Visual–Symbolic Languages in Games: How Color, Shape, and Motion Encode Cognitive States

This working paper examines how visual–symbolic elements in interactive games, such as color, shape, motion, spatial layout, and rhythm, function as state-encoding channels rather than aesthetic embellishments. Building on the premise that games operate as state-revealing systems through continuous decision-making (WP-G1), this paper argues that visual–symbolic languages constitute a critical layer for observing psychological and cognitive state transitions without reliance on self-report. The paper positions visual design as a measurable and reproducible component of state-observation frameworks, contributing a methodological lens applicable to game-based assessment, cognitive narratology, and human–computer interaction.