SOME FUNDAMENTAL DISTINCTIONS, CATEGORIES, AND TERMINOLOGY

1.         The Number of Players

                        1-player games (decision theory / games against nature)

                        2-player games

                        n-player (3 or more) games (raises the possibility of opposing coalitions)

                        very large n-player games (character may change again, e.g., "perfect competition”)

2.         Extent of Conflict of Interest among Players

                        no conflict [coordination] games

                        total conflict or zero-sum [or constant-sum] games

                        variable-sum [or mixed motive] games

3.         Circumstances of play (extent of communication among players)

                        non-cooperative games (no communication)

                        vocal games (communication but no enforceable agreements [“cheap talk”])

cooperative games (players can make enforceable agreements or other credible commitments, so threat and promises can be made and coalitions can form)

                        cooperative games with sidepayments

                        bargaining games (two-player cooperative games)

4.         Information conditions (pertaining to the game)

                        complete information (of game form and preferences/payoffs) games

                        incomplete information (symmetric vs. asymmetric) games

5.         Information conditions (pertaining to play of game)

                        perfect information games (e.g., most board games)

                        imperfect information games (e.g., most card games)

6.         Deterministic vs. Stochastic Games

deterministic (all moves assigned to players, though players may choose to delegate some moves to chance) games

                        stochastic (some moves assigned to chance/nature) games

                        [games of chance (all moves assigned to a single player and to chance)]

7.         One-shot vs. Iterated Games