Educational materials on systems thinking, sustainable development, and team building.
Shipping Information
Contact: Erin Sterner
What are the differences between v7.2 and v8?
The main difference between the v7.2 and v8 is that the program was updated to a JavaScript program that runs under Internet Explorer and many other web browers. This in turn makes the game much easier to run. However, you don’t need to be on the internet to play the game. Just open the fish banks game program under IE as a file on your hard disc.
In addition, v8 has two new rules. The first is that the salvage value of the boats is set to the average profit per ship for the last two years. It is no longer constant at $250 per boat. That means, when your students kill off all the fish, their assets decline, because their boats no longer have any salvage value. The second is that we now check to make sure that orders for new boats to be constructed are no greater than half the existing fleet rounded up. A “Read Me” file is included on the v8 disc that explains all the changes in full.
How many people can play the game at once?
Although there is no specific player maximum, it is recommended that you do not exceed 30 to 40 people total. The game can be run with 1 to a maximum of 6 teams. It is recommended that each team have roughly 5-6 people max. The game can be played with more people, however, when exceeding 6 people per team there don’t tend to be enough tasks to keep everyone actively participating in the game.
If your group exceeds 40 you can consider running two games side by side. This requires two game kits and two computers running simultaneously. Therefore the two fisheries would be completely independent (i.e different weather and no "interbreeding" of fish populations). The fishing fleet of one game would not influence the fish population of the other game. It is helpful to have two computer operators to enter data and collect team decision sheets and is also good to post team ("company") results on different blackboards. The game Administrator (person who introduces the game and keeps the rounds moving along) could be one person for both and the two experiences could be blended together during a debrief by the Administrator.
Can the game be run on both a PC and a Mac?
Yes. Since v8 is a JavaScript program it will run on both a PC and a Mac as long as you have Internet Explorer (many other web browers work as well).
What is on the Intro DVD?
The Intro DVD includes two parts. The first is a short film of Dennis Meadows (the author of the game) introducing Fish Banks. The second part is a story from the MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour on the declining New England Fisheries. Through the course of the story you see pieces of Dennis leading a group of teachers through the Fish Banks Game.The DVD helps set the stage for a class to play the game. The Intro DVD is included in the game kit as well as sold separately.
What is included in the game kit?
Everything needed to run the game is included in the kit except the computer. This includes the game board, the ship pieces, the v8 CD, Intro DVD, Game Administrator’s Manual, and Materials Manual. Included on the v8 disc are the game software and PowerPoint files for introducing and debriefing the game.
What age range is the game most appropriate for?
The game is appropriate for a wide range of ages. This includes middle school, high school, and college students, as well as adult professionals.
How is the game shipped and what will it cost?
Shipping within the United States is included in the price of the game kit. We ship through the United States Post Office Parcel Post which, depending on your location, can take 1 to 2 weeks to arrive once shipped. We welcome international orders as well, however shipping is an extra charge. International orders are shipped by the United States Postal Service First Class International and vary in shipping length and cost depending on location. Rush shipping is available at the cost of the rush shipping amount which varies depending on carrier and delivery length. Please allow up to one week to process an order.
What form of payment is accepted?
We accept checks in US dollars, Visa, Mastercard and wire transfers. There is an extra $7 fee for a wire transfer. Since our bank is not an international bank it is necessary to process the wire transfer from a bank that does not require a SWIFT number such as an international bank’s corresponding bank in the US. For schools ordering any of the games available from Sustainability Institute purchase order numbers are accepted and an invoice will be sent to your accounts payable department.