controlling their character, alerting other players.

Aggro:?Refers to hostile, aggressive monsters that will attempt to attack a character when they approach.

Aggro Radius:?The area around a monster; entering it means the monster will "wake up" and actively attack you.

Game Settings Options

Game Settings:?A summary interface that includes all or part of the above settings options.

Display Settings:?Options specifically for adjusting the game's visuals, such as brightness, contrast, and color saturation.

Input Settings:?Used to configure game controller options, such as key mapping and sensitivity adjustments.

Audio Settings:?Similar to the above, used to adjust the game's sound effects and background music.

Save/Load Game:?Functions used to save and load game progress.

Game Interface

Main Menu:?The interface players see first after entering the game, usually containing options such as Start Game, Continue Game, Settings, and Exit.

Game Settings:?Allows players to adjust various game parameters, such as graphics quality, sound, and control settings.

HUD (Heads-Up Display):?Typically located at the top or edges of the game interface, displaying crucial information like player health, ammo, and map details.

Minimap:?A map that shows an overview of the game area.

Inventory/Equipment:?The interface displays the items and equipment currently held by the player.

Skill Bar:?Displays the skills available to the player, which can be activated using hotkeys or mouse clicks.

Chat Window:?An interface that allows players to send messages to each other, including global chat, team chat, or friend chat.

Quest Tracker:?An interface that displays current quest objectives and progress, helping players track and complete tasks.