Common text-based gaming terms explained.
Glossary from A to Z AFK
Stands for “away from keyboard.” It lets others know that you’ll be unresponsive for a time.
alt
Short for “alternate character.” A secondary character, different from one’s main.
antag RP
Refers to a style of antagonistic roleplay focused on creating conflict.
app
Short for “application.” Required to play some roleplaying games.
ASCII art
Visual elements, such as maps and objects, created using text only.
ban
When a player’s account is suspended, preventing them from playing the game.
Bartle Test
Refers to the Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology, a system for grouping players into types.
blackballing
When one player secretly damages the reputation of another.
builder
Someone who creates the rooms, areas, objects, and/or NPCs in a game.
camping
The practice of staying in one spot to wait for players, monsters, or loot to spawn.
canon
Refers to material accepted as officially part of a game’s universe or storyline.
CC
Stands for “canon character.” An established character in a game’s universe.
CCC
Stands for “computer-controlled character.” More commonly known as an NPC.
character
A fictional persona that exists within the game.
chargen
Short for “character generation.” The process of creating a new character in an RPG.
CNC RP
Stands for “consensual non-consent roleplay.” A type of RP where players agree beforehand to act out non-consensual scenes.
codebase
The underlying software that runs a multi-user dungeon (MUD).
coder
A programmer responsible for creating and modifying the software that operates a game.
collusion
When players work together in secret outside of the game (e.g. in Discord DMs) to gain an advantage within it.
consent
An agreement by players as to what can and cannot happen to their characters within the game.
crossover RP
When you take a character designed for one genre or universe and integrate them into another.
CYOA
Stands for “choose your own adventure,” a type of interactive fiction where you decide how the story progresses.
DM
Stands for “Dungeon Master,” the person who organizes, runs, and referees a roleplaying game.
doxxing
The weaponization of personal and private information to harass or shame someone.
emote
A way for players to describe their characters’ actions during roleplay.
ERP
ERP stands for “erotic roleplay,” a form of RP that focuses on physical intimacy between characters.
FC
Stands for “faceclaim.” An image used to represent a character in a roleplaying game.
FOIC
Stands for “find out in character.” A phrase used in RP games to encourage IC discovery of information.
freeform
A style of roleplay that emphasizes narrative freedom and creative expression.
FTB
Stands for “fade to black.” The act of backgrounding scenes that are uncomfortable or unnecessary to play out.
GM
Stands for “Game Master,” a person in charge of a roleplaying game.
god-modding
When one player controls another player’s character without their permission.
griefer
Someone who deliberately harasses other players within the game to ruin their enjoyment.
H&S
Stands for hack and slash. A style of game featuring combat against lots of NPCs.
Head Builder
A staff member on a MUD who manages other builders and projects.
helpfile
A document designed to provide players with guidance on some aspect of a game.
IAW
Stands for “in another window.” When the player is present at their computer but unable to pay attention to the game.
IC
Stands for “in character.” Any writing or roleplay that occurs as part of the game and within the game’s setting.
IC =/= OOC
Stands for “in character does not equal out of character.”
IC/OOC crossover
The inappropriate mixing of IC and OOC information, emotions, or actions in RP games.
ICA = ICC
Stands for “in-character actions equal in-character consequences.”
idle
When a player is connected to a game but inactive, possibly due to being AFK.
imm
Short for “immortal.” A staff member in a multi-user game.
IRL
Stands for “in real life.” Refers to things that happen in the physical world, as opposed to the game world.
L&L
Stands for “Lords and Ladies,” a genre of roleplaying games that focus on social interaction among the nobility.
limbo
An OOC area where players are placed during a temporary ban or while awaiting a policy decision.
linkdead
When a player has lost their connection (link) to the game but their character is still present in the game world.
literate
A term denoting that a game prefers players who are literate and fluent in the game’s primary language.
main
A player’s main character in a roleplaying game. Typically the one they play the most or most seriously.
Marty Stu
A male character that is unrealistically perfect or excessively ideal, to the point of undermining the story.
Mary Sue
A pejorative term used to describe a character who is unrealistically perfect.
min-maxing
The practice of minimizing some attributes or skills and maximizing others in order to achieve one’s in-game objectives.
mob
Short for “mobile.” A type of computer-controlled NPC in multi-user dungeon (MUD) games.
mobprog
Short for “mobile program.” A script attached to an NPC in a multi-user dungeon (MUD).
moderator
Someone who manages a game’s community, greets new players, and helps enforce the rules.
MOTD
Stands for “message of the day.” An announcement or information shown to users upon login.
MUD client
A software program used to connect to and play a multi-user dungeon (MUD).
mun
Short for “mundane.” The player behind the character.
munchkin
A player who prioritizes their own character’s success at the expense of other players’ enjoyment.
nerf
To make a skill, spell, or ability less powerful.
newbie
A new player in a game or gaming community.
NPC
Stands for “non-player character.” A character that is not controlled by a player.
OC
Stands for “original character.” A character that is not part of a universe’s official story or setting.
offscreen
Events or actions that happen in the background rather than being actively roleplayed or written about.
oldbie
An experienced player who has been playing for a significant amount of time.
on-grid
Actions and events that occur in character on the game map, in areas accessible by other players.
OOC
Stands for “out-of-character.” Any thoughts, actions, or speech that are from the player and not the character.
OP
Stands for “overpowered.” When a skill, item, or strategy is so strong as to disrupt the game’s balance.
P2P
Stands for “pay-to-play.” Pay-to-play games typically require a monthly subscription in order to play.
P2W
Stands for “pay-to-win.” In pay-to-win games, players pay real-life money for key advantages in game.
P4P
Stands for “pay-for-perks.” In P4P games, players use real-life money to purchase cosmetic perks or conveniences.
parser
The system that reads and interprets player input, turning it into actions within the game.
PB
Stands for “playby.” An image of a celebrity used to represent a character in a roleplaying game.
pbase
Short for “playerbase.” A group of engaged players actively playing a game.
PbP
Stands for “play-by-post,” a type of roleplaying game where players take turns writing out their characters’ actions.
PC
Stands for “player character.” A character controlled by a player instead of a computer or game master.
permaban
Short for “permanent ban.” When a player’s account is suspended indefinitely.
permadeath
Short for “permanent death.” In permadeath games, a character who dies cannot come back to life.
player
A person who controls a character in a roleplaying game.
plot
The sequence of GM-guided events and player-driven storylines that provide direction for the game.
power-posing
The practice of inappropriately dictating another character’s actions in an RPG. Synonymous with god-modding.
powergaming
When a player prioritizes their character’s power and success over collaborative storytelling or realistic character development.
pseudolanguage
Refers to strings of text that appear as unintelligible words and letters to represent a language unknown to the listener.
puppeting
When a game master actively takes control of an NPC.
PvE
Stands for “player versus environment.” A type of gameplay where players face challenges that come from the game itself.
PvP
Stands for “player versus player.” A type of gameplay where players combat or are in conflict with each other.
pwipe
Short for “player wipe.” When all player files and data are deleted.
railroading
When the game master constraints players’ choices, forcing them to follow a specific, predetermined path in the story.
remort
When a maxed-out character restarts the game with enhanced abilities or additional options.
rent
An obsolete game mechanic in MUDs that required players to pay rent in order to save their items.
RL
Stands for “real life.” The everyday, non-digital world players live in, separate from their online games and game environments.
rollplaying
A style of play where the focus is more on game mechanics than on the story.
room
Any discrete space that player characters can occupy in a MUD.
RP
Stands for “roleplay” or “roleplaying.” When you perform actions on behalf of a character as that character and not as yourself.
RP culture
The norms, values, practices, and etiquette shared by a roleplaying community.
RP hook
A device used to draw players into roleplay or motivate them to continue roleplaying.
S&S
A subgenre of fantasy that emphasizes sword-wielding heroes engaging in violent adventures.
scene
A roleplay session. When characters come together and do things.
screen reader
Software that translates written text into speech, making it accessible to those with blindness or low vision.
scripting
A series of instructions, written as lines of code, that automate gameplay through a MUD client.
smallrooming
When players fail to incorporate the broader setting in their RP, which can make a scene feel unrealistically intimate.
smallworlding
A form of metagaming that occurs when a character acts on the player’s OOC knowledge of a small playerbase.
social
A command in MUDs that allows players to laugh, smile, wave, etc. in a pre-defined way.
sparring
A form of player-vs-player combat used for training or to settle disputes without risk of character death.
spawn point
A location where monsters, items, treasure, or players regularly appear.
tavern RP
Roleplay for the purpose of socializing, typically in a tavern or equivalent setting.
Telnet
A network protocol used to connect to multi-user dungeons (MUDs).
toxic gamer
A player who engages in behavior that negatively impacts the experience of other players.
TPB
Stands for “the player behind.” Often used as part of a signature or sign-off in OOC messages.
trolling
When a player engages in behavior intended to disrupt gameplay, provoke other players, or undermine the story.
twinking
When a player uses unfair methods to artificially gain an advantage in a game.
VNPC
Stands for “virtual non-player character.” An NPC that exists in the backdrop.
wholist
A command that displays a list of players who are logged into the game.
wizard
A player with elevated privileges in a multi-user dungeon (MUD) or similar text-based game.
Frequently Asked Questions What is this list of text game terms? This list is a glossary: a handy reference tool designed to help you understand the words and slang commonly used in text-based roleplaying games , such as MUDs , MUSHes, play-by-posts, and similar games.
How is the list organized? The glossary is arranged alphabetically to make it easy for you to find what you’re looking for. Each term is listed with a brief definition, and clicking on a term will take you to its full definition.
Can I contribute to the list? Absolutely! Community contributions are welcome. If you know a term that isn’t listed, or if you have a clearer definition for an existing term, feel free to send your suggestions to Andruid . Your knowledge could help out other members of the text game community.
How do I use this list to improve my gaming experience? The glossary is useful for clearing up confusion or expanding your knowledge. It allows you to quickly look up unfamiliar terms and understand their meanings. This understanding can help enhance your communication with other players, as you’ll be more familiar with the specific lingo used in text-based games.
What words aren’t in the list? This glossary focuses on words specific to text-based roleplaying games. While MUDs are the forerunners of modern MMOs, this list might not cover some terms used in contemporary video games. If you’re looking for definitions related to the latest video game technology or slang, check out the Video Game Terms
page on Wikipedia.