  We present the first in a series of three academic essays which deal with the
question of how to build a generalized player model. We begin with a
proposition: a general model of players requires parameters for the subjective
experience of play, including at least: player psychology, game structure, and
actions of play. Based on this proposition, we pose three linked research
questions, which make incomplete progress toward a generalised player model:
RQ1 what is a necessary and sufficient foundation to a general player model?;
RQ2 can such a foundation improve performance of a computational
intelligence-based player model?; and RQ3 can such a player model improve
efficacy of adaptive artificial intelligence in games? We set out the arguments
behind these research questions in each of the three essays, presented as three
preprints. The first essay, in this preprint, reviews the literature for the
core foundations for a general player model. We then propose a plan for future
work to systematically extend the review and thus provide an empirical answer
to RQ1 above. This work will directly support the proposed approach to address
RQ2 and RQ3 above. This review was developed to support our 'Behavlets'
approach to player modelling; therefore if citing this work, please use the
relevant citation: Cowley B, Charles D. Behavlets: a Method for Practical
Player Modelling using Psychology-Based Player Traits and Domain Specific
Features. User Modelling and User-Adapted Interaction. 2016 Feb 8; online
(Special Issue on Personality in Personalized Systems):1-50.
