Game Theory 2.0: Experiential Patterns as Playable Formalisms

This paper proposes game design methodology as a working formalism for specifying experiential patterns. Building on Experiential Empiricism's recognition that experience is foundational and each moment is complete (the Card Universe model), we observe that game designers routinely solve what philosophy treats as intractable: creating reproducible experiential states through modular mechanics. This suggests game development's component-based architecture might function as formal language for consciousness research. We present the IMFAST dimensional system (Identity, Mentality, Focus, Affect, Sensory, Temporal) as a proposed coordinate framework for specifying experiential moments, explore three abstraction layers for implementation, and outline validation methodology through player recognition. The framework treats games as experiential pattern generators and mods as discrete phenomenological specifications, enabling empirical testing of phenomenological hypotheses. This approach offers synthesis between computational modeling and consciousness research by recognizing both as methods for manipulating experiential patterns.