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I'm a programmer and like to name my variables as accurately as possible (who knows who will be reading my code in a few years' time?)

I've been thinking about sports video games recently, and have thought about the idea of a generic sports game engine. Most sports games have an arena, crowds, a playing surface and players. They also have a puck, ball, discus, javelin, etc. and this has me wondering: What is a generic term for this object? Something that could transcend all sports.

Edit: Since it seems there may be no exact term for this type of object, I'd gladly settle for some sort of analog.

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2  
Would the arrow in archery belong in this group? – Mitch Jul 22 '11 at 20:46

5 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

How about the "mark" - meaning a target?

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This is a really good one too. – Soviut Jul 22 '11 at 21:46
4  
Usually the puck or ball is not the target. The puck or ball is the projectile that is aimed at a target, such as a net or goal. – oosterwal Jul 22 '11 at 23:22
@oosterwal I was using mark as more of a generic term. Here is a contextual example, which I could have included originally - "keep your eye on the mark", and "target" meaning the target recepient object of some action, for example, hitting with a bat. – Rachel Jul 24 '11 at 3:42
I agree with Rachel. I wasn't talking about the goal/net, I was talking about the puck/ball/golden snitch. The object that is neither player, nor implement, but the device which can score a goal/point/etc. – Soviut Jan 19 '12 at 11:26
up vote 5 down vote

Use "projectile." This covers anything that is thrown, hit, shot, hurled, tossed, etc.

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Actually, this isn't far off! Congrats! – Daniel δ Jul 23 '11 at 14:36
up vote 4 down vote

There isn't one. Just use "ball" and have some comments.

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True but disappointing. Soviut, the English language has failed you! ;) – Daniel δ Jul 22 '11 at 11:59
I guess that's why I prefer programming languages then ;) – Soviut Jul 22 '11 at 18:46
up vote 1 down vote

Since the item you are talking about is usually what two or more people fight for mastery over, what about something like object of contention?

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up vote 0 down vote

Good question. In Finnish we call any puck, ball or similar by the general term "peliväline" but there seems to be no English translation for this. I´m surprised!

Literal translation would be maybe "game device" or "sport apparatus"

I´m not sure either is helpful because they´re not really used.

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