Play
The game consists of the player being presented with the Massachusetts state budget, which is 3.2 billion USD in debt with its taxes and expenditures; they have to raise one or cut the other to eliminate the deficit, and not cause problems at the same time (for example, cutting too much of the Department of Mental Retardation brings you in conflict with a Supreme Court ruling). After breaking even or better, they can then submit their work. The game then randomly generates conditions and applies them to the budget (for example, the creation of a fund to aid treatment of mental retardation offsets the cuts to it in the budget).
Read more about this topic: Mass Balance
Famous quotes containing the word play:
“As the creative adult needs to toy with ideas, the child, to form his ideas, needs toys—and plenty of leisure and scope to play with them as he likes, and not just the way adults think proper. This is why he must be given this freedom for his play to be successful and truly serve him well.”
—Bruno Bettelheim (20th century)
“Sometimes the children who are no problem to their parents should be looked at more closely. This is especially true if those children are extremely obedient and have few friends their own age. A good self-concept allows children to explore the world, risk engaging in conflict and failing. Children who play it safe by never disobeying or risking conflict may be telling you that they feel unqualified to face the world head-on.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)
“And what’s he then that says I play the villain,
When this advice is free I give, and honest,
Probal to thinking, and indeed the course
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—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)