symbolendie

Symbolendie is a term used to describe a device or set of dice in which the faces display symbols rather than numeric pips, with the intent that outcomes convey narrative or thematic information in addition to chance. The concept sits at the intersection of game design, visual symbolism, and interactive art. The word is a portmanteau of symbol and die and is used primarily in English-language discussions of non-numeric dice.

In practice, a symbolendie may be a standard polyhedral die or a set of dice, each face bearing icons such as arrows, animals, runes, or diagrams. Players interpret each symbol to determine actions, prompts, or story beats, sometimes according to a published guide or an agreed-upon rubric. Digital implementations exist as animations or in virtual tabletop tools, where symbol sets map to outcomes or narrative cues.

The term gained traction in the 2010s among indie game designers and contemporary artists exploring conceptual games and interactive installations. It is not a standardized category; different designers define symbol sets and interpretation schemes differently. Symbolendie is often used to examine how meaning can be embedded in randomness, or to align gameplay with thematic content.

Critics and proponents alike discuss its potential to add expressive depth: supporters value the added layer of meaning, while critics argue that glyphs can be opaque and slow down play or confuse players who expect numerical probabilities.

See also: Dice, Symbolism, Glyph, Game design, Narrative games.