Wow. There are lots of great ideas here...where to start?
So I definitely agree that the WorldSim should be longer. Not terribly so, but enough longer so that interactions can develop a little more complexity. I think one of the major problems with the "game" is that people act in ways that they would not act in real life because it is "only a game". That said, I think the video game idea would be really interesting to explore: it would allow the simulation to be longer and more complex. However, I feel the face-to-face personal interactions are an important component of the simulation.
I also agree that some sort of slavery system should be included, as well as natural disasters, religion and its affect on internal and external strife (the Crusades, many nations that have conflict because there is not one dominant religion), mult-national corporations (Coca-Colonization is becoming increasingly prevalent), different types of hard power, and disease/famine. The disease/famine aspect could play out as a card that reads "Your country just experienced a flu epidemic. 50% are dead. Next round." However, in today's global age, it seems important to look at the affects of different types of pandemics: such as the AIDs situation, bird flu/SARS, and more regional afflictions such as malaria.
I also like the idea of some sort of moral factor governing individual decisions. And, there almost certainly has to be some sort of multi-national governing body, such as the UN, WTO, NAFTA, EU... Finally, what about tourism? Americans visit almost every country, and do "missionary" work of some sort in nearly every country, but how often does one see a Nicaraguan touring the Statue of Liberty or helping the homeless in Central Park?
So I definitely agree that the WorldSim should be longer. Not terribly so, but enough longer so that interactions can develop a little more complexity. I think one of the major problems with the "game" is that people act in ways that they would not act in real life because it is "only a game". That said, I think the video game idea would be really interesting to explore: it would allow the simulation to be longer and more complex. However, I feel the face-to-face personal interactions are an important component of the simulation.
I also agree that some sort of slavery system should be included, as well as natural disasters, religion and its affect on internal and external strife (the Crusades, many nations that have conflict because there is not one dominant religion), mult-national corporations (Coca-Colonization is becoming increasingly prevalent), different types of hard power, and disease/famine. The disease/famine aspect could play out as a card that reads "Your country just experienced a flu epidemic. 50% are dead. Next round." However, in today's global age, it seems important to look at the affects of different types of pandemics: such as the AIDs situation, bird flu/SARS, and more regional afflictions such as malaria.
I also like the idea of some sort of moral factor governing individual decisions. And, there almost certainly has to be some sort of multi-national governing body, such as the UN, WTO, NAFTA, EU...
Finally, what about tourism? Americans visit almost every country, and do "missionary" work of some sort in nearly every country, but how often does one see a Nicaraguan touring the Statue of Liberty or helping the homeless in Central Park?