Hellgate: London Glossary Now Available

Flagship Studios has posted a full glossary of terms and acronyms that anyone venturing into the multiplayer component of Hellgate: London should be familiar with. Since the list applies to basically any type of online game (including MMORPGs), I’ve mirrored it below:

General

• BR: Bill Roper.
• BSOD: Blue screen of death. A type of Windows OS crash which leads to a blue screen with white text detailing the crash. Features the scary phrase, "A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer."
• CS: Customer Service.
• CTD: Crash to desktop. Used for any crash in which the game exits unceremoniously (and unexpectedly), returning the user to their OS.
• EA: Electronic Arts.
• FPS (genre): First person shooter, a game genre which is played with ranged weaponry and often in "first person" view.
• FPS (metric): Frames per second, a metric for a game’s graphic performance (largely influenced by one’s computer components).
• FSS: Flagship Studios.
• HBS: HanbitSoft.
• HGL: Hellgate: London.
• Lag: Latency, refers to the connection to the game’s server. "High lag" or "bad lag" refers to a slow or poor connection.
• Live: Refers to the live servers, Shulgoth (US) and Sydonai (EU).
• MMO(G): Massively multiplayer online (game).
• MMORPG: Massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
• P1: Patch 1, "The Stonehenge Chronicles".
• P2: Patch 2, "The Abyss Chronicles".
• Ping: Response time from game client to game server. The number shown is in milliseconds. Used to determine lag.
• P0 or P-0: Ping-0.
• Realm: Server.
• RPG: Role-playing game.
• Shard: Server.
• Shul: Refers to the Shulgoth (US) live server.
• Syd: Refers to the Sydonai (EU) live server.
• SWoD: Spinning wheel of death. Refers to the loading screen animation which spins without end when there is a connection problem.
• TC or TS: Test Center or Test Server, the server where new patches are first tested before reaching the live servers.

Gameplay

• Aggro: A term for when a mob is in an "attacking" state. Largely determined by proximity to the mob and its AI.
• Alt: Short for alternative character, one that was made after the account’s primary character and is played less.
• BD: Breakdown, used as a verb.
• Breakdown: To "deconstruct" an item into crafting materials. This is done by right-clicking on the item and selecting the wrench icon.
• Buff or Boost: Any spell, often duration-based, which improves a character in some manner, "buffing" or "boosting" it.
• Build: A selection of a class’ skills designed for a purpose. Builds are specific to individual character classes. Any selection of skills is considered a build.
• Cheese: A verb which means to exploit a game imbalance.
• Corpse Run or Corpse Retrieval or CR: The run a ghosted character takes back to its gravestone in order to resurrect.
• Creep: Monster.
• DFA: Death from above. Usually refers to jumping off the side into the Necro Fall pit to either attempt at killing everything in the bottom or just to die a glorious and funny death.
• Ding: Exclamation said when a character achieves a new level. Often used as a verb.
• Dis or Disench or Disassemble: Breakdown, used as a verb.
• Drop(s): Palladium and/or items that are gained from a monster when it is killed.
• Dump: To empty or make space in one’s inventory.
• Dust: Breakdown, used as a verb.
• EXP or XP: Experience, earned by killing monsters and completing quests.
• Exploit: A facet of the game which "cheats" or otherwise allows for an unintended method of gameplay. Can be used to refer to a many types of exploits where normal gameplay benefits such as character leveling, currency gain, and item farming are performed at an exaggerated rate.
• Farming: Repeating running an area or monster for loot.
• FH: Full health.
• FM: Full mana (power).
• Fogged: Refers to when a monster moves beyond the set draw distance, disappearing into the "fog".
• Gimp: A character that has spent its skill and/or attribute points poorly, resulting in underpowered peformance. Can also refer to underpowered items. Often used as a verb, "gimped".
• Grinding: Fighting monsters in a certain area or of a certain level/type for the express purpose of gaining experience. "Grind" refers to this as a noun.
• Leech: To gain experience from the efforts of a party member(s). Power leveling is possible through leeching.
• Leveling: To increase in character level or to gain experience for this purpose.
• LFG: Looking for group.
• LFM: Looking for more (players).
• LOM: Low on mana (power).
• Loot: Palladium and/or items that drop from slain monsters, is found in the game environment, or is earned from completing quests.
• LVL: Level.
• Hate: See aggro.
• IGN: In-game (character) name.
• Imba: Imbalanced, usually pertaining to one class or skill being much better than another class or skill.
• Inc: Incoming (monster).
• Inv: Inventory. Sometimes used as a verb to mean one’s inventory is full.
• Kiting: Fighting monsters at a distance and staying out of combat range to avoid taking damage while dealing damage to said monsters. Sourced from how one looks while launching a kite.
• Mob or Mobs: Monsters. Stands for "mobile" or "mobile object block" and refers to any non-player character, enemies and neutrals alike.
• Monster: See mob.
• MP: Multiplayer.
• Mule: A character used solely for storing items. Can be used as a verb for transferring items to such a character.
• Murmur: The first NPC you meet in Hellgate: London. Provides you with quests and witty banter in the form of gossip and quest assistance.
• Nerf: To reduce the overall effectiveness of an item, skill, class or monster by way of reducing some aspect of it. Can also refer to a reduction in the drop rate or ease of acquiring an item. Nerfs occur with game updates and are part of game balancing as determined by the game’s developers. The name is sourced from Nerf toys which resemble lethal weapons but have no lethal effects as they are often foam. Often used as a verb: "they nerfed my [weapon here] and [skill here]".
• NPC: Non-playing character. Any character controlled by the game.
• Non-sub: Non-subscriber.
• OOM: Out of mana (power).
• OP: Overpowered, referring to skills, weapons, classes, or monsters.
• Pawn Shop: Any vendor NPC.
• PC: Playing character. Any character controlled by another human.
• PK: Player kill or player killer.
• Port: Short for teleport, means to use a portal, PRD or otherwise, to travel to another area.
• Powerlevel or PL or PLVL: A verb used to describe a high-level character or characters helping a low-level character gain levels rapidly by partying with it and letting it leech experience from their kills.
• Proc: Refers to a percentage-chance-based occurrence such as "on-hit". Short for Programmed Random Occurrence. Used as a verb: "when X procs".
• PUG: Pick-up group. An ad-hoc party of players often assembled for a specific task.
• Pull or Pulling: A controlled aggroing of monsters by a scout-like character who "pulls" monsters back to his party. Done in order to reduce the risk of aggroing too many monsters.
• Puller: A character designated to "pull" monsters for a party.
• PvE: Player versus environment (monsters).
• PvP: Player versus player.
• Regen: Short for regeneration. Can refer to health, shield, or power regeneration but is more commonly the former.
• Respec: Short for respecification. Refers to resetting a characters’ skills to allow it to be specified differently.
• Rez or Res: Resurrect.
• Root: To immobilize the movement of an opponent.
• Run: An attempt against a major game monster or instance, often done regularly. Example: "A Moloch run."
• Salvage or Scrapping or Sharding: Breakdown, used as a verb.
• Solo: To play by one’s self. Can also refer to whether a monster can be "soloed" or defeated on one’s own. Used in Multiplayer.
• SP: Single Player.
• Spec: Short for specification. Refers to the build (skill selections) of a character.
• Stun: An immobilizing status effect which prevents attacking as well.
• Sub: Subscriber or subscription.
• Tank: A character designed to take the brunt of a mob’s attacks, often in order to prevent damage to other party members. Often used as a verb.
• Twink: A low-level character aided by powerful items provided by high-level characters. Often powerleveled by the same high-level characters.
• Vendor: Used as a verb to say you are going to sell an item to a vendor NPC, usually an item of poor quality.
• Vendor Trash: Low quality items which are not worth breaking down for crafting materials. Sometimes refers to consumables which cannot be broken down into crafting materials. Sometimes called junk or fodder.
• Wipe: A term for when an entire party perishes and is forced to begin anew. Often used as a verb.
• Zone: See port.

Characters

• Acc or Accu: Accuracy, a character attribute.
• BM or Blade: Blademaster, a Templar class.
• Elite: Elite Mode.
• Eng or Engie: Engineer, a Hunter class.
• Ev or Evo: Evoker, a Cabalist class.
• Feed: Refers to the attribute feed system with regards to equipping items.
• G or Guard: Guardian, a Templar class.
• Glass Cannon or GC: A high-DPS character with very low survivability.
• Gundian: Guardian that uses projectile weapons rather than melee weapons.
• HC: Hardcore Mode.
• HCE: Hardcore Elite Mode.
• HP: Hit points, used to designate how much damage a character can take before dying. Synonymous with "life" and "health".
• Huntard: A disparaging name for Hunters.
• MM or Marks: Marksman, a Hunter class.
• NM: Nightmare Difficulty.
• Norm: Normal Difficulty.
• Nuker: A caster-type character that focuses on the use of high-damage and AoE skills.
• Pet or Pets: Any summoned creatures which aid characters. This includes Engineer and Summoner summons but can also refer to pets that are drops or gained during events. Sometimes called "minions".
• PP: Power points, used for casting spells and using skills. Synonymous with "mana" and "energy".
• Shieldian: Guardian that focuses on shields and shield skills.
• Stam: Stamina, a character attribute.
• Str: Strength, a character attribute.
• Sum or Summy: Summoner, a Cabalist class.
• Will or WP: Willpower, a character attribute.

Skills

• Active: Any skill which requires activation during battle to be used.
• AoE or AE: Area of effect, often refers to damage.
• Auras: Templar skills which apply passively and provide a buff to the character, often based off of the number of enemies within range of the aura.
• Carny or Carnie: Shorthand for the Carnagor, a Summoner pet.
• CotC: Call of the Chosen (Blademaster).
• DD: Direct damage.
• DMG: Damage.
• DOT: Damage over time.
• DPS: Damage per second.
• DR: Damage reduction.
• Ele(s): Shorthand for Elementals, a type of Summoner pet.
• MS: Multishot (Marksman).
• Nade or Nades: Refers to the Hunter faction’s grenade skills.
• Passive: Any skill which aids a player in some manner without requiring activation during battle. Templar Auras need to be selected but are otherwise passive.
• RF: Rapid Fire (Hunter).
• SoJ: Sword of Justice (Blademaster).
• SS: Sweeping Strike (Blademaster).
• Surges: A special type of Blademaster skill which "charges up" with consecutive successful hits on monsters. Prior to The Abyss Chronicles (Patch 2), Surges were charged up by killing a monster.
• WW: Whirlwind (Blademaster).

Travel

• CC or CCS: Charing Cross Station.
• CG or CGS: Covent Garden Station.
• HS or Holb: Holborn Station.
• Hub: Station.
• MS: Monument Station.
• Newbie or Starting Area: Russell Square.
• PP: Party portal.
• RS: Russell Square.
• SH: Stonehenge.
• SP or SPS: St. Paul’s Station.
• Station: Any of Hellgate: London’s NPC-occupied "cities".
• TB: Templar Base.
• TP: Town portal. Refers to PRD.
• Town (noun): Station.
• Town (verb): To return to a station.
• TS: Temple Station.

Trade

• #S: Used to describe the number of mod slots on an item, desired or factual. 1S stands for one slot, 2S for two slots, and so on.
• AA or AA+ or +AA: "All Attributes". Refers to any item property which adds X to all character attributes when equipped.
• Aug’d or Augged: Describes an item that has been upgraded using the Augmentrix 3000.
• BO or B/O: Buyout.
• CH: Consignment House.
• Clean: An adjective describing an item that has not been upgraded using either the Augmentrix 3000 or Nano Forge as there is a limited number of times items can be upgraded with them. Less commonly used to describe an item that has no mods attached to it.
• Demod: A verb for using the Delux Demodifier.
• Demodder: Refers to the Delux Demodifier.
• Dirty: An adjective describing an item that has been upgraded using either the Augmentrix 3000 or Nano Forge. Less commonly used to describe an item that has mods attached to it.
• FT: For trade. Usually preceded or followed by the item. Can be used as a question.
• Leg: Legendary rarity.
• LF: Looking for (item).
• Godly: Used to describe something as powerful. Often misused or overused. Coined in Diablo from an item affix.
• Impreg: Shorthand for the Impregnable item property which adds Armor.
• ISO: In search of.
• Mats: Materials, used for crafting and upgrading items.
• Mod: A verb used for attaching a mod to a weapon.
• Modded: Describes a weapon that has a mod or mods attached to it.
• Nano’d or Nanoed: Describes an item that has been upgraded using the Nano Forge.
• Pal or Pd or Palla: Palladium, the currency of Hellgate: London. Sometimes referred to as gold or money.
• PC: Price check, used to gauge the current market selling/buying price of an item.
  OBO: Or best offer.
• SO or SOL: "Shield Overload". Refers to any item property which adds Shield Overload to a character’s attacks.
• Stack: A pile of identical items that share inventory space.
• TAV or TaV: Total armor value.
• Uber: "Super" in German, used to describe something as powerful. Often misused or overused.
• Uni: Unique rarity.
• WTB: Willing to buy (followed by the item).
• WTS: Willing to sell (followed by the item).
• WTT: Willing to trade (followed by the item).
• WUG: What you got, used by a player who has something another player wants to trade for.

Items

• Ammo: Refers to an Ammo type mod.
• Battery: Refers to a Battery type mod.
• BK: Black Knight dye kit.
• CS: Cold Steel dye kit.
• Cube: Transmogrifier Cube.
• EotM or Eyes or Mav: Eyes of the Maverick, unique Hunter helmet.
• Fuel: Refers to a Fuel type mod.
• Hiki’s or Hikida’s: Hikida’s Lamentation, unique Templar sword.
• Hu’s: Hu’s Hypershot, unique Hunter machine pistol. Less commonly refers to Hu’s Shoes, unique Cabalist caster boots.
• Keeper or KotNS: Keeper of the North Star, unique Templar shield.
• Lee’s: Lee’s Lightlance, unique Hunter automatic rifle.
• Niko’s or Nikola’s: Nikola’s Polyphase, unique Hunter automatic rifle.
• Pots: Short for potions, refers to Health and Power Injectors. Coined in Diablo.
• PRD: Personal Relocation Device. Can refer to returning to a station or instance.
• Rarity or Rarity Level or RL: The rarity level of an item. Listed in increasing rarity, the levels are Normal (white), Enhanced (green), Rare (blue), Legendary (orange), Double-Edged (aqua), Unique (gold), and Mythic (purple). While Cursed (brown) is a rarity level, it does not fit in this list. Double-Edged, Mythic, and Cursed were introduced in The Abyss Chronicles (Patch 2).
• Relic: Refers to a Relic type mod.
• Rocket: Refers to a Rocket type mod.
• Slip or Slips or Slippy: Slipnaught, unique Cabalist focus item.
• Sue’s: SuE Steadiers, unique Hunter shoulder armor.
• Tech: Refers to a Tech type mod.
• TPJ’s: TPJ Handguards, unique Hunter gloves.
• VT: Veiled Threat, unique Cabalist helmet.

Monsters

• Abby or Abba: Beast of Abbadon.
• Dessy or Dessi: The Desiccator.
• Molly: Moloch. Sometimes referred to as "Santa Moloch".
• Occi or Occy: Oculis the All-Seeing.
• Shul or Shully: Shulgoth.
• Syd: Sydonai.

Other

• Cow Level: Refers to a secret level in Diablo II.

Generic

• <3: Heart. Used for pumping blood through circulatory systems. Also designates affection.
• </3: Broken heart. Occurs after ~70+ years of use. Also designates dislike. Can be used sarcastically.
• 10-4: Acknowledged.
• 1337: Leet (elite).
• 4: For.
• AI: Artificial intelligence. Refers to the behavior of mobs.
• AFK: Away from keyboard.
• AFAIK: As far as I know.
• ASAP: As soon as possible.
• ASL or A/S/L: Age/Sex/Location.
• Avatar: Graphical representation of a character.
• BBS: Bulletin board system, refers to the forums.
• BBL: Be back later.
• BF or B/F: Boyfriend.
• Bio or Bio-Break: Restroom visit.
• BRB: Be right back.
• BRT: Be right there.
• BTW: By the way.
• CID: Consider it done.
• CYA or CU: See you (later).
• D/C or DC’d or Disc or Discon: Disconnected.
• D/L or DL: Download.
• Dirt Nap: Slang for dead/killed. Usage: "to take a dirt nap".
• D/W or DW: Don’t worry.
• EG: Evil grin, often written "*eg*". "Wicked evil grin" written "*weg*".
• ETA: Estimated time of arrival.
• Frag: A kill, often messy. Sourced from "fragmentation". Can be used as a verb.
• Fraps: A desktop video capture application.
• FTW: For the win.
• FTL: For the lose.
• FYI: For your information.
• G2G or GTG: Got to go, used when leaving. Can also mean good to go, used when ready to leave a station.
• GF or G/F: Girlfriend.
• GG or GJ or GW or GF: Good game/good going, good job, good work, good fight. Used sarcastically more times than not.
• GLHF: Good luck, have fun. Often said before PvP matches.
• GM: Game master, a Customer Service Representative that aids players in-game.
• Grats or Gratz: Congratulations.
• Griefer: A player who purposely harasses other players.
• HB: Hurry back.
• IBR: Internet bathroom rays. These magical rays emanate from all internet-related programs and applications and influence a user to perform bodily functions shortly after logging on. Often used as "BRB-IBR".
• IB(T)L: In before (the) lock. Usage is against forum guidelines.
• IC: I see.
• IDK: I don’t know.
• IIRC: If I recall correctly.
• IM: Instant message. Can be used as a verb.
• IM(H)O: In my (humble/honest) opinion.
• IRC: Internet Relay Chat.
• IRL: In real life.
• IRT: In reply to.
• JK or J/K or JJ: Just kidding or just joking.
• K or Kay: Okay.
• L8R: Later.
• LD: Linkdead, where a player is disconnected but their character remains.
• Log (verb): To exit the game. "Logged" or "logging" are also used. "Relog" means to log out and back in again to restart the game/computer or to switch characters/accounts.
• LOL: Classic acronym for "lots of laughs" or "laughing out loud", contemporary meaning is closer to "[laughter]". Many spelling versions, including "LAWL".
• LMAO: Laughing my *** off.
• LULZ: A metric for laughter.
• M8: Mate.
• MT: Mis-tell. Used when a whisper or tell is sent to the wrong recipient.
• NBD: No big deal.
• NM or NVM: Nevermind.
• noob or n00b or newb: Disparaging term used to insult another player’s ability. Can be used in a jocular manner. Sourced from "newbie".
• NP: No problem.
• NSFW: Not safe for work.
• o: Oh.
• OMG: Oh my god.
• OMGZ: Stylized version of OMG.
• OMW or OOW: On my way, on our way.
• OP: Original poster.
• OT: Off-topic.
• Own(ed) or Pwn(ed): To wholly defeat a monster or character. Often misused or overused.
• P2P: Pay to play. Refers to subscription fees.
• PITA: Pain in the ***.
• pls or plz: Please.
• PM: Private message.
• PPL: People.
• PST: Please send tell.
• QFT: Quoted for truth.
• QQ: An emoticon smiley representing teary eyes or crying, used sarcastically to mean "go cry me a river" or similar. Often used as a verb, "go QQ now". Pronounced "queue queue".
• r: Are.
• ROFL: Pronounced "roffle", shortened version of "ROTFL" which stood for "rolling on the floor laughing". Interchangeable with LOL.
• Sup: What’s up. Used as a one-word question.
• TBA: To be announced.
• TBD: To be determined.
• TBH: To be honest.
• Tell: To whisper (send a private message to) another player.
• TLDR: Too long, didn’t read.
• THX or TY: Thanks, thank you.
• Troll: A player who harasses others.
• TS: TeamSpeak, a voicechat application.
• u or ur: You, your.
• Vent: Ventrilo, a voicechat application.
• W8: Wait.
• WB: Welcome back.
• Whipser: To private message another player by use of "/w CHARACTERNAMEHERE MESSAGEHERE".
• w00t or woot: Pleased exclamation of success.
• YW: You’re welcome.
• ZZZ: Sleep.