{{Unreferenced|date=July 2007}}

A '''player''' of a [[game]] is a participant therein. The term 'player' is used with this same meaning both in [[game theory]] and in ordinary recreational [[game]]s.

Normally, there are at least two players in a game, but one-player games exist and are collectively known as [[wikt:solitary|solitary]] games (such as the ''[[Solitaire]]'' card game and many [[video game]]s).

"To become a player, one must voluntarily accept the rules and constraints of a game." (Fullerton, 2008, Game Design Workshop A Playcentric Approach to creating Innovative Games.)

==Players in competition==

In most games, one player (or team) is declared the [[wikt:winner|winner]], the player who performed the best. Some multiplayer games can have multiple winners, but in [[Western world|Western]] societies, one player (or team) is normally considered to be the "1st place", or best, among them, and tie-breaking structures are commonly used to ensure a singular "1st place". This is not true universally, however; for example, in [[Japan]], ties are considered to be wins for both sides. Some games use multiple means of [[Score (gaming)|scoring]] or determining the conditions of victory; in these games, it may be possible for two or more players or teams to simultaneously win, which, depending on the game, may be counted as wins for both or simply a tie.

Among the players on a team, the one who plays the best in a given contest may be deemed the player or over the course of a series or season may be deemed the [[most valuable player]] for that period. They may also be identified as a [[player of the Match]], [[player of the week (disambiguation)|player of the week]], [[player of the month (disambiguation)|player of the month]], [[player of the year]], or even [[player of the century]].

==Player Interaction Patterns==

===Single Player vs the Game===

In this type of pattern the '''player''' competes against a game system. Examples of this are ''[[Solitaire]]'' and ''[[Pac-Man]]''.

To get a feeling of challenge and entertainment usually there are puzzles or play structures to create conflict such as AI enemies.

===Multiple Individual Players vs the Game===

Multiple players compete against the game system, but there is no need for the players to interact with each others. An example of this is the game Bingo, in which a player do not interat with the rest, but all compete against the game. The players in Bingo do not need to compete against other players.

===Player vs Player===

It is a competitive structure in which two players compete against each other. By the nature of the structure, it is also a personal contest and it is usually related to strategy games. Chess is a perfect example of this structure.

===Unilateral Competition===

In this structure, two or more players compete against a single player. Some examples are Tag, Hide and seek, Marco Polo, among others.

===Multilateral Competition===

It is a direct competition between three or more players. This structure is also known as "multiplayer". Examples range from card games like Poker, up to video games like Age of Mythology.

===Cooperative Play===

This is a structure in which the players join forces in order to beat the game system.

===Team Competition===

In this structure, two or more teams compete against each other. Sports like American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, among others.

==See also==

* [[Agent (economics)]]

* [[Gamer]]

* [[Player character]]

==Bibliography==

*{{cite book|author=Fullerton|title=Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach To Creating Innovative Games|url=http://host.conseiljedi.com/~kira/Game%20Design%20Workshop-A%20playcentric%20approach%20to%20creating%20innovative%20games-2nd%20Edition.pdf|year=2008|publisher=Elsevier|language=English|ref=harv}}

[[Category:Game terminology]]

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