Welcome to Cities

CitiesWhat is it?

Cities is a moderated card game played over many weeks. Players get resources every turn and use those resources to build cities.

Why should I play?

Educational incentives: Enhance understanding of economic principals, improve strategic thinking, and develop decision making skills.

Other incentives: Cash prizes.

CitiesWhat do I need to play?

Cities is played with a map…

North

East

South

WestPlayers are assigned regions

Cities are darkened when built

CitiesWhat do I need to play?

… and a bunch of cards…

Resources LowLevelAssets

SpecializedLabor

HighLevelAssets

Cities

CitiesResources

Resources are the fundamental units of all production. There are five resources in Cities.

You will receive an allocation of resources each turn. The number and type of resources you receive will depend on your assigned region and what is going on in the world.

Once the game starts, each class period is a new turn.

CitiesCombining resources

Resources are used to make low level assets and specialized labor.

CitiesCombining assets and labor

Low level assets and specialized labor are used to make high level assets.

CitiesCombining high level assets?

High level assets combine to make cities.

Architectural Commercial Cultural Manufacturing

4 types of city

CitiesA city has value.

100

… divided evenly among the players that built it…

25

25

25

25

CitiesA city’s value will change each turn...

80

… and may go up or down…

20

20

20

20

Cities

120

… based on an unfolding storyline…

A city’s value will change each turn...

30

30

30

30

CitiesA city will generate a resource each turn…

… the resource depends on the city type…

?

Cities

(… you will have the same access to news stories… )

Forest for the TreesUrban planners and mechtech engineers suffered a major setback today as regional officials affirmed their opposition to opening the Midvale for commercial development. Seeking to preserve their timber resources, the two firms that hold Midvale clearing license, Agency Green and Hogarth LTD, have signed formal agreements to begin postplanting a 30:70 mix of slowgro:fastfollow crops on processed and fallow acreage.

Each turn, the story will unfold

CitiesEach turn, the information will be revealed

(… and resource availability reports… )

Report for Turn 7(LAGGING)

CitiesEach turn, you get to make choices

(… and city value forecasts… )

Report for Turn 7(LEADING)

CitiesEach turn, your classmates also get to make choices

(… and construction recipes… )

CitiesEach turn, you can make labor, assets, and cities

(… trades between player and moderator…)

e.g., Player givesModerator

Moderatorgives Player

There is a Specific Orderfor Moderator Trades1. Cities2. High Level Assets3. Specialized Labor4. Low Level Assets

Players are may make any trades they wish amongst themselves at any time.

Resources are allocated and delivered at the beginning of the turn. Moderator trades are made at the moderator’s discretion.

CitiesSome useful ideas

• Cities are hard to build• If you work in groups, you will build more cities but

must share the city value equally with all of your partners

• If you work alone, you will build fewer cities but get to keep all the city value for yourself

• You can trade cards at any time• You can be a member of as many groups as you like• You do not have to stay in a group• You get points for every city you help build, even if you

leave the group after building it

CitiesTracking your progress

Your teacher will post your scores each turn. Players only get points for cities they have built.

Cash prizes

At the end of the game, three awards will be given out:

$75 1st high score$50 2nd high score$25 3rd high score

(NOTE: In the event of ties in the top 3 scores, the prize money will be evenly divided among the players with the tied scores.)

CitiesAny questions?