Usually, I simply divided player into three kinds: hard core players, mid core players, and casual players. When I started creating game concept, I always wrote down words like "This game focuses on mid core players. They don't need to have experience about a strategy game. They'd better have desire to defeat other players and get themselves stronger in aggressive ways" and so on. After reading the MUDs, I realized that we could define players' playing habits in this way.
I'm glad that this theory could be used in my concept design immediately. Even though this article basically talked about MUDs players, in my opinion, these four approaches which were identified and described could be used in general game design. You just need to know what this four kinds of players mean in your game. For example, in the MMO RPG I worked for in 2011, we could use this method to evaluate if our game provided enough content and balance to them or not. The fact was, we created many thing for socialisers (numerous social systems, including gangs, guilds, chamber of commerce, wedding, sworn and so on) and killers (we encouraged players being aggressive and they could get unique equipment through killing others), but no so much for achievers (they had certain goals to follow, but the way to get there was boring), and lack of content for explorers. After we released the game for closed beta, feedback showed same thing. A lot of players left because of the lack of contents I mentioned above. How I wish we had this method at that time!
I'm glad that this theory could be used in my concept design immediately. Even though this article basically talked about MUDs players, in my opinion, these four approaches which were identified and described could be used in general game design. You just need to know what this four kinds of players mean in your game. For example, in the MMO RPG I worked for in 2011, we could use this method to evaluate if our game provided enough content and balance to them or not. The fact was, we created many thing for socialisers (numerous social systems, including gangs, guilds, chamber of commerce, wedding, sworn and so on) and killers (we encouraged players being aggressive and they could get unique equipment through killing others), but no so much for achievers (they had certain goals to follow, but the way to get there was boring), and lack of content for explorers. After we released the game for closed beta, feedback showed same thing. A lot of players left because of the lack of contents I mentioned above. How I wish we had this method at that time!