Game state

A game state is the complete set of relevant conditions and values at a particular point in a game, including information that determines possible actions and outcomes.

Game: A structured activity governed by rules in which participants make choices toward goals. A game state captures the conditions of a game at one moment.
State transition: A change from one state to another according to a system’s transition rules. A move transforms the current game state into a successor state.
Finite-state machine: A computational model with a finite set of states and rule-governed transitions between them. Game logic often tracks modes such as menus, active play, and completion as states.
Game history: The sequence of actions and events that have occurred during a game. History records the path taken; a state records the conditions relevant now.
State space: The set of all states a system can occupy under a chosen representation. A game’s possible states form the space through which play can move.
Game tree: A tree representation of possible action sequences and resulting positions in a game. Each node represents a game state and each edge a possible move.
Minimax: A decision rule that chooses moves by minimizing the worst possible opponent response. Search evaluates candidate moves by tracing their resulting states.
Observation (game theory): The information available to a player about the current situation in a game. An observation may reveal only part of the full state.
Game rules: Formal constraints that define legal actions, outcomes, and objectives in a game. Rules determine which states and transitions are valid.
Chance node: A game-tree node where outcomes are selected according to probabilities rather than a player’s choice. Random events can determine the next state without a deliberate action.

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