We generally have two more parameters that can be added to a game — timing (when does each player take action) & information (which player knows what, and when they know it).
When you add the parameter of timing, you get:
Simultaneous / Sequential
Simultaneous games are the ones in which all players make their decisions at the same time, or without any knowledge of the other player’s action. In sequential games, players make decisions in sequence, and cannot revisit their earlier choices. Sequential games are also called dynamic games. A major difference between the two is that there is prior knowledge of opponent’s move in the sequential game. An example for simultaneous game is rock-paper-scissors, while an example of sequential game is poker or tic-tac-toe.
When you add the parameter of information along with timing, you get:
Perfect information / imperfect information
These are a subset of sequential games. A game is one of perfect information if all players know the moves previously made by all other players. In a game of imperfect information, players are unaware of the actions chosen previously by other players. However they know who the other players are, what their possible strategies/actions are, and the preferences/payoffs of these other players. An example for perfect information game is tic-tac-toe, while an example of imperfect information game is poker.
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From the desk of Aditya Khanduri
About me (Why I started Polygyan)
