Gaming Lexicon - "B" Trivia Quiz

Answer: blueprint

Blueprints are a common feature in games that include crafting elements, from stress-inducing survival games to cozy farming simulators. Starting out with knowledge of how to build or craft every item in a game can make for an uninteresting and unrealistic experience, so game creators often use a series of blueprints, or recipes when it comes to cooking, to temporarily restrict access to more advanced items. Blueprints can be acquired in different ways, depending on the style of game: some are unlocked through a research system or skill tree, some are acquired through exploration or combat, and some are awarded to the player after completing a challenge or quest.

Blueprints offer a sense of progression in crafting games while preventing the choice overload that can result when there are too many possible items to build at the beginning of a game. By offering a path for the player to follow and gradually unlock various items and foods to build or cook, the game allows the player to gain a better understanding of each element in a systematic way rather than having all of its features presented at the start.

Answer: bitrate

In gaming, bitrate refers to how much audio or video information is processed or transmitted each second. A higher bitrate usually produces clearer images and better sound because more data is available to preserve fine details. This is especially important when recording or streaming gameplay, where bitrate affects how sharp and smooth the video appears to viewers.

However, higher bitrates also require more storage space or a faster internet connection. Finding the right balance helps players create good-quality recordings and streams without causing unnecessary performance or connection problems.

Answer: backtrack

Since many video games require players to progress through various levels or areas, there is always the possibility that some items or objectives will be missed along the way. In the past, this sometimes meant that a player could no longer collect those items or complete those objectives, leading to an incomplete experience. In such cases, the player might have had to restart the game from the beginning to avoid missing out.

However, many modern-day video games have backtracking systems that offer players a convenient, and often intriguing, way to revisit previous levels and areas. Some games have an overlay or world map that displays all of the game's areas. This not only gives players the chance to retrieve important items they had not previously located, but can also provide additional gaming content. Players might be tasked with finishing certain levels within time limits or challenged to take part in virtual scavenger hunts in which they must uncover various hidden objects from a list.

Answer: bleed damage

Video games that feature combat often utilize a well-tested set of gaming elements known as "status effects." These effects can be positive or negative, and they help make battle sequences more interesting and dynamic. By applying a status effect to an enemy or having one applied to their own character, players can alter the outcome of a fight in compelling ways.

For example, an ice-based or frost status effect might slow an enemy or freeze it completely in place. A poison-based status effect might weaken an enemy or cause small amounts of damage over time. Bleed damage often acts in a similar manner, gradually causing a character's health to decrease without requiring additional hits.

Answer: battle pass

Some of the more recent developments in the gaming world involve increased monetization. This includes subscription services and microtransactions, as well as the increasingly common battle pass.

A battle pass is a reward system that is generally available for only a limited time. Players complete challenges to unlock additional game content, such as items, cosmetics, or in-game currency. In most cases, players must pay a one-time fee or purchase in-game currency to access the full range of rewards, though some battle passes offer a free tier with much more limited rewards.

Battle passes can keep a game active and fresh for players looking for new challenges and experiences while also providing steady work for game programmers and designers. However, they can also be predatory, pressuring players to spend money or play for long periods before the pass expires. They may also place desirable items or useful advantages behind paywalls, making the game less fair for players who do not pay.

Answer: bullet hell

Often traced back to the '90s Japanese arcade scene, the video game genre known as bullet hell involves a character or ship on the screen dodging numerous waves of projectiles, such as bullets, arrows, lasers, or other objects. Players advance through levels by avoiding these projectiles while attacking enemies or accomplishing other tasks. Depending on the game, these tasks can include reaching checkpoints, opening doors, or rescuing other characters. If you want to improve at playing this type of game, strong hand-eye coordination and pattern-recognition skills can help.

Answer: backstab

In many types of combat games, particularly action games and role-playing games, the type of attack known as a backstab involves striking an enemy from behind. It has become a staple of the genre, its inclusion almost a requirement when creating a combat-based game.

When approaching an enemy from behind, players have the advantage of initiating combat before the enemy can react. Games usually award additional damage to players who successfully perform a backstab, with some even making these attacks one-hit kills.

The concept has become so popular in combat games that developers often create special animations for it.

Answer: blind run

A blind run or blind playthrough is a video game streaming term that involves playing a game for the first time without prior knowledge or assistance. Some streamers prefer calling it a "first playthrough" to avoid using the word "blind." Streamers who wish to do a blind run will avoid things such as online gaming guides, articles or wikis, and other streamers' playthroughs.

Streamers will often indicate that their stream is a blind playthrough for a number of reasons. Viewers who are completely new to the game might be playing it alongside the streamer, while veterans of that particular game might enjoy seeing how a newcomer approaches problems they have already solved. If you happen to be a viewer of one of these streams, it is usually considered good etiquette not to share any spoilers with the streamer.

Answer: buff

In video game terminology, a buff is a positive effect that helps a character by increasing one or more of their abilities or stats. Buffs are generally temporary, though a game may also include permanent buffs. The opposite is a "debuff," a negative effect that a player will generally try to remove.

In game development, developers use buffs to make gameplay more fun--to give players better opportunities to defeat difficult enemies or, if the player is able to create the right set of circumstances, to produce "broken" builds in which characters are significantly more powerful than their enemies. Debuffs, on the other hand, are usually handled more carefully. They can be applied to give players a greater challenge or to discourage certain gameplay strategies that would otherwise be too powerful.

Answer: bestiary

Role-playing and action games centered on hunting monsters became especially prominent in the mid-2000s, with a huge boost in popularity coming in the 2010s. To successfully play this type of game, players are rewarded for meticulous preparation, including outfitting themselves with the correct weapons and armor, preparing medicines or poisons, and studying creature behaviors. To support this last activity, game developers may include detailed bestiaries in their games, where players can find important information about the creatures they are about to battle.

When accessing a game's bestiary, players might learn a creature's strengths and weaknesses, giving them vital knowledge that could be the deciding factor in a battle. Game bestiaries are also known for including intriguing lore, making the game more immersive. A bestiary can be a fun addition to a game and draws inspiration from the various compendiums of animal and creature descriptions that have existed throughout history.