Simulating Dissociation: The Psychedelic Experience and Videogame Space

Abstract

In this essay, the author details their own original experiments with using the qualities of psychedelic experiences, specifically those brought on by the atypical psychedelic, salvia divinorum, to inform game design. It discusses the brief history of games designed with varying levels of influence from psychedelic drugs and culture. It details the benefits of this approach, such as the development of design strategies that are potentially useful in creating simulations that provoke empathy for symptoms of mental illness, suggesting paths for future exploration.