Glitchwords
Welcome to GlitchBlog’s glitching dictionary. Glitchwords is the very first collection of glitching terms created to define the world of video game glitches. Glitchwords is a constantly updated and edited source of information, and we strongly encourage that you give suggestions, throw around ideas, and point out corrections in our forums.
A
AI (n) – artificial intelligence; the property of a computer controlled character that allows it to realistically react to its environment
achievement glitch (n) – a glitch occurring in an Xbox or Windows Live game that unlocks an achievement in a manner not normally intended; may also include the attainment of trophies in PlayStation 3 games
assisted aim (n) – an aiming handicap generally found in console games that makes it easier for the player to hit a target
auto-aim (n) – an aiming handicap that allows the player to automatically hit a target
beta (n) – a test of an unfinished game meant to discover any problems with the code that have eluded the developers
boosting (v) – exploiting a design flaw in a multiplayer game to artificially raise a level or rank
bug (n) – faulty coding that causes a negative effect; a bad glitch
capture card (n) – a device connected either internally or externally to a computer that will transfer and record audio and video data from a source
cheat code (n) – a feature implemented by a game’s developers that allows the player access to previously inaccessible material
cheating (v) – the act of abusing a trick, glitch, or other exploit to gain an unfair competitive advantage
checkpoint (n) – a designated point(s) in a level that the player will return to upon death or restart
clipping (n) – when a player passes through geometry or textures in a game environment
cloning (n) – when a player creates duplicates of one or more objects in a game environment
collection (n) – a grouping and organization of objects in a game environment
combo (n) – a series of button presses that will initiate a special move or ability
co-op (n) – cooperative play of a game’s campaign or story mode
crash (n) – when a game freezes or ceases to run as intended; a game-ending glitch
death barrier (n) – an invisible barrier in a game environment that, if touched, will cause the player to die or respawn; a barrier meant to prevent a player from moving beyond a specific area
debug menu (n) – a menu used during a game’s development to easily adjust various attributes of the game
demo (n) – a publicly available trial of an unfinished game that offers a sample of a game’s content
disc-read error (n) – an error occurring when a game console is unable to read data from a game disc
dummy (n) – a cloned version of a player’s avatar
Easter egg (n) – a hidden object, texture, or sound; a secret created by a game developer
elastic barrier (n) – an invisible barrier that pushes a player away from it; a barrier used to prevent a player from moving past a specified area
elevator glitch (n) – a glitch that causes unaided and typically stationary ascent through a game environment
exploration (n) the act of traveling outside of the normal bounds of a game environment
fort building (n) – using objects in a game environment to create a structure
framerate (n) – the number of consecutively rendered frames of animation; the number of frames per second
game-ending glitch (n) – a glitch that forces the player to restart their game console, prevents normal progress, or forces a player to load a prior game save to continue progress
game engine (n) – the core component of a game that governs the majority of its functions
glitch (n) – an action performed within the bounds of the game engine that was not intended to occur by the game’s developers
glitcher (n) – anyone who performs a glitch
glitching (v) – the act of performing a glitch
glitchy (adj) – describes a game acting strangely or unexpectedly due to bugs or glitches
hit detection (n) – the property of a game engine that determines where contact is made between two objects
host (n) – the player whose connection is used to run an online match
invisible floor (n) – an invisible surface that can be traveled on by the player
invisible wall (n) – an invisible barrier created to hinder a player’s movement
jump (v) – the act of leaving the main surface of a game environment
lag (n) – a condition caused by a poor connection in online games that causes the frame rate to drop
launch (n) – a glitch in a game’s physics engine that allows objects to be propelled by use of force
level (n) – a specific game environment
level geometry (n) – solid objects in a game environment made up of polygons
linear (adj) – game design that does not afford the player freedom of choice
load (v) – the streaming of data from a disc, hard drive, or other storage medium for use within a level
loading glitch (n) – a glitch that occurs during or as a result of a game loading data
lock-on (n) – an aiming handicap that allows a player to remain targeted to another player or object
mod (n) – modification; any user-created alteration made to a game’s code
NPC (n) – non-playable character
object overload (n) – the disappearance of objects in a game environment that occurs when a large number of objects are in close proximity
OoB (adj) – out of bounds; the condition of being outside of the normal bounds of the game environment
open-ended (adj) – game design that affords the player freedom of choice
out of the level (n) – the condition of being outside of the normal bounds of the game environment
partner jump (n) – the cooperative act of jumping from the head of an already jumping player to gain greater height
patch (n) – officially created code meant to repair or improve previously created code
physics-based glitch – (n) a glitch that occurs as the result of a game’s physics engine
physics engine (n) – the component of a game that controls how objects move and react to each other in the game environment
polygon (n) – a multi-sided shape combined with other shapes to create three-dimensional objects
pop-in (n) – when previously distant or unseen objects suddenly appear in view
pop-up glitch (n) – a glitch that causes a player’s avatar to jump up to an object of higher elevation
pressure launch (n) – when great pressure between two objects causes one to go inside of the other and be propelled out
ragdoll glitch (n) – a glitch that occurs as the result of faulty ragdoll physics
ragdoll physics (n) – refers to the physics that govern the movement of dead, incapacitated, or airborne characters in a game environment
respawn (v) – the return to play following death, failure, or other circumstances
rocket jump (v) – to launch a player’s avatar with a rocket launcher or similarly explosive weapon
sandbox (adj) – describes games that are open-ended in nature
save eraser (n) – a glitch that causes the deletion of saved data
scripted event (n) – an event that will occur regardless of the player’s actions
secret room (n) – refers to any area in a game that cannot be accessed without the use of a glitch
sequence breaking (n) – using shortcuts during a speedrun to skip sequences of gameplay
shakeycam (adj) – describes video recorded with a handheld or portable video camera
skydive (v) – the launch of a player’s avatar followed by a rapid descent back to the normal game environment
slide wall (n) – an invisible barrier found on slanted surfaces that causes the player to slide downwards
spawn point (n) – the location of respawn
speedrun (n) – the completion of a videogame in the shortest amount of time possible
sticky barrier (n) – an invisible barrier that the player sticks to after jumping
texture (n) – a two-dimensional surface placed on level geometry to give the illusion of form
texture gap (n) – a space between two textures
tool-assisted speedrun (n) – a speedrun created with assistance from an emulator or other related tools
trick (n) – synonymous with glitch, or an action performed with the use of a glitch
tut. (n) – tutorial; an explanation of how to perform a trick or glitch
under the level (n) – the condition of having fallen beneath the normal bounds of the game environment; sometimes referred to as “falling through the map”
variety video (n) – a single video that demonstrates an assortment of tricks and glitches
wormhole (n) – any space between textures or level geometry that allows objects to pass through
(last updated on 2/27/10)
