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Dedicated Players
The next type of game player is the dedicated player. The dedicated player is really more of a special case of the standard player than a completely different player type. The dedicated player desires to become an expert at a game, and diligently studies the rules of play in an attempt to maximize the chances of winning. Whereas standard game players exhibit a desire to win and an interest in the rules of a game, dedicated players apply themselves to this task with a certain kind of zeal, to a degree that more casual players might not find enjoyable. If the game permits, dedicated players tend to practice their play, testing out strategies and perfecting their knowledge of the game. A typical Las Vegas tourist who wants to enjoy Blackjack might play a few games here and there, browsing different casinos and tables, relying on intuition to guide him as he plays. A dedicated Blackjack player, on the other hand, won't merely play a few casual rounds of the game, but is likely to study a Blackjack "system" or two and implement it diligently in play, finding tables with advantageous rule variants, counting cards during play, and spending long hours at the Blackjack table in order to balance out his odds of winning. The difference between dedicated and standard players is a matter of degree, not kind. Recall that the differences between types of players is drawn along three axes: their relationship to the lusory attitude, their respect for the authority of the rules, and their interest in attaining the goal of the game. Within each of these categories, dedicated players resemble standard players. But dedicated players have a deeper engagement with the game, a greater zeal for play. It is more important for dedicated players to win, and in order to do so, they will generally learn and master the rules of a game. At the same time, dedicated players tend to invest the magic circle with more authority, because of the value of their investment in the game as a whole. They posses extra amounts of the lusory attitude, relishing the inefficiencies of games as important challenges to overcome as proficiently as possible. Who are dedicated players? Professional athletes and professional gamblers-those that make their living as game players. So are so-called "hardcore gamers," from grognard historical wargamers to deathmatch clan leaders with tricked-out custom PCs. In general, dedicated players require more depth and complexity, a richer space of possibility in their games. This is why non-gamers often find the gaming fare of hardcore gamers bafflingly complex and unapproachable. Dedicated players tend to play with a zeal that often puts off less dedicated players, who sometimes wonder if dedicated players are taking the game just a bit too seriously. The dedicated Blackjack player we described, who might spend most of a Las Vegas vacation at the Blackjack tables, might seem incomprehensible to the casual, standard player, who looks at games as a form of relaxation and leisure. A casual player does not wish to spend so many waking hours inside the magic circle of a game. There is a very fuzzy line between dedicated game players and standard game players, and the difference is often contextual. Among your dedicated bowling buddies, you might fit in just fine as a standard player, scoffing at the league players that wear matching shirts and play the game "too seriously" to have fun. But when you end up in a game with a group of beginners who want to abandon a match in the middle to go see a movie, you might find yourself being accused of playing "too seriously" when you demand that they stay to the tenth frame and finish what they started.
As game designers, it is important to understand the range of player types that encounter your game, and the kinds of relationships they have to the rules, goals, and magic circle that your game delineates. Some games clearly appeal to both standard and dedicated players, such as Scrabble. Scrabble is often played as casual family fare, but it also supports an international tournament culture of hardcore players. Other kinds of games tend to attract one kind of player over another. The players that enjoy the low-pressure, exploratory pacing of Myst are generally not the same kind of dedicated player audience that would spend the many hours required to understand and master Myth: The Fallen Lords. There is a similar divide off the computer between players of party games such as Pictionary and fans of complex wargames and role-playing games. The first two categories of game-players-standard and dedicated players-are not ultimately rule-breakers. They are "classical" game players, the kinds of players for whom designers usually design games, loyal functionaries of the rules. Like standard players, dedicated players are indeed rule-abiding. But as we'll see soon enough, even though they seem more invested in the magic circle of a game, their dedication takes them one step closer to actual rule-breaking.
Unsportsmanlike Players
The third type is the unsportsmanlike player. Unsportsmanlike players do anything they can to win. They try to find shortcuts to victory, exploiting the rigidity of the rules to locate holes that they can slip through to end up ahead. An unsportsmanlike boxer, for example, might constantly grab at the ropes or go into a clinch whenever the opponent advances aggressively. Note that the boxer stops short of actually violating the rules of the game. In fact, some might consider this approach a valid strategy for Boxing. But somehow, the unsportsmanlike boxer violates the spirit of the contest of Boxing, marring the purity of the battle between the athletic skills of the two players. Unlike standard and dedicated players who generally engage openly with the "fun" quality of play, there is something negative about unsportsmanlike behavior. The unsportsmanlike player turns the special zeal of dedicated players into something that seems to run counter to the joyful nature of play and games. An unsportsmanlike player is not a cheat.The unsportsmanlike player does follow the rules of a game, but in a way that violates the spirit of the game. By attempting to shortcut the challenges of a game, the unsportsmanlike player refuses to surrender completely to the lusory attitude, in which the inefficiencies of play are readily accepted. Unsportsmanlike behavior is a violation of the "unwritten" rules of a game, the implicit rules that are not actually written out, but are observed by all players. This is how the unsportsmanlike player "technically" avoids designation as a cheater, while still failing to completely respect the lusory attitude. One of the implicit rules of Tic-Tac-Toe we discussed in Rules on Three Levels is the implied time limit between turns. Even though the operational rules do not mention a time limit, the idea that a player must take a turn in a "reasonable" amount of time is an implicit rule of the game. Imagine an unsportsmanlike player that is about to lose a game of Tic-Tac-Toe, but refuses to take a turn. The player might state that he is "thinking" about his next move, and claim that because the rules do not state a time limit, he can take as long as he wants, even years, before he has to move. This kind of behavior, although not violating the operational rules, clearly violates the spirit of the game.
