Glossary

Last updated on October 24, 2024

This section describes terms used when developing with AccelByte Gaming Services (AGS). Some terms, or definitions of terms, may be unique to AGS. General gaming terminology is also included.

AccelByte Glossary​

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A​

AGS​

  • AccelByte Gaming Services (AGS) is our cloud-based backend service product, formerly known as (FKA) AccelByte Cloud.

Anonymous Login​

  • Anonymous Login allows players to log in and play a game with no input required. It's the most developer-friendly way to get an AGS account and authenticate a user token for testing or debugging. It should not be used in a published game.

Armada​

Armada Configuration​

Asymmetric Parties​

Autoscaling Strategy​

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B​

Backfilling​

  • Backfilling is the process of adding more players to an already existing match. The game session can submit a ticket to the Matchmaking service to receive proposals for new players which can then be accepted or rejected. Game sessions can be configured to auto-backfill through the Session Template, or it can be left up to the game server to manage directly.

Bans​

  • Bans enables you to restrict access to your game. An account ban will prevent a player from accessing your game. A feature ban will restrict access to specific in-game features. A device ban will restrict access to your game from a specific device identified by a unique device ID (preventing banned players from reentering your game with a new account). Bans can be lifted.

Blueprints​

  • Blueprints are a Microsoft Azure technology that enables a cloud architect to define a reusable set of Azure resources. This reusable set may consist of an organization's standard processes. Thus, Blueprints enable development teams to get started quickly on a project, knowing that it is in compliance with the necessary requirements.

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C​

Cancel Match on Disconnect​

  • A feature of the Lobby service which cancels a Matchmaking request if the player who made the request is disconnected from the lobby. This can be enabled or disabled in the Lobby Configuration in the AGS Admin Portal.

Chat​

  • A service within AGS that allows players to communicate with each other in a game. AGS supports private chats between players, group chat between parties, players playing together in multiplayer games, and universal chats for all players connected to the Lobby.

Cluster​

  • A group of bare metal or cloud servers within the same virtual private network (VPN), meaning they are under the same IP address. For Armada, clusters are differentiated by Region, which means, for example, that US-West is in a different cluster from US-East.

Cross-platform Play​

  • The ability of players on different platforms (e.g., PC or console) to play together in multiplayer play. AGS supports cross-platform play.

Cross-platform Progression​

  • The ability of a player to access saved data across multiple devices and platforms. AGS supports cross-platform progression.

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D​

DAU​

  • Daily Active Users (DAU) is the number of unique users of a game over the period of a day. This is available through the Analytics service.

Dedicated Server​

  • Sometimes initialized as DS or shortened to "Server", a Dedicated Server is a computer software program that hosts a game. Game clients connect to the DS during Game Sessions and have the DS run all of the game logic. In Armada, a DS is containerized and deployed as a Docker container into a Region-based Cluster. A running DS container is sometimes referred to as a Pod.

Dedicated Server Artifact​

  • Any data files produced by a Dedicated Server. These can be accessed in the AGS Admin Portal for debugging purposes.

Dedicated Server Artifact Manager​

Dedicated Server Configuration​

Dedicated Server Container​

Dedicated Server Log Manager​

Dedicated Server Logs​

  • Dedicated Server Logs are logs generated by a running dedicated server which are written into stdout or stderr. These logs are collected by the Dedicated Server Log Manager and saved in a file, which can be downloaded from the AGS Admin Portal. If there's a problem with a dedicated server, the data present in the logs can help with troubleshooting.

Dedicated Server Manager​

Dedicated Server Manager Controller​

Dedicated Server States​

  • States that keep track of the life cycle of a dedicated server. The state can be one of the following: Creating, Ready, Busy, Unresponsive, or Removing.

Dedicated Server Upload Service​

  • Dedicated Server Upload Service (DSUS) is a service within AGS that manages the Dedicated Server upload process.

Dedicated Server Uploader​

  • A CLI tool for game developers to upload a Dedicated Server to Armada. Upon upload, the Armada services will containerize the server and store it in a Docker image repository.

Deployment​

DLC​

  • Initialized as DLC, Downloadable Content is additional digital content that a player can download and install to add to or replace content in a video game. The content can be distributed online within the game, or via a gaming platform such as Steam or the PlayStation Store.

Docker​

  • Docker is an open source platform for developing applications in containers. Armada uses these containers to ensure that Dedicated Server performance is the same across different devices and environments. Refer to the Docker website for more information.

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E​

Elo​

  • An Elo score is a way of calculating relative skill levels of players in zero-sum games who may not have ever played with each other. Examples of zero sum games are Chess and Poker. The difference between the ratings of two players is a method of predicting the outcome.

Enable or Disable Lobby​

  • A feature which allows game developers to turn on or off access to the Lobby service. If Lobby access is turned off, players will not be able to connect to your game. This allows you to prevent players from accessing the game during maintenance. Lobby access can be enabled or disabled in the Lobby Configuration in the AGS Admin Portal.

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F​

Fleet​

Flexing Roles​

  • A setting for Role-Based Matchmaking that removes the role requirements for a certain number of players if the existing role requirements result in no match being found.

Flexing Rules​

  • Settings that are used when the default Matchmaking Attributes result in a player not finding a suitable match. Flexing rules allow for a broader selection of players to be matched together, making it more likely that players will find a match.

Friends​

  • A service within AGS that allows players to socially connect with other players. When players are friends, they can see each other's Presence, Chat with each other, and invite each other to play together in multiplayer.

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G​

Game Mode​

  • A group of settings that determines how a match is conducted, including how many players and teams can play together in a single match and whether or not Role-Based Matchmaking should be used. You can create multiple variations of a game mode with the use of Sub-Game Modes.

Game Server​

Game Session​

  • An active play session where a game client is connected to a Dedicated Server or to another game client for Peer-to-Peer Matchmaking. This enables multiple players to play together in competitive or cooperative play. With Armada, a game session is created when a player initiates Matchmaking.

Global Statistics​

  • An accumulated set of values from all contributing User Statistics. You can choose to configure a statistic as a global statistic to track game-wide contributions from your game users.

Group​

  • A service within AGS that enables multiple players to form a community together. Groups work similarly to clans or guilds in online role-playing games (RPGs). Groups can play together in multiplayer and face other groups in competitive play. Certain players can be designated as group admins who have the ability to manage group membership.

gRPC​

  • general-purpose Remote Procedure Call (gRPC) is an open-source high-performance framework originally developed by Google. The framework can run in any environment and can efficiently connect services in and across data centers with support for load balancing, tracing, health checking, and authentication. Refer to gRPC.io for more information.

AccelByte Glossary​

H​

Headless Account​

  • An account that can be created when a user first signs in by using an external identity provider or custom device ID. Lack of a valid email address and other necessary information is the difference between a full account and a headless account.

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I​

IAM Client​

  • An Identity and Access Management (IAM) Client is defined as an application, such as a game server or website, that requests access to protected platform data and resources. These clients allow you to control which resources can be accessed by an application, as opposed to a specific user. The clients can be defined under any Namespace (either Publisher, Studio, or Game).

Identity Provider​

  • A technology that stores and verifies user identity. They are typically cloud-hosted services and often work with single sign-on (SSO) providers to authenticate users. Azure Active Directory, Google Workspace, and OpenID Connect are examples of identity providers.

Image​

  • An Image (or Server Image) is an uploaded Dedicated Server that is containerized and stored in a repository. Armada uses the image version to uniquely identify which dedicated server to deploy.

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J​

Joinability​

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K​

Keep Player's Activity​

  • A configuration option for the Lobby service. If this option is enabled, a player's Presence data in the Lobby service will not be reset when the player disconnects. This option can be enabled or disabled in the Lobby Configuration in the Admin Portal.

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L​

Leaderboard​

  • A list of players and their performance- or skill-based metrics (such as ranking or score). This list can be displayed to players for them to compare with one another and create an increased sense of competition. Leaderboards can be configured with specific start and end dates in the AGS Admin Portal.

Leaderboard Code​

  • Instead of using a machine-generated code, a Leaderboard Code is a unique string used to identify the leaderboard which can be tracked easily by developers and used in their code.

Lobby​

  • A service within AGS that provides the main hub of your game for players to connect to. The game client connects to the Lobby service and into a lobby, where the game client can access the Presence, Friends, Notification, Party, Chat, and Matchmaking services.

Lobby Configuration​

Lobby Concurrent User​

  • A metric that shows the total number of active players in a lobby. This value is refreshed once every minute.

Log Viewer​

  • A service that allows you to review the traffic logs from services within AGS. Every user, player, or application interaction with the endpoints in the AGS platform is collected and stored in logs by the Log Viewer service, and those logs can be accessed in the Admin Portal.

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M​

Match Attributes​

  • The player data that determines which players will be matched together based on the Matchmaking Rules. Match attributes are typically player statistics, such as number of kills or number of matches won, that are used to judge a player's performance.

Match Function​

  • Defines the behavior that AGS will use to evaluate tickets waiting in the queue. By default, it will use the logic defined in match rulesets, but through use of a gRPC plugin, new functions can be implemented that extend how the service works.

Match Pool​

  • Sometimes referred to as a queue, a match pool defines a segment of players and parties, represented as tickets, based on selected preferences such as game mode, region, language, etc. Once in a match pool, tickets will be evaluated in turn, and paired together and connected to a Game Session based on the match ruleset defined for the game mode.

Matchmaking​

  • An service within AGS that allows players to be paired with other players for multiplayer play.

Matchmaking Rating​

  • Matchmaking Rating (MMR) is a score granted to players based on their performance in a game. The specific statistics used to judge player performances are defined as Match Attributes.

Matchmaking Rules​

  • Also known as Matchmaking Ruleset. Settings that determine how players are matched together. You can choose to match players of similar or different skill levels together. You can also set up Flexing Rules or Role-Based Matchmaking.

Matchmaking Ticket​

  • A request sent to the Matchmaking service on behalf of a player and, if applicable, their Party.

Matchmaking Queue​

  • A line of Matchmaking Tickets waiting to be matched. Matchmaking tickets that are earlier in the queue are prioritized over those later in the queue.

MAU​

  • Monthly Active Users (MAU) is the number of unique users of a game over the period of a month. This is available through the Analytics service.

Max Server Waiting Time​

  • The amount of time your game will wait for a Dedicated Server to be spun up for a match. If this time limit is exceeded, the Lobby will respond that no server is available.

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N​

Namespace​

  • A unique name for a game studio ( Publisher for AGS Private Cloud or Studio for AGS Shared Cloud), or an individual game (Game). Namespaces are required so various attributes and features can be linked to them. One Publisher or Studio namespace may be linked to many Game namespaces. IAM Clients can be defined under either type of namespace.

Nomad​

  • A Server Orchestrator, built by HashiCorp, that deploys and manages containers and non-containerized applications across on-premises and clouds at scale.

Notification​

  • A service within AGS that delivers text-based messages to players.

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O​

OpenID Connect​

OSS​

  • The AGS Online Sub-system (OSS) is the high-level bridge between Unreal Engine and AGS. It's comprised of interfaces that access services and features within AGS. The OSS is designed to handle higher-level logic with asynchronous communication.

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P​

Party​

  • A group of players who are Friends playing together in multiplayer play. There can be one or multiple parties in a Team. Party sizes can be configured in the AGS Admin Portal. Players can join a party either by invitation or by using a Party Code, both of which can be sent to players by the Party Leader.

Party Code​

  • A string of characters that can be used to add players to a Party. A party code can be generated by the Party Leader, who can then send the code to other players.

Party Leader​

  • The player who creates a Party by starting a Game Session for multiplayer play. The party leader can invite other players to join the party. If the party leader leaves the party, the player that has been in the party the longest will be promoted to party leader.

Pass​

  • A Pass (also known as Season Pass or Battle Pass) grants players access to certain classes of rewards available during a season event. Passes can be freely granted to players, or can be made available for purchase. Passes are represented by items you create, but they do not have to be actual in-game items granted to players.

Peer-to-Peer Matchmaking​

  • Peer-to-peer (P2P) Matchmaking is a type of Matchmaking that does not use Dedicated Servers, but instead designates one player as the host for the Game Session, and other players connect to the hosting player's machine to play together.

Permissions​

  • Used to grant access to specific resources within AGS. Most AGS endpoints require permission to be accessed, whether it be from users or applications. Resources are what permissions are applied to and protect. Each protected endpoint requires a unique permission string. Roles are a collection of permissions.

Pod​

Pod Configuration​

  • Settings that will affect running Dedicated Server Docker containers, such as CPU and memory allocation, and which port the game server listens to.

Presence​

  • A service within AGS that records whether players are connected to your game or not. Presence can be displayed to other players, so that, for example, players can see when their friends are online.

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Q​

Quality of Service​

  • Quality of Service (QoS) is a set of services that are deployed in each of the Regions where Armada can spawn Dedicated Servers. Using the SDK, game clients can call the QoS in each region to measure network latency and determine the nearest region to ensure that Matchmaking pairs players that are near each other.

Quality of Service Manager​

  • Quality of Service Manager (QoSM) is a service within AGS that keeps track of all available Regions by keeping a list of all live Quality of Service servers.

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R​

  • The amount of time, in seconds, that a player has to confirm that they are ready for multiplayer play before they are removed from a match. This can be configured in the Lobby Configuration in the AGS Admin Portal.

Region​

  • A geographical location where a Dedicated Server is deployed to be used by players. Regions can cover one country, multiple countries, or one part of a large country. By default, AGS follows the available regions in Amazon Web Services (AWS), but game developers can request special regions if needed. See Regions and Availability Zones for more information.

Regional Cluster​

Reward​

  • An entitlement that is granted to a player when they finish a Tier. For example, if a player moves from Tier 1 to Tier 2, they will be granted the rewards from Tier 1. Rewards can be items, experience points (XP), or any other entitlement.

Role​

  • A definition of the type of User accessing a game. Options include a player, a viewer-only, an admin, and a super-admin. A Role is a collection of Permissions.

Role-Based Matchmaking​

  • A feature that allows you to match players together for multiplayer play based on their role or class (e.g., tank, healer, or damage dealer) in your game. Role-based matchmaking can be enabled when you configure the Game Mode.

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S​

Season​

  • A limited-time event that includes special challenges and rewards for players.

Server Image​

Server Orchestrator​

  • An application that manages the deployment and lifecycle of Dedicated Server Containers in bare metal or cloud server nodes. It is responsible scaling out in virtual machines to make sure there is always hardware to fulfill current demands. Nomad is used as the primary orchestrator for Armada. See also: Autoscaling Strategy.

Session Browser​

  • A service within AGS which stores data for each active Game Session in your game.

Session​

Session Joinability​

  • Determines who can join a session. Joinability consists of the following statuses: Open, Invite Only, or Closed.

Session Template​

  • A way to define session properties as a template. The template can be created using either the Admin API or the AGS Admin Portal. Template properties include a friendly name, Session Joinability, timeouts, Chat properties, Dedicated Server properties, and similar data.

Single Point of Presence​

  • Single Point of Presence (SPOP) is a concept where the AGS backend only lets a player be logged in on one device and/or platform at a time. To achieve this, the Lobby enforces only one active connection from the same user account.

Sub-Game Mode​

  • A variation on an existing Game Mode. For example, you can have a game mode for 4v4 play with a sub-game mode containing slightly different rules, such as different role configurations for Role-Based Matchmaking.

Symmetric Parties​

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T​

Team​

  • A group of players in multiplayer matches who share the same objective.

Tier​

  • A level that players occupy during participation in a season event. Players can move into new tiers by gaining experience points (XP) or by purchasing access to higher tiers. Players will be granted a reward each time they clear a tier. Tiers are represented by items you create, but they do not have to be actual in-game items granted to players.

Timeouts​

  • Timeouts are time limits that are applied to your dedicated servers during some of the states in their life cycles. All these timeouts are configurable in the AGS Admin Portal. In Armada, for example, there are creation timeouts, claim timeouts, session timeouts, and unresponsive timeouts. For a full description of each, refer to Introduction to Armada.

TURN server​

  • A TURN server allows different devices to communicate with each other using the WebRTC protocol and are used to relay traffic if peer-to-peer communication fails.

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U​

User​

  • Synonymous with player, a user normally signs into the backend through a game. The User Role is automatically applied to user accounts when they are created, for the purpose of giving players the permissions they need to access resources within your game.

User-Generated Content​

  • User-Generated Content (UGC) is a service that manages in-game content that has been created by your players. With UGC, players can contribute to the community as a creator by creating game items that can be downloaded by other players.

User Statistics​

  • The range of game data stored per user, such as the number of wins or games played. User statistics can be updated from both the game client or game server. User statistics are used to contribute to Global Statistics.

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V​

Viewer​

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W​

Wallets​

  • Containers that hold virtual currency for your players. Players can purchase virtual currency using any real currency your payment aggregator supports. You can have multiple virtual currencies in your game, but each wallet can only hold one currency, so a player will need a wallet for each currency they have.

WebRTC​

  • WebRTC is an open protocol standard to facilitate real-time communication between applications over the internet. WebRTC employs multiple protocols and techniques, such as Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE), to get two computers to communicate with each other and to deal with network address translators (NATs), firewalls, and other network barriers.

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XYZ​

XP​

  • Experience Points (XP) is a resource players can accrue through gameplay to gain access to higher levels or tiers and unlock rewards.
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