Using macaroni, beans and paper clips, the fate of an imaginary third-world country was decided Monday afternoon by a group of gaming enthusiasts.
Led by former University of Michigan Professor Richard Duke, a group of students and faculty experienced what it is like to compromise food and commodities to keep a civilization alive. Using a three-tiered board game, participants saw how their local areas, regions and nation progressed over time.
"The Hex Game revolves around the scenarios of a developing nation," doctoral student Paul Babladelis said. "The participants will actively negotiate with each other to use natural resources to provide for their nations."
Originally developed by Duke in 1975, the HEX Game was used by the United Nations in a human settlement program.
"A group of students and I ran it for the cabinet of Ghana," Duke said. "That was the first time it was ever run. The players were able to make statements while playing the game that they wouldn't make face to face. Some fairly biting remarks were exchanged.
"Its function is to help whoever is managing the economy to better understand how to integrate their resources."
In addition to helping decide how to distribute resources within a certain area, the game works to establish a line of communication between the levels of a government or organization, Duke said.
During the first round of the game, miscommunication contributed to casualties experienced by players.
"We lost people," anthropology graduate student Dusty Myers said. "You need to keep your people fed so you can help your infrastructure."
Players also felt the effects of other catastrophic events.
"I'm an agriculture producer and in this round we had a fire in my part of the country," said Susan Smalley, an MSU extension specialist.
"I had to give up two housing units - that's all I had. This means we are going to need some help from neighboring communities or the regional government."
Through a process of trial and error, players learned to work with others through trade.
"I see strategy and little clusters forming with communication between individuals and groups," Babladelis said. "It fosters good communication skills and levels the playing field so people can equally share their ideas and views."
As the room buzzed with excitement, psychology graduate student Sheila LaHousse took control of the room - she had been appointed the national leader for the fictitious country.
"I am studying psychology and this is very relevant," she said. "You have to have people collaborate from stakeholders' interests."
Overall, the game taught its players the importance of compromise, community, agriculture, recreational and resources studies doctoral student Betty Izumi said.
"Communication is important when you need to compromise," she said. "Communication between regions, national and representatives is very difficult."
