Quick definition:Short for ammunition, the supply of bullets, arrows, shells or other projectiles that a weapon needs to fire, usually shown as a number and often limited to create tension.
Meaning
Ammo is the resource that powers a ranged weapon. Each shot normally reduces a counter, and when it reaches zero, the weapon must be reloaded from a spare supply or the player must find more, often by picking up boxes dropped by enemies or placed in the world.
Different weapons use different types of ammo, and carrying capacity is often limited, which forces choices about what to take along. Special types such as armour-piercing, explosive or fire rounds can change a weapon's behaviour, and some can be made from collected parts.
Designers use ammo to control pace. Plentiful supplies encourage aggressive play, while a shortage pushes players to sneak, use melee attacks or avoid fights entirely. The idea extends beyond guns, since bows, spell casters and vehicles also run out of arrows, mana or fuel in many games.
Origin:Ammo is a shortened form of ammunition, a word used for military supplies of missiles and cartridges. Early shooting games tracked ammunition as a simple counter, and the abbreviation became standard on screens and in menus. It is used in games for any limited resource a weapon consumes, including magic points or fuel. Example:Deep in an abandoned factory, Ben checks the number in the corner of his screen and sees only three shells left for his shotgun. He stops firing at distant targets, searches a cabinet and finds a small box. The relief is short-lived, because a loud noise from the next room warns him that more enemies are coming.
Did you know?How scarce ammo is shapes a game's mood. Survival horror often rations it to create fear, while some shooters give unlimited supplies so that the player can concentrate on action. A few games drop the idea altogether, using recharging weapons that need no bullets.
