I’ve just invented a game, called ForEdge to explore the concept of how the amount of ‘edge’ in different sizes of systems affects their efficiency.
This game is currently a thought experiment, but I hope to try it out soon. It’s designed for 18 people and takes place in a woodland environment.
It’s a game about foraging and edges, hence ForEdge….
Team Sizes
The game involves several teams of different sizes. Here are some possible combinations:
- 1x 12-person team and 2x 3-person teams
- 1x 12-person team and 1x 6-person team
- 1x 9-person team, 1x 6-person team, and 1x 3-person team
- Or simple 1x 18 person team
Circle Formation
- Each player is allowed an area of ground with a 1-meter radius.
- Teams form their combined working areas by clustering their circles together as tightly as possible, leaving no gaps between individual circles.
- Players on the outer edge of the cluster have access to forage materials from the woodland.
- Players in the inner circles, surrounded by other team members’ circles, cannot forage. In smaller groups, everyone will have access to forage.
Foraging Area
- Players on the perimeter can forage only within the part of their circle that is exposed to the outside. The angle of the sector they can forage in depends on how much of their circle is unobstructed by other circles. Players in smaller clusters will have access to a wider arc for foraging.
- Inner players (completely surrounded by other circles) cannot forage but can help organize and build the shelter using the materials collected by others.
Combining Foraging Areas
- An edge player can give up their foraging arc to team up with someone else in their foraging arc. While their combined foraging range is smaller, they can work together in the reduced range to potentially gather more materials.
Inner Players
- In larger clusters, inner players who do not have access to the edge are allowed to step into neighbouring circles to help collect incoming materials from the edge.
Coming next, my hypothesis about what this game will show.