---
key: mechanic/detective--family-20
type: mechanic
id: detective--family-20
lang: en
title: Experimental hypothesis testing
summary: >-
  The player chooses a test capable of refuting an assumption and compares its
  result with a prediction.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-20/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-20.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/detective--family-20.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Detective games
  - Hypotheses and reasoning tests
sourceIds:
  - source-090ee83445744667
sources:
  - id: source-090ee83445744667
    title: The Operator
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: detective
    id: family-20
    title: Detective games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/detective/#family-20'
    categoryIds:
      - reasoning
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Experimental hypothesis testing
    description: >-
      The player chooses a test capable of refuting an assumption and compares
      its result with a prediction.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/narrative-the-operator-08.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: The Operator
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1771980/ss_53cdfb9a020be84bd244dba7817656b1c37a176f.1920x1080.jpg?t=1778485297
      credit: Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova
      rights: © Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova. All rights reserved.
      caption: An instrument reveals the examined sample’s composition
      alt: An instrument reveals the examined sample’s composition
      markers:
        - x: 56
          'y': 58
          label: The graph adds information unavailable through ordinary inspection
    tips:
      - >-
        A test must be able to produce a result that disproves the initial
        theory.
    examples:
      - title: The Operator
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial taxonomy authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-19.
  Primary developer and publisher sources support specific released-game
  examples, not the whole classification; design examples are hypothetical.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/detective
---
# Experimental hypothesis testing

id: detective--family-20
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/detective--family-20
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/detective--family-20/

The player chooses a test capable of refuting an assumption and compares its result with a prediction.

## At a glance

![An instrument reveals the examined sample’s composition](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/narrative-the-operator-08.webp)

[The Operator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/) · © Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova. All rights reserved.

1. The graph adds information unavailable through ordinary inspection

- A test must be able to produce a result that disproves the initial theory.

- [The Operator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/)

## How it works

The player chooses a test capable of refuting an assumption and compares its result with a prediction.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-20-branch-1"></a>

- Reproducing conditions: recreate the event’s significant conditions in a safe fictional model. <a id="family-20-variant-1"></a>
- Changing one variable: alter a single factor and check whether it explains the different outcome. <a id="family-20-variant-2"></a>
- Discriminating test: choose an experiment for which competing hypotheses predict different outcomes. <a id="family-20-variant-3"></a>

## Design example

The player tests whether a bell can be heard from the next room with the door open and closed, keeping other conditions fixed.

## Context and limits

A working map of detective design: 32 families and 96 variants. The core loop is to find information, form a hypothesis, test it and explain a conclusion. Answer formats, hints and investigation structure are treated separately. Families overlap, design examples are hypothetical, and released-game examples cite primary sources without revealing case solutions.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial taxonomy authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-19. Primary developer and publisher sources support specific released-game examples, not the whole classification; design examples are hypothetical.

- [The Operator](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/) (id: source-090ee83445744667)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors