System Dynamics: War of Zones
Our board game, tentatively titled War of Zones, simulates the convoluted system of city infrastructure and housing. Through War of Zones, players learn about city planning/zoning, land valuation, as well as historical infrastructure related events that have occurred across the world.
Values
Players take on the role of property developers who try to maximize their money by purchasing and collecting rent on buildings that are placed on a 6x6 grid, which simulates a city block. Each grid of the board is designated one of 5 zones, determined at the beginning of the game from a deck at random: Housing, Commercial, Industrial, Water, and Municipal. The purchase cost and rent value are determined by the ever-shifting zone types as well as the buildings built by other players. The constantly shifting zones, buildings, and value simulate the complex system of city infrastructure.
Loops
The primary gameplay, after board setup, consists of 6 rounds, each composed of 3 phases: Build, Rent, Event.
- Build: Players take turns choosing a zone to build buildings on. The type of zone and the zones/buildings that surround it affect the purchase cost and rent.
- Rent: After all players have purchased buildings, everyone collects rent for their properties.
- Event: An event card is drawn, which significantly affects the value of each property by either modifying the game board or by altering the cost/rent for buildings. Some events only effect a single round, whereas others change the board thus permanently effecting the game.
The game ends after six rounds (five event cards have been drawn). This positive feedback loop of buying properties to increase gains from rent drives players towards the goal of earning as much money as possible before the game ends. The event card creates additional conflict and competition between players by making the monetary outcomes of each round less predictable.
Arcs
The arc for War of Zones simulates a developing, urban city over the course of several years. The build/rent/event loops simulate the cash flow, resource allocation, and externalities a property developer might face while dealing with city infrastructure. By placing the players on a single game board, resources are extremely limited creating a zero-sum game with intensified competition and conflict. The events that drastically modify the outcomes of each round simulate the convoluted nature of city infrastructure, and serve to both challenge and inform players about historic events that occurred in cities across the world.
