HAMURABI.BAS and Its Dystopian Lessons

The article discusses the game HAMURABI.BAS, originally featured in Basic Computer Games in 1973, and the author's exploration of its financial and political lessons. The game involves managing resources, population, and land over ten turns, with dynamic elements like rat infestations and plagues affecting gameplay. Strategies for success include managing grain reserves, investing in land, and strategically allowing for controlled starvation to increase wealth. The author developed an automatic player to test and refine strategies, ultimately achieving a 99% win rate. Lessons learned include the importance of investing wisely, the potential benefits of disasters like plagues, and the strategic use of controlled starvation in the game. The simplicity of the game belies the complex insights it offers into financial and political systems, showcasing the enduring appeal of simulation games in providing valuable learning experiences.