Design of Simulation Game: First Draft

This post contains my design for our LFEG simulation based on a FACET or PlatBox framework. This entry will be constantly updated as my ideas and information change.

Agent: BuyerX

• Number of people who share behaviors and information of BuyerX (the number of people that the agent Buyer1 represents):
• Behavior: Preference for locally produced foods: -1.0 to 1.0 (-1.0 = much prefer non-locally produced foods, 0 = indifferent, 1.0 = much prefer locally produced foods):
• Behavior: Importance of price: 0 to 1.0 (0 = price does not matter, 1.0 = will always buy cheaper item, if quality is equal):
• Information: Income level:
  • Less than $10,000
  • $10,000 to $14,999
  • $15,000 to $24,999
  • $25,000 to $34,999
  • $35,000 to $49,999
  • $50,000 to $74,999
  • $75,000 to $99,999
  • $100,000 to $149,999
  • $150,000 to $199,999
  • $200,000 or more

(Note: There will be many different buyer agents in the simulation: for each different combination of the three variables (preference for locally produced food, importance of price, and income level), there will be a different buyer agent. For example, someone whose preference for locally produced food (PLPF) coeffcient is .5, importance of price (IOP) coeffecient is .3, and income level is $50,000 to $74,999 would be represented by a different buyer agent than someone who has a PLPF coeffecient of .5, IOP coeffecient of .3, and income level of $75,000 to $99,999.)

(Note: A buyer agent can represent either an individual or a household.)

Examples of buyer agents:
(Note: The numbers included are merely for the purposes of this example; they are not based upon real data.)

Agent: Buyer1

• Number of people who share behaviors and information of Buyer1: 75
• Behavior: Preference for locally produced foods: 0.8
• Behavior: Importance of price: 0.2
• Information: Income level: $75,000 to $99,999

The agent Buyer1, which represents 75 people, greatly prefers locally produced foods, does not consider price to be a very important factor in buying decisions, and is financially well off.

Agent: Buyer2

• Number of people who share behaviors and information of Buyer2: 110
• Behavior: Preference for locally produced foods: 0.1
• Behavior: Importance of price: 0.9
• Information: Income level: $25,000 to $34,999

The agent Buyer2, which represents 110 people, slightly prefers locally produced foods, but will make buying decisions based almost exclusively on price, and has a fairly low income.

Agent: Buyer3

• Number of people who share behaviors and information of Buyer3: 75
• Behavior: Preference for locally produced foods: 0
• Behavior: Importance of price: .5
• Information: Income level: $35,000 to $49,999

Buyer3, which represents 75 people, is indifferent about locally produced foods, considers price as an important aspect of buying decisions, and has an average income.

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Agent: SellerY

• Information: Number of Employees:
• Behavior: Percentage of foods that are locally produced:
• Behavior: Price index* (from 0 to 1.0):

*Price index will be computed by calculating the prices of a representative bundle of goods (say, a bag of ten apples, a bag of chips, a pound of green beans, a gallon of milk, and a basket of strawberries) at each store, and putting the price of this bundle on a scale of 0 to 1.0, with 0 being the cheapest bundle surveyed, and 1.0 being the most expensive.

(Note: Each entity that sells food--with the exception of restaurants--will be represented by a different seller agent.)
(Note: It would ideal to have some information about the revenue/profits of each seller, but, as the stores will not give them out themselves, I am still working on a way to obtain this information).

Examples of seller agents:
(Note: The numbers included are merely for the purposes of this example; they are not based upon real data.)

Agent: Walmart

• Information: Number of Employees: 300
• Behavior: Percentage of foods that are locally produced: 0
• Behavior: Price Index: 0

Agent: McNally's

• Information: Number of Employees: 20
• Behavior: Percentage of foods that are locally produced: 15
• Behavior: Price index: 1.0