10 Terms Explained – Single Player FPS Glossary Guide

A single player fps is a first-person shooter you play alone, usually through a story or a series of levels. This glossary explains 10 terms behind that experience, from first-person perspective and checkpoints to hitscan and bullet sponges, using a Wikibooks overview, the BlueStacks glossary and a Game Developer article.

Key Takeaways

• A single player fps or first-person shooter shows the game from the character’s point of view, and Wikibooks names Doom, Quake and Half-Life as examples.
• Wikibooks describes single player fps mode in story-oriented games as a place for compelling narratives, citing Half-Life and Deus Ex.
• Kimberly Unger wrote on Game Developer on January 6, 2012 that checkpoints are the least disruptive way to move the player forward.
• The sources are general and some are undated, so use this glossary for vocabulary and not for rankings.

What Is a Single Player FPS ?

Wikibooks defines a single player fps or first-person shooter as a genre of computer and video games characterized by an on-screen view that simulates the in-game character’s point of view. BlueStacks says the same thing in simpler words: you follow the character’s perspective instead of a camera that shows the character from outside.

A single player fps adds the idea of playing alone. Wikibooks does not use the word campaign. It refers to the single-player mode in story-oriented games, which can have compelling narratives, and it names Half-Life and Deus Ex as examples.

The page also notes that some shooters are designed primarily for multiplayer, where single-player play consists entirely of play against bots, citing Counter-Strike and Quake III Arena. A single player fps in the story sense is a different kind of game.

What Are the 10 Terms in This Single Player FPS Glossary?

• First-person shooter (FPS) – a genre characterized by an on-screen view that simulates the character’s point of view, such as Doom, Quake and Half-Life.
• First-person perspective – the view through the character’s eyes. Wikibooks says it usually allows more precise refinement of aim.
• Single-player mode – the part of a game played alone, which in story-oriented games can have compelling narratives, as in Half-Life and Deus Ex.
• Arcade shooter – a run-and-gun style with quick movement and near constant combat, as in Doom and Serious Sam.
• Tactical shooter – a style that emphasizes strategy and planning, as in Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon.
• Health and armor – two sets of hit points, a base health meter and a separate gauge for armor or shields, as in Halo and Deus Ex.
• Checkpoint – a save point that Kimberly Unger calls the cleanest, least disruptive method of moving the player forward in an FPS.
• Hitscan – weapons that determine hits along a distance with no travel time, according to BlueStacks.
• Boss – a non-player character often seen at the end levels of a game and considerably harder to beat than regular enemies.
• Bullet sponge – an enemy who soaks up damage like a sponge and makes killing them a challenge.

Several related words appear in the sources. Strafing, or sidestepping, is a common movement skill, and stealth is a common feature in which players avoid detection, as in Thief and GoldenEye 007.

How Do Arcade and Tactical Single Player FPS Games Differ?

Arcade shooters move fast. Wikibooks describes them as run and gun, with quick movement and near constant combat, and gives Doom and Serious Sam as examples. They reward reflexes and aggressive play.

Tactical shooters slow down. The page says they emphasize strategy and planning, and cites Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon. Players may issue commands to squads of AI-controlled companions, and some games let a single shot kill you, as in Operation Flashpoint.

Neither style is better. A single player fps in the arcade style suits short sessions and quick fights, while a tactical one suits players who like to think before they move.

How Do Health, Checkpoints and Bosses Shape a Level?

Health systems set the pace of danger. Wikibooks describes two sets of hit points, a base health meter and a separate gauge for armor or shields. It also calls medikits an unrealistic gameplay device.

Checkpoints set the pace of progress. Unger writes that the checkpoint method is the most respectful and does the best job of maintaining immersion, describing it as a brief pause between fights. She contrasts it with save-anywhere systems that players can abuse.

Bosses and bullet sponges set the pace of challenge. A boss is a harder enemy at the end of a level, while a bullet sponge is an enemy who soaks up damage. The two terms describe tough enemies in different ways.

What Is Hitscan in a Single Player FPS?

BlueStacks defines hitscan as the weapons used in first-person shooter games to determine hits along a distance with no travel time. In practice, the shot lands the instant you fire, as opposed to a projectile that has to travel.

Wikibooks does not cover the hitscan and projectile distinction. It does describe blast mechanics, such as grenade jumping and rocket jumping in Quake, so projectile-like weapons are part of the genre.

How Reliable Are These Sources?

The sources are general, and two are undated. The Wikibooks page lists classic games such as Doom, Quake and Half-Life, so it reflects older shooters. The BlueStacks glossary has no entries for campaign, aim down sights, checkpoint or aggro.

Unger’s article is from January 6, 2012, and focuses on save systems, so it does not cover regenerating health or level structure. We therefore give no rankings, release years or recommendations, and we avoid claims about modern shooters.

How Can You Use This Glossary When Choosing a Game?

Read a store page for the terms above. If it mentions checkpoints and boss fights, expect a structured campaign. If it mentions tactical or squad play, expect a slower game, and if it says run and gun, expect speed.

Then check the details yourself. Terms describe styles, not quality, and the sources cannot tell you which games are good. Use them to ask better questions when you read reviews, and compare the answers with a game’s own description before you buy it.