Gameplay
To play the game, gather friends or join an existing session. You can play with a group in the same room or via the Internet, communicating with other players through the in-game chat. Players make decisions that affect the common good their community shares: a piece of land with forest that grows on it. They can harvest trees, use non-timber forest resources, plant new trees and monitor other community members. Performing each action uses certain amount of time per each year. Players can benefit from the patch of land in two different ways: they can either harvest it, or use it.
Harvesting trees allows them to make money. Harvest yield depends on the forest stage – the older the trees are, the more money player gains. By harvesting a patch player destroys the forest on it. Players can also make money by using non-timber forest resources, but it’s significantly less profitable. Yield from forest use depends also on the forest stage. By using the patch players don’t destroy the forest on it.
Forest regenerates with a certain recruitment rate proportional to the overall forest condition – this means that new trees sprout on empty patches – the more trees around the more new seedlings each round. Players can plant trees on the patches and in this way support natural regeneration of the forest.
Players can also monitor other members of their community. Performing monitoring action reveals the actions of randomly selected community member. Players can vote for policies that determine the forest management rules.
NOTE: These settings can be easily modified by the moderator (e.g. forest use or monitoring can be disabled).
Context
An experimental game exploring effectiveness and stability of policies for management of common goods.
Target group
Benefits
Learn practices that create a sustainable system in any environment, business or organisation.
Practice strategic and leadership skills.
Experience complex organizational reality.
Align goals, negotiate and coordinate actions
Explore effectiveness and stability of policies for management of common goods.
Trivia
You can play simplified version of this game by registering for open session on our page. You can also use our Games Platform to create your own session.
Created by
Type
Price
Number of players
Number of moderators
Duration
Technical requirements
one computer or tablet per each player or team of players, with current version of Google Chrome browser installed
