ABSTRACT
This chapter considers both the traditional structures like competitive and team games, as well as the latest ideas in scenario-based, legacy, and consumable games. Consideration of game structure raises the question of what it means to actually play the game. Designers need to be sensitive to participation issues in team games as well, because the game itself may force most of the action over to one teammate at the expense of another, which impacts player experience. The promise of balance in a competitive game gives rise to several related issues, like methods for determining victory and breaking ties. Cooperative gaming is accessible because it lowers barriers to entry for a game. Solo games are closely related to cooperative games in the sense that the player plays against the game system itself, rather than a sentient opponent. Team-based play is an ancient human pastime and is prevalent in sports, classic card games, and war games.
