1. Choose simulation type
These presets define the teaching frame and recommended initial settings. Playable scenarios change the live classroom runtime now; planned scenarios are documented but do not yet enforce their special mechanics.
Foundation Standard Beer Game Classic four-stage supply-chain simulation with local decisions, delayed feedback, inventory cost, and backlog cost. Use this when: Use this for a first classroom run or baseline comparison.Teaching focus: Bullwhip effect, local rationality, delayed feedback, and system behavior.Recommended: 12 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Delay Short-delay variant A lower-delay scenario for introducing the mechanics before moving to stronger delayed-feedback behavior. Use this when: Use this to introduce the rules before moving to stronger delay effects.Teaching focus: How shorter delays reduce amplification and make the system easier to control.Recommended: 10 rounds, inventory 10, demand 4 Playable now Delay Long-delay variant A higher-delay scenario intended to make delayed feedback and overcorrection more visible. Use this when: Use this when you want delayed feedback and overcorrection to dominate.Teaching focus: Order amplification, lagged information, and delayed corrective action.Recommended: 18 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Demand Step-demand variant Demand starts stable and then shifts upward, creating a controlled disturbance. Use this when: Use this to show how a structural demand increase propagates upstream.Teaching focus: Response to structural demand change and the difference between signal and noise.Recommended: 16 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Demand Temporary spike-demand variant Demand spikes temporarily and then returns toward the baseline. Use this when: Use this to compare temporary shocks with durable demand shifts.Teaching focus: Distinguishing temporary shocks from durable shifts.Recommended: 16 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Demand Oscillating-demand variant Demand oscillates over time, making trend-following and overreaction easier to observe. Use this when: Use this to make trend-following and overcorrection visible.Teaching focus: Pattern recognition, feedback instability, and local forecasting errors.Recommended: 20 rounds, inventory 14, demand 4 Playable now Starting buffer Low starting-buffer variant A low-inventory starting condition that makes shortage pressure visible early. Use this when: Use this to create early shortage pressure and recovery decisions.Teaching focus: Sensitivity to initial conditions, early backlog risk, and recovery from low buffer stock.Recommended: 12 rounds, inventory 6, demand 4 Playable now Starting buffer High starting-buffer variant A high-inventory starting condition that delays shortage pressure and exposes carrying-cost tradeoffs. Use this when: Use this to discuss slack, carrying cost, and delayed shortage pressure.Teaching focus: Initial slack, delayed backlog emergence, inventory carrying cost, and sensitivity to initial conditions.Recommended: 12 rounds, inventory 20, demand 4 Playable now Cost High inventory-cost variant Inventory is more expensive, encouraging leaner but riskier ordering behavior. Use this when: Use this to test whether expensive inventory drives leaner ordering.Teaching focus: Tradeoff between buffer stock and carrying cost.Recommended: 12 rounds, inventory 10, demand 4 Playable now Cost High backlog-cost variant Backlog is more expensive, encouraging more protective ordering behavior. Use this when: Use this to test whether service pressure drives protective ordering.Teaching focus: Service-level pressure, shortage avoidance, and cost-driven instability.Recommended: 12 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Visibility Restricted-visibility variant A low-information setup emphasizing local role perspectives. Use this when: Use this as the low-information comparison case.Teaching focus: Information asymmetry, partial observability, and coordination limits.Recommended: 12 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Visibility Enhanced-visibility variant A higher-information setup intended for comparison against the standard local-information run. Use this when: Use this to test whether more shared state improves coordination.Teaching focus: Whether better information improves coordination and dampens oscillation.Recommended: 12 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Capacity Capacity-constrained variant A scenario intended to introduce production or shipment capacity limits. Use this when: Use this to introduce capacity bottlenecks without maximum stress.Teaching focus: Bottlenecks, rationing, constrained recovery, and backlog propagation.Recommended: 16 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Capacity Tight-capacity variant A stricter capacity scenario where upstream shipments and manufacturer production are tightly limited. Use this when: Use this when you want capacity limits to bind hard and early.Teaching focus: Hard bottlenecks, rationing, constrained recovery, and backlog propagation under persistent capacity pressure.Recommended: 16 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now Integrated stress High-pressure variant A combined stress scenario with step demand, tight capacity, and expensive backlog. Use this when: Use this for an advanced run combining demand, capacity, and cost pressure.Teaching focus: Integrated demand pressure, capacity pressure, backlog escalation, and cost-driven decision stress.Recommended: 20 rounds, inventory 12, demand 4 Playable now