Experimental Game Design

A tentative manifesto. Let's try to edit this over the course?

Experimental means trying something new

• Whatever we make, it shouldn't already exist out there in the world.
• What we make should surprise knowledgeable people

Experimental means learning something

• When we experiment we seek to understand games and game design a little better through our work
• To learn something we have to be attentive to all aspects of our work

Experimental implies a method

• Experimentation needs to be rigorous and methodical to some degree
• At a minimum experimentation requires documentation and evaluation to be accountable

Experimental implies a risk

• We need to accept that what we make may not be successful
• We need to be able to assess how successful our work is and be honest about it

Experimental comes in many experiential flavours

• Experimental game design is an approach and philosophy, not a specific genre of games
• It can yield work that is fun, artistic, political, disturbing, commercial, obtuse, and much more besides...

It is your experiment

• Use the experimental approach to learn about and create a form of gameplay that specifically interests you
• Use your specific knowledge and technical skills to focus the experimental approach in an area fitting your strengths and personality

And finally, a word from Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831)

Ever since the sun has stood in the heavens, and the planets revolved around it, never have we known man to walk on his head, that is, to base himself on the Idea and to build the world in accordance with it.