Computer games

[geoffw]

I was with my daughters today looking at computer games.

The 12yo wanted to buy one onf the Sim games- like Sim City, Sim Roller Coaster, Sim And, whatever...

and I was thinking... Jan & Ian Somers need a game to really get people interested in property investment.

What they would need, is a city in which to invest, lots of stuff for sale (it's a big city), but have their own job. The type of job is picked at random. There's tax deductions, positive gearing, cashflow, whatever.

The object, of course, is to get out of the ratrace. Or retire in comfort, if the word "ratrace" has copyright now.

It would be as similar to the real world as possible. And it would not try to push just one particular line- as cashflow does. It would simulate, close to real life, whatever happened in the real world.

I would suggest that this could be developed by our resident IT person, Sim' Hampel.

And it could be called "Hampel Invest".

Or even "Simvest" TM, geoffw, 2002

 

[Sim]

Hmm.

Actually, Ian is the programmer here... but I'm available for naming rights negotiations

 

[JoannaK]

surely the Kiyosaki crew have made an electronic cashflow game?

 

[geoffw]

Joanna,

I had heard rumours of an electronic Cashflow game. I checked on the website-

"Development of an online version of Cashflow 101 is well under way, and will be released in the 4th quarter of 2002."

Kiyosaki says that a big benefit of the game as a board game is for people to react together.

However, as good as the game is, it is limited in its outlook. "Simvest" would take real life data from a real city over a long period- the player would learn to choose property well. It would be very interesting to compare the long term results in such a game playing for cashflow vs playing for cap growth.

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

Have you had a look at Monopoly Tycoon?

http://www.monopolytycoon.com/

You can pick it up at Toys 'R Us and most computer games stores.

 

[Sunstone]

Good idea Geoff.

Issue is how the game wants to be used.

Cashflow as a board game has come back as your nights probably attest to because it is a tool for getting people together in a non-threatening environment to not only learn but to talk about themselves and where they are located in getting out of their ratrace and property/investment strategy plan.

Computer games a good for a solo person but without an e-mail function/online function do not promote the interactivity that is a big benefit of the cashflow game.

I believe it is important for all of us to get out with this type of interactivity.

However what do we want to achieve through this type of game? Will it encourage less outside interactivity by members or more????

If we want to go ahead with this game development a couple of questions.....

Is it commercial whereby it is sold at a retail level?
Is it online where you charge monthly subscription fees?
Is it public domain and free whereby everyone likes it but takes a much longer time to develop and the quality cannot be guaranteed?

Is it just for fun or are we serious about it making money at the end of the day?


A local boardgame that could be developed maybe is called "Leverage" by Brad Sugars. Has anyone heard of it?

Some food for thought.....

Cheers,

Sunstone.

 

[Lissy]

I thoroughly enjoyed Monopoly Tycoon....
Although it did get a little predictable after a while.