Design Philosophy: SIMPLEXITY

Simplexity is a principle I like to invoke in game design to describe many of my most favorite games and how they play.

It is simply this:

1. Simple Rules: Easily learned, easily explained.

2. Lead to Complexity: The individual rules create significant decisions for the player to make through how they interact.

3. Different Outcomes: Games are repeatable in that there is considerable variability in outcomes for how the game is played and its results.

Most simple games lack the nuance of simplex games, and, consequently are often stereotyped in their play. Complex games are often too complicated and detailed for repeated play and mastery. Simplex games occupy a middle space in the complexity continuum, and they literally occupy that "sweet spot" in design space.