Warp (video games)

A warp, also known as a portal or teleporter, is an element in video game design that allows a player character instant travel between two locations or levels.

[1][4][5] Though it is unclear which video game first made use of teleportation areas or devices, the element has been traced back to MUDs, where it allowed connected rooms to not be "topologically correct" if necessary.

[9] Author Luke Cuddy states that warps are used to keep the players entertained by "allowing them to jump to the next gameplay goal, straight into the action."

However, he has also criticized them for robbing the player of the sensation of "being in" a virtual world, stating that "[b]y emphasizing destination over the places in between, warping encourages a 'quick visit, move-on-to-the-next-place' mentality that frames space as disposable.

"[3] Gazzard points out that warps make "travel from different parts of the game quicker" as well as act as a reward to allow to the player to access certain areas.