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3D Game Comparison - Game vs. game. No hype; just facts.™

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-'''Action''' may refer to a type of [[w:game genre|game genre]].+:''For the game genre, see [[:cat:action]]''.
-An '''action''' (or '''move''' or '''control''') in [[w:gaming|gaming]] is an [[w:action|action]]/[[w:move|move]]/[[w:control|control]] a [[w:player character|player character]] can do within the game. Most characters are pre-animated<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2058040.stm ''Digital characters learn to move''], [[w:BBC News|BBC News]], June 25, 2002</ref> through [[w:scripting|scripting]] ([[w:artificial intelligence|artificial intelligence]]), [[w:inverse kinematics|inverse kinematics]], or [[w:motion capture|motion capture]].<ref>[http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question538.htm ''How do the characters in video games move so fluidly?''], [[w:How Stuff Works|How Stuff Works]]</ref>+An '''action''' (or '''move''' or '''control''') in [[w:gaming|gaming]] is an [[w:action|action]]/[[w:move|move]]/[[w:control|control]] a [[character]] can do within the game. Most characters are pre-animated<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2058040.stm ''Digital characters learn to move''], [[w:BBC News|BBC News]], June 25, 2002</ref> through [[w:scripting|scripting]] ([[artificial intelligence]]), [[inverse kinematics]], or [[w:motion capture|motion capture]].<ref>[http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question538.htm ''How do the characters in video games move so fluidly?''], [[w:How Stuff Works|How Stuff Works]]</ref>
===Video games=== ===Video games===
In [[w:arcade game|arcade]], [[w:computer game|computer]], and [[w:video games|video games]], such actions include (in order of [[w:commonality|commonality]]): In [[w:arcade game|arcade]], [[w:computer game|computer]], and [[w:video games|video games]], such actions include (in order of [[w:commonality|commonality]]):
-* [[w:Running|Run]]: Running was perhaps the first action in a game, though it was just "moving". Games like ''[[w:Pong|Pong]]'' and ''[[w:Pacman|Pacman]]'' moved at one speed.+* [[Run]]: Running was perhaps the first action in a game, though it was just "[[w:moving|moving]]". ''[[w:Pacman|Pacman]]'' moved at one speed while ''[[w:Pong|Pong]]'' used an analog controller, allowing different movement speeds.
-* [[w:Pick-up (gaming)|Pick up]] (and later [[w:put down|put down]]): Picking objects up (or just "pick-ups") in the [[w:game world|game world]] usually meant just "running" (moving) the character over the item; later games actually animate the character to, depending on the kind of character ([[w:humanoid|humanoid]], etc), [[w:bend over|bend over]], lean down, crouch down, etc to ''pick up'' the object. Most games still do the "run-over" approach, however. ''[[w:Colossal Cave Adventure|Colossal Cave Adventure]]'' (1978) was the first game to feature objects that could be picked up, used, and dropped (and that could be carried by an [[w:NPC|NPC]]).<ref>Mark J. P. Wolf, [[w:Bernard Perron|Bernard Perron]]; ''The Video Game Theory Reader'', Foreward by [[w:Warren Robinett|Warren Robinett]], 2003, [[w:Routledge|Routledge]], ISBN 0415965780</ref>+* [[pick up|Pick up]] (and later [[w:put down|put down]]): Picking [[object]]s up ("[[pickup]]s") in the [[w:game world|game world]] usually meant just "running" (moving) the character over the object; later games actually animate the character to, depending on the kind of character ([[w:humanoid|humanoid]], etc), [[w:bend over|bend over]], lean down, crouch down, etc to ''pick up'' the object. Most games still do the "run-over" approach, however. ''[[w:Colossal Cave Adventure|Colossal Cave Adventure]]'' (1978) was the first game to feature objects that could be picked up, used, and dropped (and that could be carried by an [[NPC]]).<ref>Mark J. P. Wolf, [[w:Bernard Perron|Bernard Perron]]; ''The Video Game Theory Reader'', Foreward by [[w:Warren Robinett|Warren Robinett]], 2003, [[w:Routledge|Routledge]], ISBN 0415965780</ref>
-* [[w:Jumping|Jump]]: Jumping (and [[w:jumping puzzle|jumping puzzle]]s) became more prevalent during the [[w:platform game|platform game]] era with games like ''[[w:Pitfall!|Pitfall!]]'' which also combine jumping with [[w:grab|grab]]bing onto things in order to:+* [[jump|Jump]]: Jumping (and [[w:jumping puzzle|jumping puzzle]]s) became more prevalent during the [[w:platform game|platform game]] era beginning with ''[[w:Frogs (video game)|Frogs]]'' and other games like ''[[w:Pitfall!|Pitfall!]]'' which also combine jumping with [[grab]]bing onto things in order to:
-* [[w:Climbing|Climb]] (ladder, pole, rope, [[w:rock climbing|rock]]/wall, etc): Climbing also became more prevalent with platform games like ''[[w:Donkey Kong|Donkey Kong]]''.+* [[climb|Climb]] (ladder, pole, rope, [[w:rock climbing|rock]]/wall, etc): Climbing also became more prevalent with platform games like ''[[w:Donkey Kong|Donkey Kong]]''.
-* [[w:Attack|Attack]]: A [[w:generic|generic]] action for attacking like [[w:shooting|shooting]]/[[w:fire (disambiguation)|firing]] a weapon, [[w:hit|hit]]ting, [[w:punch|punch]]ing, [[w:kick|kick]]ing, [[w:throw|throw]]ing, etc.+* [[attack|Attack]]: A [[w:generic|generic]] action for attacking like [[shoot]]ing/[[w:fire (disambiguation)|firing]] a weapon, [[hit]]ting, [[punch]]ing, [[kick]]ing, [[throw]]ing, etc.
-* [[w:Crouch|Crouch]]: Crouching (or [[w:duck (disambiguation)|ducking]]) was also introduced in platform games.+* [[crouch|Crouch]]: Crouching (or [[w:duck (disambiguation)|ducking]]) was also introduced in platform games.
-* [[w:Use|Use]]: Another generic action that performs various things like picking up (or putting down) something (see above), inserting something (like a [[w:key (lock)|key]]) into something else (a [[w:door|door]]), etc+* [[w:Use|Use]]: Another generic action that performs various things like picking up (or putting down) something (see above), inserting something (like a [[key]]) into something else (a [[door]]--or [[open]]ing/[[closing]] one), etc
-* [[w:Walk|Walk]]: As games became more sophisticated, walking (vs. running) became necessary, like to avoid falling off edges in ''[[Tomb Raider]]''.+* [[walk|Walk]]: As games became more sophisticated, walking (vs. running) became necessary, like to avoid [[falling]] off edges in ''[[Tomb Raider]]''.
-* [[w:Lie down|Lie down]] on stomach (also called [[w:prone|prone]]) is used mostly in [[w:first person shooting games|first person shooting games]] but was also introduced in platform games like ''[[w:Contra|Contra]]''.+* [[lie down|Lie down]] on stomach (also called [[prone]]) is used mostly in [[w:first person shooting games|first person shooting games]] but was also introduced in platform games like ''[[w:Contra|Contra]]''.
-[[w:Fighting game|Fighting game]] tend to have more complicated actions involving [[w:Combo (video games)|combination ("combo")]] moves like [[w:flip|flip]]s, [[w:twist|twist]]s, [[w:somersault|somersault]]s, etc. Other actions include [[w:desperation attack|desperation]] and [[w:special attack|special attack]]s and [[w:signature move|signature]] and [[w:finishing move|finishing move]]s. [[w:Racing game|Driving/racing games]] obviously have driving-related actions like steering, acceleration ("running"/"walking"), breaking (stopping)+A [[w:Fighting game|fighting game]] tends to have more complicated actions involving [[w:Combo (video games)|combination ("combo")]] moves like [[w:flip|flip]]s, [[w:twist|twist]]s, [[w:somersault|somersault]]s, etc. Other actions include [[w:desperation attack|desperation]] and [[w:special attack|special attack]]s and [[w:signature move|signature]] and [[w:finishing move|finishing move]]s. [[w:Racing game|Driving/racing games]] obviously have driving-related actions like steering, acceleration ("running"/"walking"), breaking (stopping), etc. [[w:dual wield|Dual wielding]] (holding weapons in multiple hands) is also used in games like ''[[w:Rise of the Triad|Rise of the Triad]]'', ''[[w:Marathon (computer game)|Marathon]]'', ''Tomb Raider'', ''[[Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.²]]'', etc.
-As games became (and become) more complex, more and more actions/moves were (are) added, approaching the level of complexity of [[w:human position|human position]]s, [[w:facial expression|facial expression]], and other [[w:expression|expression]]s.<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060602/isbister_01.shtml ''Book Excerpt: 'Better Game Characters By Design' ''], [[w:Katherine Isbister|Katherine Isbister]], [[w:Gamasutra|Gamasutra]], June 2, 2006</ref> An example of player character move evolution is with ''Tomb Raider'' where, in the original [[w:1996 in video games|1996]] game, [[Lara Croft]], had fewer moves than in the [[w:2007 in video games|2007]] remake, ''[[Tomb Raider: Anniversary]]''.<ref>[http://www.newsday.com/features/printedition/ny-l5269339jun26,0,4578455.story?coll=ny-features-headlines ''Lara rises from ‘Tomb’ with some new moves''], [[w:Monty Phan|Monty Phan]], ''[[w:Newsday|Newsday]]'', June 26, 2007</ref>+As games became (and become) more complex, more and more actions/moves were (are) added, approaching the complexity level of [[w:human position|human position]]s, [[facial expression|facial expression]], and other [[w:expression|expression]]s.<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060602/isbister_01.shtml ''Book Excerpt: 'Better Game Characters By Design' ''], [[w:Katherine Isbister|Katherine Isbister]], [[w:Gamasutra|Gamasutra]], June 2, 2006</ref> An example of player character move evolution is with ''Tomb Raider'' where, in the original [[1996]] game, [[Lara Croft]], had fewer moves than in the [[2007]] remake, ''[[Tomb Raider: Anniversary]]''.<ref>[http://www.newsday.com/features/printedition/ny-l5269339jun26,0,4578455.story?coll=ny-features-headlines ''Lara rises from ‘Tomb’ with some new moves''], [[w:Monty Phan|Monty Phan]], ''[[w:Newsday|Newsday]]'', June 26, 2007</ref>
==See also== ==See also==
 +Wikipedia:
* [[w:Actions per minute|Actions per minute]] * [[w:Actions per minute|Actions per minute]]
* [[w:Action point|Action point]] * [[w:Action point|Action point]]
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* [http://www.videogamebuttons.com Video Game Buttons], basic moves and cheat codes for various games * [http://www.videogamebuttons.com Video Game Buttons], basic moves and cheat codes for various games
-[[Category: Actions| ]]+[[category:actions| ]]

Current revision

For the game genre, see cat:action.

An action (or move or control) in gaming is an action/move/control a character can do within the game. Most characters are pre-animated[1] through scripting (artificial intelligence), inverse kinematics, or motion capture.[2]

Contents

Video games

In arcade, computer, and video games, such actions include (in order of commonality):

A fighting game tends to have more complicated actions involving combination ("combo") moves like flips, twists, somersaults, etc. Other actions include desperation and special attacks and signature and finishing moves. Driving/racing games obviously have driving-related actions like steering, acceleration ("running"/"walking"), breaking (stopping), etc. Dual wielding (holding weapons in multiple hands) is also used in games like Rise of the Triad, Marathon, Tomb Raider, Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.², etc.

As games became (and become) more complex, more and more actions/moves were (are) added, approaching the complexity level of human positions, facial expression, and other expressions.[4] An example of player character move evolution is with Tomb Raider where, in the original 1996 game, Lara Croft, had fewer moves than in the 2007 remake, Tomb Raider: Anniversary.[5]

See also

Wikipedia:

References

Further reading

External links

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