Business simulation game

Business simulation gamescite book|last=Rollings|first=Andrew|authorlink=|coauthors=Ernest Adams|title=Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design|publisher=New Riders Publishing|date=2003|location=|pages=417-441|url=http://safari.adobepress.com/1592730019/ch14|doi=|id=|isbn=1592730019] , or economic simulation games, are games that simulate a real-world, historical, or hypothetical economy or business. Examples of economic simulation games are listed in [http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/teaching/simulations/principlesofmicroeconomics.htm The Higher Education Academy - Economics Network] . The interest in these games lies in accurate simulation of real-world events using algorithms, as well as the close tying of players' actions to expected or plausible consequences and outcomes.cite book | last = Laramee | first = Francois Dominic | title = Game Design Perspectives: Advances in Computer Graphics and Game Development | publisher = Charles River Media | date = 2002 | pages = 117 | isbn = 1584500905|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=T9kS82J5LG0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=game+design+perspectives&lr=&ei=VXtZSIeQCoHKigHA_aiVDA&sig=jHiQ0WZ-Pk_gDEdsmQVTQrMBCA4] cite book | last = Slator | first = Brian M. | coauthors = Richard T. Beckwith, Harold Chaput | title = Electric Worlds in the Classroom: Teaching and Learning with Role-Based Computer Classes | publisher = Teachers College Press | date = 2006 | pages = 61 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=CoBW2rJO7mkC&pg=PA61&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=CKNZSKOHCpOkiwHB0ICLDA&sig=bnE0PWFap_LMcABZeqI0DD9XORE | isbn = 0807746754] An important facet of economic simulations is the emergence of artificial systems, gameplay and structures.cite book | last = Natkin | first = Stéphane | title = Video Games and Interactive Media: A Glimpse at New Digital Entertainment | publisher = A K Peters, Ltd. | date = 2006 | pages = 97 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Huph6EeDVggC&pg=PA97&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=AIBZSN6yJKaojgGtrNCPDA&sig=kRhfhxWcDJdOxIDcq48GI-_5LCg | isbn = 1568812973] "Pure" business simulations have been described as construction and management simulations without a construction element, and can thus be called management simulations. Indeed, micromanagement is often emphasized in these kinds of games. They are essentially numeric, but try to hold the player's attention by using creative graphics.

There are many games in this genre which have been designed around numerous different enterprises. "Theme Park World" can be called a business simulation because the goal of the game is to attract customers and make profits, but the game also involves a building aspect that makes it a construction and management simulation. This genre also includes many of the "Tycoon" games such as "Railroad Tycoon" [http://pc.ign.com/articles/167/167372p1.html Review - IGN: Trevor Chan's Capitalism II] ] and "Big Biz Tycoon". [http://pc.ign.com/articles/361/361101p1.html News - IGN: Big Biz Tycoon Ships] ] Other notable business simulation games include "Air Bucks" [http://pc.ign.com/objects/573/573181.html IGN: Air Bucks] ,] and "The Movies". [ [http://pc.ign.com/articles/658/658988p1.html Review - IGN: The Movies] ]

Trevor Chan is a notable developer of business simulation games, [ [http://pc.ign.com/articles/425/425910p1.html IGN: Joan of Arc Interview] ] having developed "Capitalism" which has been called the best business simulation game. Besides "Capitalism", another notable pure business simulation is "Hollywood Mogul".

Real-world applications

Because economic simulations simulate real-world systems, they can often be used for economics education.cite book | last = Farkas | first = Meredith | title = Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online | publisher = Information Today, Inc. | date = 2007 | accessdate = 2008-06-18 | isbn =157387275X | pages=216|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=AlARogbZHqcC&pg=PA216&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=oHtZSJXiC5yMjAH2gZWWBw&sig=68a7reFAYB1fWay4ewLgFcbj_Lg] Some benefits of simulations are that they permit students to experience and test themselves in situations before encountering them in real life, that they permit students to experiment and test hypothesescite journal | last = Thole | first = Heinz-Jürgen | coauthors = Claus Möbus, Olaf Schröder | title = Domain Knowledge Structure, Knowledge Representation and Hypotheses Testing | journal = Artificial Intelligence in Education: Knowledge and Media in Learning | pages = 410 | publisher = IOS Press | date = 1997 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=9L4reNbo7MQC&pg=PA410&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=-rZZSPH2AoXUjgGB_fiHCQ&sig=obfNU0IbPxbfZEJL8uVCp8d36BM] , and that subjects seem more "real" to them than when taught passively from the blackboard.cite book | last = Schurr | first = Sandra | title = Dynamite in the Classroom: A How-to Handbook for Teachers | publisher = National Middle School Association | date = 1994 | pages = 73 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=HK_uqW_oS7EC&pg=PA73&dq=economic+simulation+game&lr=&ei=OW5ZSKW9F4LAigHlsuSKDA&sig=-61XB7m2BigDvbyZ98Oo97ejuAE| isbn = 1560900415] They are also used extensively in the professional world to train workers in the financial industriescite book | last = Rutter | first = Jason | coauthors = Jo Bryce | title = Understanding Digital Games | publisher = Sage Publications, Inc. | date = 2006 | pages=14,227 | isbn = 1412900336|pages=227|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Ji3baoCZL8gC&pg=PA227&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=oHtZSJXiC5yMjAH2gZWWBw&sig=pLhofafv2K_p5uESQeDQhu6kog8] and managementcite book | last = Fallows | first = Stephen J. | coauthors = Kemal Ahmet | title = Inspiring Students: Case Studies in Motivating the Learner | publisher = Routledge | date = 1999 | pages = 63 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=nk49AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA63&dq=%22business+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=HcFZSL-HO4m2iwGCuNnNAg&sig=_-4CJ-6_5cper-wqzzUctW8LXec | isbn = 0749428724] , and to study economic models (an association of professionals, [http://www.absel.org ABSEL] , exists for the sole purpose of promoting their use), with some simulations having in excess of 10,000 variables.cite book | last = Gatti | first = Domenico Delli | title = Interaction and Market Structure: Essays on Heterogeneity in Economics | publisher = Springer | date = 2000 | pages = 37 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=5D4V5DwKeKgC&pg=PA37&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=I5NZSJvECYSKjAHF5PySDA&sig=k5Wckvisyhk-TLXbGVOKbiKoXoc | isbn = 3540669795] Economic simulations have even been used in experiments, such as those done by Donald Broadbent on learning and cognition that revealed how people often have an aptitude for mastering systems without necessarily comprehending the underlying principles.cite book | last = Hogarth | first = Robin M. | title = Educating Intuition | publisher = University of Chicago Press | date = 2001 | pages = 184 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=fsffJGkpwVIC&pg=PA184&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=AIBZSN6yJKaojgGtrNCPDA&sig=KdWDyKzJXpEKMavnf7h4RCvKq5c | isbn = 0226348601] Other games are used to study the behavior of consumers.cite book | last = Jain | first = L. C. | coauthors = R. J. Howlett, N. S. Ichalkaranje, G. Tonfoni | title = virtual environments for teaching & learning | publisher = World Scientific | date = 2002 | pages = 20 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=gDPbGslq1LoC&pg=PA20&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=CKNZSKOHCpOkiwHB0ICLDA&sig=7LYXaE0LN1ZWc8bTGfzPoBFXCx4 | isbn = 9812381678]

One interesting aspect of economic simulations in education is the problem of ethics or morality. Should students be instructed to behave ethically within the game, or should they focus their efforts on streamlining tasks related to running the business? The quandary, here, lies in that such efforts can be, at times, at cross-purposes with each other.cite book | last = Remenyi | first = Dan | coauthors = Mark Stansfield, Thomas Connolly | title = Proceedings of the European Conference on Games-based Learning | publisher = Academic Conferences Limited | date = 2007 | pages = 115 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=OulStDyNh88C&pg=PA115&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=IppZSLH0OZDyiwHUs-CWDA&sig=Eb7VzvMwksEGjEHzOHRFQJoPWgs#PPA115,M1 | isbn = 190530563X]

History

An early economic sim by Dan (Danielle) Bunten, "M.U.L.E.", foreshadowed events that would transpire later in video gaming history, especially in the MMOG market, with regard to player cooperation and simulated economies.cite web | last = Sharkey | first = Scott | title = The Essential 50 Archives | publisher = 1UP.com | date = January 22, 2004 - January 12, 2005 | url = http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3133886 | accessdate = 2008-06-18] The game was Electronic Arts' most highly awarded game, despite selling only 30,000 copies.cite book | last = DeMaria | first = Rusel | coauthors = Johnny L. Wilson | title = High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games | publisher = McGraw-Hill Professional | date = 2004 | pages = 174-175 | isbn = 0072231726|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=HJNvZLvpCEQC&pg=PA174&dq=%22economic+simulation%22+game&lr=&ei=oHtZSJXiC5yMjAH2gZWWBw&sig=ckIr-sIppfa2qHwaS_TZKDUFf8Q]

See also

* List of simulation video games

* Simulations and games in economics education

References