Reversemode

Reversemode is a term used in digital media to describe a mode in which the progression of time, audio, or state changes is reversed. In interactive software and video games, reversemode commonly refers to a time-rewind or time-manipulation feature that allows users to undo actions or replay segments by reversing system state changes. Implementations typically rely on deterministic simulation and periodic state checkpoints or a recording buffer to reconstruct prior states without recomputing from scratch. The user interface usually provides a toggle, button, or gesture to activate reversemode, sometimes accompanied by a visual cue such as screen distortion or a trailing afterimage.

In audio production and sound design, reversemode often describes reverse playback of audio samples or a dedicated effect that reverses waveform direction. This can be used to create reverse echoes, swelling effects, or texture when combined with envelopes, filters, and distortion.

Origins of reversemode vary by domain, and there is no universal standard. It appears in game engines, development tools, and audio plug-ins as a feature or technique rather than a defined specification. In games and simulations, reversemode is often used for puzzles, training, or demonstrations that require non-linear time progression, while in film and music it serves to craft unusual sonic atmospheres.

See also: time reversal, reverse playback, time manipulation, rewind.