This thread is for people to come and think of words for different kinds of stuff, thus avoiding confusion. Unless of course you don't know the terminology, in which case you'll be as confused as a fish in custard (Yeah).

It's also split from a different thread, so here is the beginning of the conversation (or as close as I could get it)

[quote author=Ballisticsfood link=topic=111.msg904#msg904 date=1209373746]
Connections don't, gooballs do, goo nodes do.

Although I think that the mass of the gooballs is less than that of the goo nodes.

P.S.: Have some terminology. :)


I will also get round to compiling a full list of all terminology we've come up with so far, but i've got other stuffs to do, so it might take a while.

Have fun thinking of words. I know I do [/sarcasm].

[quote author=Ballisticsfood link=topic=111.msg904#msg904 date=1209373746]
Connections don't, gooballs do, goo nodes do.

Although I think that the mass of the gooballs is less than that of the goo nodes.

P.S.: Have some terminology. :)


Do you know this through inside info/reading code, or careful observation? Just curious.

P.S.: It is good terminology. I suggest we use it. :)

[quote author=Carp link=topic=111.msg908#msg908 date=1209432499]
[quote author=Ballisticsfood link=topic=111.msg904#msg904 date=1209373746]
Connections don't, gooballs do, goo nodes do.

Although I think that the mass of the gooballs is less than that of the goo nodes.

P.S.: Have some terminology. :)


Do you know this through inside info/reading code, or careful observation? Just curious.

P.S.: It is good terminology. I suggest we use it. :)


I know this from inferred wisdom (I made it up)
And I'm glad you like it. I may go acquire some more terminology (make it up ;)).
P.S.: the curve of smiley faces is quite good, isn't it?

Yeah that terminology works for me, and under the terminology I restate my idea as follows:

Golden gooballs have no weight!


<3 terminology.

That was beautiful in its simplicity. :')

I thank you all.

Now, heres a question, Are balloons gooballs, or just balloons? Do they remain ballons when in their goo-node state (IE, attatched) or are they balloons regardless of state?

Aargh! It's giving me a headache...

Hm...the connections between used balloons and the structure shall be called string..."balloon node" and "balloonball" are both kinda awkward....
They seem to only float when used, so maybe "floating balloon" and simply "balloon" as terms?

well balloons can still be in the "gooball" state as they climb on the structure so I think that terminology works for that state.  When you see them floating at the start of a level I think they are attached to a "non-goo node".  I'm fine with "Balloon" for their floaty form, and "String" works just fine for the connection =)

Doors are abvious, as are spikes and pits of doom, but i think the last two should be classified under 'hazards'.
Fixed goo connection points though.. we need something snappy for them. we could go the route of three letter acronyms and call them FCP's, or we can call them fixed points, or perhaps level connections.

This is, oddly enough, becoming quite surreal now.

[quote author=Sqrl link=topic=111.msg922#msg922 date=1209622854]
well balloons can still be in the "gooball" state as they climb on the structure so I think that terminology works for that state.  When you see them floating at the start of a level I think they are attached to a "non-goo node".  I'm fine with "Balloon" for their floaty form, and "String" works just fine for the connection =)



Hmm...I was kinda hoping we'd have a set of names that'd imply both object /and/ state. I don't want to have to say "gooball balloons".

[quote author=Carp link=topic=111.msg929#msg929 date=1209831938]
[quote author=Sqrl link=topic=111.msg922#msg922 date=1209622854]
well balloons can still be in the "gooball" state as they climb on the structure so I think that terminology works for that state.  When you see them floating at the start of a level I think they are attached to a "non-goo node".  I'm fine with "Balloon" for their floaty form, and "String" works just fine for the connection =)



Hmm...I was kinda hoping we'd have a set of names that'd imply both object /and/ state. I don't want to have to say "gooball balloons".


Oh you wouldn't, its just a red gooball.  Same as the other gooballs you just say [color] gooball.  Only when its floaty is it actually a balloon so why call it a balloon any other time? =)

@Ballastics I think "static node" isn't a bad choice for the level attachment points.

To compile this a bit so we can create a list:

Gooball: A goo in its lively state, where it rolls about and crawls on the tower.  Each goo has a color which is used to describe its properties. (Ie red gooball, green gooball, black gooball, etc..)
Node: These are the balls of goo that make up the vertices of your tower, or put simply they are the gooballs affixed to the tower.
Connections:  The strands of goo between nodes.
Balloon:  A red goo in its affixed form, rather than become nodes red goos become balloons.
String:  The string that holds a balloon to a structure, a string is a red goo's equivalent of a connection.
Sway:  When a tower is of a moderate height and goos are allowed to climb on it freely it will begin to swing back and forth from side to side, this is known as "sway".
Hazard: An object or environment that is harmful to goo usually resulting in its immediate death on contact or proximity.
Object:  Any interactive non-goo set piece, particularly those involved in the puzzle for a given level.  Examples include sawblades, rollers, etc... 
Spikes:  Uhm..ya know...the pointy things =P (Considered a type of hazard.)
Pit of Doom:  A chasm so deep no goo has ever returned once they fall in and are immediately considered lost when they do. (Considered a type of hazard.)
Static Node:  An attachment point made from and anchored to the level and/or scenery/object.  A static Node does not have to be stationary within the level, it can move about with a piece of scenery/object it is attached to.
Sawblades:  Spinning saws that kill connections and nodes on contact. (Considered a type of hazard.) (Considered a type of Object.)
Rollers:  A rotating surface that pulls/pushes goo along it in any direction. May lead to a hazard but is not one by itself. (Considered a type of Object.)

Thats all I can remember, feel free to change some of those if you think you can word them better.  This is just my crack at it.

Hmms... So balloons are a kind of node, and strings are a kind of connection?
Anyways, heres some I think we missed/need a bit o' rewording:

Construct: The general term for any creation made of goo. Includes towers, bridges, and freeform structures.

Subcategories of construct

Tower: A construct whose main aim is to gain as much vertical height as possible. Towers must have a connection to their lowest point from the highest point

Bridge: A construct whose main aim is to gain as much horizontal distance as possible. Bridges must be connected to the side they are building away from.

Freeform structure: A construct that utilises both horizontal and vertical construction to reach the objective. Freeform structures must be connected to their starting point.

Mobile Construct: A construct that is only temporarily connected to any point on a level, if it is connected at all. Tumbler, Ivy Towers, and Regurgitation Pumping station all contain examples of Mobile constructs.

Other bits

Induced Sway: When gooballs are allowed to climb freely on a construct their mass will induce a swaying motion in the construct. This is induced sway.

Natural Sway: When a construct is unstable, falling to one side or the other, or in a seesawing motion. The natural sway can be temporarily halted by induced sway in the opposite direction, but a new node must be added to permanently correct the situation by balancing the construct.

Doors: A type of object that is pivoted at one end. Often used in ascossiation with static points to create obstacles that can be opened.

Subcategories of Hazard

Fatal Hazard: An object or environment that is harmful to goo and gooballs resulting in their immediate destruction on contact or proximity.

Non-Fatal Hazard: An object or environment that is harmful to goo-nodes and connections, removing connections and causing goo-nodes to revert to their gooball state.

I think the split was a good idea =)  And I like your idea of sectioning each "type" rather than adding parenthetic statements to each.

I was thinking we might need a term for goos that aren't usable yet (ie sleeping goo).

I had some ideas but none jumped out at me so I will leave them here to hopefully inspire one of you:

zGooball
SnoozeGooze (more a funny thought than a serious attempt)
inactive gooball
dormant gooball
abeyant gooball (this one would likely be more confusing than helpful)

I'm wide open for ideas on this one still....

I think we should start proposing things that need names as they come up and just add to the list like that, perhaps we should consolidate the list into the original post of the thread and update as we go?

PS - I wonder how close we will come to the actual Object classes they built into the game lol.

I'll consolidate everything into a list later today, and I think that adding terms as we go is a good plan.

I quite like dormant gooball for the sleeping goo term. We could use sleeping goo as well, but that doesn't fit with the gooball/goo-node terms (gooball and goo-node are subcategories of goo).

Oh, we forgot terms like Construct Base (the goo-nodes you start a level with) and the subcategories of roller (powered and non-powered). We also forgot the simplest one. Pipes.

And as for being accurate, nah. We'll get nowhere near. Tis fun though.

Ooh you're slacking, no list yet? lol no worries

Anyways, I was noticing that it seems like some saws revert connections and nodes back into goos and some don't seem to.  Maybe someone could play with this and confirm independently but I think that it may actually just be a situation where some saws throw them into Pits of Doom before they can reform.

A very good point. I kinda forgot I was making a list. oops.
Well, I'll get to it soon I hope.