GAME RULES The Game of MINEOPOLIS An informative game about the possible consequences of mining, the potential for changes in the regulations given by the state and a promotion of a different kind of value-system, where several considerations are taken into account at the same time.
The winners of the game is the team with the best balance between the different interest that have be taken into consideration (mine, community & society and environment & natural resources).
Brief idea of the game
The player that rolls the highest number on the dice gets to start.
A community is faced with the prospect of having a mineral industry. Many communities and people don´t know what this entails, and the game takes you through a set of events that could, and most likely would, happen if a mine opens.
Each player can only take one jump per round, except if they have the chance to jump over your opponent. It is only possible to jump forwards and backwards, not diagonally.
Additionally there are events governed by the state, indicating changes to the current regulations, that could change the way things work significantly for different interest groups. The goal of the game is to find a way to manage the local society, the local resources, and the operational mine sustainably at the same time. Players Two players – possibly several sequences that can be compared. The players represent/are the mining director and the mayor of the municipality.
The players have to pick up the cards that they land on and save them for later. If a player lands on an empty space they don´t get a card – this can be both a positive and a negative thing, depending on the card and depending on who you represent. All the state cards, the tailings cards and the sub/surface cards have to be picked up in the course of the game – this is something the players have to collaborate on. The player that finishes first get´s to discard of one card collected throughout the board-game phase, before moving on to the next phase.
LET THE GAME BEGIN
Spread all the cards out and mix them properly before you place the cards out. The two players decide if the mine is surface or sub-surface and sea or land tailings at the start of the game, and place the first cards accordingly. Afterwards “state-cards� are placed where indicated on the board. Once this is done the rest of the cards are laid out.
RESULTS
NEGOTIATION
The cards collected throughout the board phase form the basis of negotiation between the players, who can now trade cards to try to get the most favourable situation from their perspective. They can also fill in blank cards, making modifications that might favour them in the finishing phase.
BALANCE SHEET
The set of cards the players has at the end forms the basis for placing the resulting mine on the balance sheet. First the players have to discuss where their respective cards place them on the balance sheet and come to an agreement. If they only play one game, the player placed closest to the centre of the board wins. If they play several rounds or others also play the game, they now form a team to see where they end up on the balance sheet. Afterwards the results can be compared and the teams/game closest to the centre of the sheet wins.
ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS
The balance sheet can also be used in real negotiations, helping to keep track of the considerations that should be included in decision-making, and as a tool for visualising what the counterpart’s suggestions means to “you”. In the real negotiations other interest groups should be invited to participate in the discussion; say an environmentalist organisation, or other members of the local society. The different interest groups all get their own piece to indicate where the think the negotiations are taking them; making it clearer to the other side what the gravity of what is being discussed is to another interest group. The cards from the game informs people who might not know a lot about mining, about the potential consequences of different choices and changes made to the system, making it easier for them to enter negotiations on the field of mining. Blank cards can be used to fill in new events that might arise. It is suggested that if there is actually a mayor and a mining director playing the game, they should change roles. After the game is finished they can give each other feedback and realisations made throughout the game.