An earlier version of this article was posted on this website in 2012. Also, Dave's now-ex girlfriend is still confused by game terminology. He tried his best.

Welcome to the warp zone

𝓰However open and accessible gaming becomes over the next generation, there will always be a division of it fenced off for the hardcore. Because simply, there are certain things tha♛t the casual and less well educated gamer will never understand. Having immersed ourselves in this medium for 30 years or so now, the gaming community has a language and lexicology completely alien to normal people. I'm not even talking about our garbled tech-talk regarding the optimisation of sub-pixel quadra-poly phase mapping.

No, much more confus꧅ing is the way in which we give perfectly normal words and phrases a completely different meaning. I'm talking about occurrences like the way I once confused my girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend, unrelated) by talking about energy bars, which she took to mean an edible ceღreal snack. And it's not just energy bars. It's those, and 30 more modes of verbal confoundment. And probably more than that, as we continue to expand this glossary of confusion.

Splash damage

Gamers know it refers to: The process by which kinetic energy disp𝔉ersed on the peripery of an explosion causes knock-on damage to player characters or NPCs not caught in the epicentre.

Non-gamers think it means: When 🧸y🅺ou leave a wet cup on the worktop for too long and it leaves a stain.

Deathmatch

Gamers know it refers to: The most basic, s🦋tandard model for competetive multiplayer gameplay in a first or third-person s𝓀hooter.

Non-gamers think it means: The point of origin in a lethal house fire, as identified by a trained foreꦫnsic investigator.

Cover system

Gamers know it refers to: A gameplay mechanic which allows the play𝔉er character to lock position close to level architeౠcture in order to shelter from enemy gunfire and explosives.

Non-gamers think it means: A tarpaulin.

Game mechanic

Gamers know it refers to: Aꦦ core gameplay system or control input inherent to the workings of a particular video game.

Non-gamers think it means: A really enthusiastic fixer o✤f motorised vehicles.

God mode

Gamers know it refers to: A cheat or debug status which allows the player character to become invin🅠cible.

Non-gamers think it means: The state of a person who has recently discovered religion. eg. "Jeff used🦋 to swear like a nav🦋vy until he went into God mode"

Graphic adventure

Gamers know it refers to: A puzzle-driven narrative game, usually utilising a text-inpu♏t or point-and-click interface.

Non-gamers think it means: An unexpected sexy weekend.

Hit point

Gamers know it refers to: The un✤its used to measure a player character's relative state of health🐭 or vitality.

Non-gamers think it means: The point of impact in a bludgeoning murder, asꦆ identifiedꦺ by a trained forensic investigator.

Ludonarrative

Gamers know it refers to: The elements of video game storytelling that are controlled or gꦕenerated by the player's 🎐actions, contrasting with the concrete storytelling aspects that are prescribed by the developers.

Non-gamers think it means: The sub-plots of the film Labyrinth which relate to the be💖nevolent ogre, Ludo.

Energy bar

Gamers know it refers to: A graphical indicator of the in-game avatars current state of health, 🔜shielding or otherꦫ analogue for general vitality.

Non-gamers think it means: A 💧consumable snack comprising cereal and other high-energy foods.