Glossary

This glossary defines many of the terms that are used by the C4 Engine and provides links to more information in most cases.

B

Blocker A blocker is a volume of space that can be used to block the passage of a rope or cloth geometry.

C

Controller A controller is attached to a node in order to manage some kind of motion or behavior. Controllers also serve as the point where scripts can interact with nodes and where network communications take place.

D

Detail Ring A detail ring corresponds to a distance from the camera inside which objects belonging to the ring are rendered. See Detail Rings.

F

FGED An acronym for Foundations of Game Engine Development, a series of books by Eric Lengyel. See FGED.

Fiber A fiber represents the connection between two methods in a script. See Script Editor.

Field A field is a volume of space that can exert a force in the physics simulation. See Physics.

Force A force is attached to a field in order to generate some kind of force in the physics simulation. See Physics.

Function A function is an operation that can be defined by a controller to available for use in a script. See Script Editor.

G

Geometry A geometry is a node that contains a triangle mesh used for rendering and/or collision detection in a world.

I

Illuminance Space An illuminance space is a volume inside which indirect lighting information is stored for realistic illumination of both static and dynamic objects.

Impostor An impostor is a two-dimensional representation of a complex three-dimensional object. The impostor is rendered when the camera is far from the object to increase performance. See Impostors.

J

Joint A joint places constrains on one or two rigid bodies so that they are forced to move in a specific way. See Physics.

M

Material A material defines the appearance of a geometry or other rendered object. It can be created through a set of standard attributes or with a custom shader. See Material Editor.

Method A method is single component of a script, and it performs a specific operation. See Script Editor.

Model A model is a hierarchy of nodes that represents some entity in a game, such as a character or vehicle. See Models.

Modifier A modifier is an operation that can be assigned to an instanced world, and it performs some kind of modification on that world when the world is loaded. See Modifiers.

N

Node A node is a single element of a world, such as a geometry, light, sound source, trigger, special effect, etc. See World Editor.

P

Paint Space A paint space is a volume of space inside which a 2D paint texture can be projected onto geometries.

Panel Effect A panel effect is a user interface panel that can appear inside a world. It contains a collection of widgets. See Panel Editor.

Physics Space A physics space is a volume that defines the spatial limits of the physics simulation. Rigid bodies are automatically destroyed if they leave the physics space. See Physics.

Portal A portal defines a polygonal area through which one zone can be seen from another zone. Portals are a component of the primary visibility system in the C4 Engine. See Zones and Portals.

Process A process is a single component of a shader, and it performs a specific operation. See Shader Editor.

R

Rigid Body A rigid body is the primary type of object managed by the physics simulation. A rigid body is composed of one or more shapes. See Physics.

Route A route represents the connection between two processes in a shader. See Shader Editor.

S

Shadow Space A shadow space is a volume that defines the spatial limits of the shadows cast by one of more light sources. The use of shadow spaces is an optimization that allows the engine to render fewer shadow castors in many situations.

Shape A single component of a rigid body, defining its geometry as it pertains to the physics simulation. See Physics.

Slug The Slug Library is the font and vector graphics rendering technology used to draw text and icons. See Slug Library.

Source A source represents a sound that can be played in a world.

Sprocket A sprocket is an operation that can be assigned to a widget, and it changes the widget in some way over time. See Sprockets.

SSAO SSAO is an acronym for Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion, and it is a postprocessing effect that reduces ambient light levels in creases and corners to create the appearance of more realistic ambient lighting.

T

Trigger A trigger is a volume of space that causes some action to be taken whenever a model enters or exits it.

W

Widget A widget is a single component of a user interface, such as a check box or slider. See Widgets.

World A world is a playable level in the C4 Engine. A level can be composed of a primary world and many smaller instanced worlds that are loaded from separate resources. See World Editor.

Z

Zone A zone is a volume of space that represents the largest unit of visibility in a world. Zones are a component of the primary visibility system in the C4 Engine. See Zones and Portals.