Synthenomics
The Synthenomics concept is based on creating interconnected gaming experiences across platforms and genres. The simple concept would be that a player could export products to, and import products from, a network of other games. These games would share stories but would allow for players of different skills and gaming preferences to play together. Connection to this network of games would provide value to any new releases which connected with the broader game, and each new game connected would provide value to the older games within the network.
My work dates back to 2005. Since that time many projects have experimented at the fringes of the ideas put forward in these documents, Eve and Dust 514, Valves Potato Sack, Defiance and it's tv series, even XBox 360's Gamerscore. More recently the idea of adding NFTs to videogames has again sparked talks of implementation and balance which echo the discussions in these documents. The ideas and issues discussed in my Synthenomic musings were, and remain, relevant to the future of video game economies.
Farming
The first Ideas that started down the road to Synthenomics.
Loot, Reverse Engineering, and the Gopher Hero
Methods for allowing a game to grow and change in a way that is driven by the players, and methods for connecting multiple different games into a unifying group experience.
Scientist
An introduction to a new player type, The Scientist, gives the perspective of a player in this new type of game, while laying out a number of new kinds of player interaction.
World Design
A breakdown of the four elements of a good IP for use in this new kind of game.
Possibilities by Device
Probably the most dated of all these docs, this write up delves into how drastically different levels of complexity can be incorporated into a unified multiplayer gaming experience.
Network Stability
This doc is the most esoteric of the synthenomics docs but really gets to the heart of how such a network of games would have to be thought about and managed.
Network Security
Outlining the flaws and strengths of security in the networked game marketplace.