Players are one of the most fundamental aspects of a game. Without players, there is no game. In a video game, there are two sides. That of the player, who plays the game, and that of the entity, which is controlled by the player.
Entities
Entities are anything controlled by the player in the game space. In most games, the player controls only one entity at a time, but there are in fact no restrictions, and the number of entities controlled varies considerably from one type of game to another. In strategy games, each unit is an entity whose actions are controlled by the player. In simulation games, the player generally controls no entities.
There are different types of entity, depending on their characterization and the extent to which the player can identify with them.
Players
The player side is simple. They are the ones who play the game. The relationship between the player and the game is not always the same, and players plays different roles in different games
These roles have a major impact on how players perceive and experience the game. A player does not share the same bond between a game where he is a god and one where he is an avatar. The memories they acquire are not of the same nature, and they interact differently with the game and its universe.
Games always present players with a challenge. A challenge against the game system, against an AI-controlled opponent, against other players. The way players interact with each other and with the game is what we can call the game’s interaction model.
We can identify 4 basic blocks for interaction patterns:
- A single player (p)
- A team of players (P)
- The game system (g)
- An AI-controlled entity (G)
From these 4 elements, we can describe how players and the game interact.
For example, in HearthStone, two players battle against each other; and in League of Legends, two teams of players battle against each other and are opposed by the game system, namely turrets, minions and monsters. In Pac-Man, the player is pitted against 4 AI-controlled ghosts. In Dead by Daylight, a single player is pitted against a team of 4. And so on.