BEST Simulation Game - Instructions for Gamemaster

1. Create a new game

Run the GameMaster (from Programs on your Windows Start menu).

Enter the ID and password (get from the administrator)

Create a new game
- select the industry, scenario, number of player, number of years, ranking formula

If you are not sure about the entries, you can keep the default figures. When you become
more familiar, you can select the options that you need.

You can have more players than the actual number of players (or teams). The additional
players will be computer generated. It is usually helpful to have 1 additional player that is computer generated.

You can start the game immediately (if you wish). Alternatively, you can save the game for your future use.

2. Use a saved game

Run the GameMaster

Enter the ID and password (get from the administrator)

View the same games.

Select a game and "start game".

3. Play the Game (as Game Master)

Enter the names of the players (or teams).

Go to "Status" and "Edit Player Name". At a later date, the "Edit Player" will automatically appear when you "start" the game.

You can enter the name of the teams or leave it as blank. If you do not provide a name, the default will be Player 1, Player 2, Player 3.

Play the game from year 0, followed by year 1, 2 until you complete the game.

Although the default period is 10 years, you can choose a shorter period (usually 5 to 7 years is sufficient). You are allowed to discontinue the game earlier than the specified period, if you wish. It does not cause any harm.

You are not allowed to go beyond the maximum of 10 years.

You will need the following:

(1) A printer connected to your notebook computer. This allows you to print the reports to be given to the players (ie teams).

(2) A projector (connected to your notebook computer) and screen. This allows you to
discuss the situation in each year with all the participants in the class.

4. Play the Game (as Game Master) for each year

(1) Print out the reports for all the players (i.e. teams). Distribute the report (2 pages) to each team.
Each team has a different report, so you have to look at the name of the team printed on the report.

(2) Go through the "ranking" and "financial" tabs and discuss the results. Identify the strategies of the top 1 or 2 teams and the last team. For year 0, all the starting results are the same. This discussion will be more interesting for the subsequent years.

(3) Go through the market report. Discuss the key features of the market (for the insurance industry):

- what is the average premium, commission and profit margin for each product line?
- what is the capacity and actual units sold (ie number of policies).

The labels "premium" and "commission" apply to the insurance industry. They will be replaced by other labels for other industries.

(4) Go through the economic forecast. Pay special attention to the forecasted economic growth, inflation rate, and the product markets (i.e. weak and strong markets) and the expected cost for each product (ie increased or lower cost).

(5) Click on "start year". Ask the teams to review their own company's results and decide on the business strategy for the following year. They are given 15 minutes for each of the initial years. This can be reduced to 10 or 5 minutes for the later years.

(6) When each team submits its strategy, you can get an assistant to enter their results into the notebook computer. Use the "player input" and select the actual team.
You can enter the results using "absolute dollars" or "percentage change".

(7) When all the teams have submitted their input, you can click on "status" to check that all the entries have been updated. You can then "close year" to get the results for the following year.

(8) Carry on this cycle for the subsequent years.

5. Assistance

If you need assistance, talk to the Adminstrator in your organisation. The administrator has been trained to take care of the first level difficultes.

If you need further assistance, the Administrator can contact the following:

Name: Tan Kin Lian
E-mail: kinlian@gmail.com
Mobile: (65) 81685845 or (65) 6405 3100

Tan Kin Lian
Creator of BEST Simulation Game