In: Operational Gaming: An International Approach, Ed: I. Stahl, S. 41 ff)IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria, 1983 and Frontiers of Operations Research and Applied Systems Analysis, Vol. 3, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1983
Ever since computers and computer models became available, gaming has become an increasingly interesting instrument in many disciplines. At the same time, new approaches within the theory or science have been developed to classify and systematize this methodology. As a stimulus for further work, this paper proposes an approach that describes the gaming method on the basis of Stachowiak's model theory (1973).
An explication of gaming in a formal meta-language based on mathematical logic seems necessary. In this paper, a game is considered as an experimental tool in order to perceive or anticipate the dynamics and the behavior of systems that contain cooperative and/or antagonistic intelligent Subsystems. In contrast, classical game theory is considered as a rather specific, mathematical approach to optimize strategies and tactics in well defined game situations.
It is proposed to interpret the game setup as a model. The operation of the game is a time-dependent process or a simulation. On the other hand, a game is a super system composed of intelligent subsystems (referred to as K-systems) and of models that serve as communication entities between the K-systems. Therefore the key elements in the explanation of gaming should be models and K-systems.