247 lines
8.5 KiB
Markdown
247 lines
8.5 KiB
Markdown
## Overview of game
|
|
|
|
Polycentric is a role-playing game of agreements. Players engage in open exploration through agreement space, with resources available not constrained to capital. Players assume Roles, which have a set of Values, Goals, Resources, Obligations, etc. There is no set victory condition for the game, so there is less of a need to restrain the solution space (admissable action) of the players. The fitness function for players in the state of play is to:
|
|
- openly imagine and explore new forms of agreements typically restricted by ontological and material constraints
|
|
- improve understanding of a role through experience negotiating/feeling through its available agreement space
|
|
- improve understanding of a network and its available agreement space
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Session Zero
|
|
|
|
Though we hadn't even played the game ourselves yet, we thought it wise to run our first play test session in the wild at Stanford CODEX's annual gathering of Law, AI, systems thinkers hosted by the respectable Tony Lai.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Setup (30 mins)
|
|
Z explained the game overview and basic rule set. Players
|
|
Dorn described the Scenario. The roles were based on an actual convening, Grassroots Innovation Assembly.
|
|
Distributed roles to players.
|
|
Ven prepared the Board of Agreements and data visualization of agreements as a bipartite graph. So players can see agreements being made as a network.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Play time (60 mins)
|
|
|
|
Players familarized themselves with their roles in relation to the scenario, and then made a quick introduction of their role to the group.
|
|
|
|
We then basically said 'Play', merely instructing them to start talking with each other to discover and build agreeements. Some players began negotiating with their neighbors. Most moved around, bouncing from negotiation to negotiation. Many pods of agreement-forming activity could be seen, with agents flowing in and out between them.
|
|
|
|
As agreements were made, players would write down which agents were involved the agreement and the terms of the agreement. Listing the obligations that were given, and the benefits received. They would then tack the agreement on on the right side of the board and then connect it with string to all involved agents from the left side of the board.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The first agreement was a small MOU style agreement between a global policy advocator and indigenous practitioner to hold space together and learn from each other.
|
|
|
|
The second to last agreement was a complex multilateral agreement. A coalition formed of 5 developer-related roles, adding a new agent to the board, which then formed another bilateral agreeement with another agent for the final agreement before lunch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Debrief (30 mins)
|
|
|
|
Players were having a great time playing the game, so play continued through lunch, where we did a collective debrief of agreements made. For each agreement, a player who participated would come up and share the dynamics of the agreement. Which agents were involved, to what degree, and the purpose or benefits of the agreement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Observations Notes from Session Zero
|
|
|
|
**data visualization**
|
|
|
|
*bipartite network graph of agents (blue) and agreements made (green).*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
**modes of play observed**
|
|
|
|
Players embodied their roles extremely well. Though there was variance in how they embodied their roles. Some more emotional and others more strategic and calculated.
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
# Session Zero Agreements
|
|
|
|
**types of agreements made**
|
|
- bilateral symmetric
|
|
- multilateral asymmetric
|
|
- formation of coalition as new agent
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG1 — Soil Data Sharing Cooperative**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: A cooperative framework where members contribute soil samples or agricultural data for collective analysis and shared insights.
|
|
**Parties**: A1, A2, A5
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- A1, A2, A5: Provide consistent data inputs (e.g., crop types, soil samples, yield logs)
|
|
- A4 (Coordinator): Analyze data and return comparative reports
|
|
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- A1, A2, A5: Access to aggregated data for better decision-making
|
|
- A4: Ground-truth data for research or product development
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG2 — Seed Exchange Network**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Agreement around sharing and exchanging seed varieties among smallholder farmers.
|
|
**Parties**: A1, A3, A6
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Each participant: Contribute at least one unique or adapted seed variety and document results
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- All: Increased biodiversity and access to local seed knowledge
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG3 — Social Climate Adaptation Circle**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: A support-oriented agreement for knowledge exchange on social and ecological resilience practices.
|
|
**Parties**: A7, A8, A9
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Members: Share practices or stories about climate adaptation
|
|
- Host (A7): Document and circulate key learnings
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- All: Shared resilience strategies, emotional and practical support
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG4 — Resource Lending Network**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Pooling of physical tools or equipment among farmers to reduce individual costs.
|
|
**Parties**: A2, A3, A5
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Lenders (A2, A3): Maintain tools, define borrowing terms
|
|
- Borrowers (A5): Return tools, offer labor or services
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Lenders: Social capital, non-monetary returns
|
|
- Borrowers: Access to tools they can't afford
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG5 — Knowledge Commons Assembly**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Collaborative documentation and open sharing of agroecological practices and local innovations.
|
|
**Parties**: A4, A6, A9
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Each member: Contribute documented method or case
|
|
- A4: Maintain open access archive
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Contributors: Visibility, feedback
|
|
- Community: Free access to vetted knowledge
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG6 — Agroecology Mentorship Chain**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: A cascading mentorship system to pass knowledge through generational tiers.
|
|
**Parties**: A1, A4, A6
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Seniors (A1, A4): Provide mentorship
|
|
- Juniors (A6): Apply learnings and mentor others
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Seniors: Legacy, recognition
|
|
- Juniors: Credibility, deep knowledge access
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG7 — Climate Tool Trial**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Partnership to pilot a forecasting tool in exchange for field feedback.
|
|
**Parties**: A3, A4, A8
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- A3, A8: Field test tool, provide feedback
|
|
- A4: Deliver updates, integrate insights
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Farmers: Climate planning support
|
|
- Developer: Validation and case studies
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG8 — Mobile Market Access**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Coordinated transport network for reaching urban markets.
|
|
**Parties**: A2, A5, A6
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Farmers: Sync harvests, pay fee or share fuel
|
|
- Coordinators: Maintain logistics and vehicles
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Farmers: Better market access and prices
|
|
- Coordinators: Stable revenue, social value
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG9 — Data Commons Guild**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Shared framework for managing agricultural data as a commons.
|
|
**Parties**: A1, A2, A4, A9
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Farmers: Monthly data contributions
|
|
- Stewards (A4): Secure and curate data
|
|
- Researchers (A9): Share outcomes and respect permissions
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Farmers: Bargaining leverage
|
|
- Researchers: High-integrity datasets
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG10 — Rainwater Harvesting Circle**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Mutual aid system for rain capture infrastructure.
|
|
**Parties**: A2, A3, A5, A6
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- All: Build, maintain, and share repair knowledge
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- All: Water security, shared labor economy
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG11 — Intercrop Innovation Pact**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Collaboration to test intercropping combinations across farms.
|
|
**Parties**: A1, A4, A7
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Farmers (A1, A7): Dedicate plots, share data
|
|
- Agronomists (A4): Share methods, analyze results
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Farmers: Yield optimization
|
|
- Researchers: Field results
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG12 — Storytelling for Policy Change**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Stories from food systems to influence policy.
|
|
**Parties**: A1, A6, A10
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Farmers (A1, A6): Provide narratives
|
|
- Advocates (A10): Convert stories into briefs
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Farmers: Policy influence
|
|
- Advocates: Grounded, compelling material
|
|
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
### **AG13 — Collective Carbon Commons**
|
|
|
|
**Summary**: Agroforestry-linked carbon credit initiative.
|
|
**Parties**: A5, A8, A11
|
|
**Obligations**:
|
|
- Stewards (A5): Follow protocols
|
|
- Verifiers (A8): Certify outcomes
|
|
- Funders (A11): Share carbon returns
|
|
**Benefits**:
|
|
- Stewards: Carbon revenue
|
|
- Verifiers: Publishable results
|
|
- Funders: Reputational and ROI gains
|
|
|
|
--- |