[COW graphic]
[COW graphic]

TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS GAME


John Public's Practice Game Web Page 

This is an example of a page that you will be using during the Tragedy of the Commons game.  Read it to get a feel for how to play and interpret the game (you can't use the submit button here but the rest of the page is identical to the one you will be using.  This page shows the results of two rounds of the game - you will play several more rounds than that.  Notice that names of players can be made available or not.

Welcome, John Public! This is your Web Page for playing the Tragedy of the Commons Game. During the course of the game, please stay on this page. Good luck and enjoy!

Some facts to remember:

  1. Cows cost $100 each.
  2. Each round you start with $10,000 (so, if you enter more than 100 cows, only 100 cows will be put on the commons).
  3. Your profits will be determined by how fat your cows are at the end of the year. That will depend on the following:
    1. How many cows you put on the commons.
    2. How many cows other ranchers put on the commons.
  4. You CAN lose money, since your cows cost $100 each. If the commons is seriously overgrazed, your cow will die.

CLASS RESULTS

Interpreting the commons picture: The green area is the size of the commons. When just filled with cows, the collectively optimal number of cows is on the commons. Green area without cows indicates that grazing MORE cows would increase community milk production. Grey cows indicate that too many cows are being grazed and grazing FEWER cows would increase community milk production. 

Details of Round 1

               No. of  Revenue   Profit
Name            Cows   or Loss   Per Cow
                 30      520      17
                 50      867      17
                 29      503      17
                 17      295      17
                 88     1525      17
                 50      867      17
                 48      832      17
                 10      173      17
                 40      693      17
                  2       35      17
                 40      693      17
                 70     1213      17
                 25      433      17
                 40      693      17
                 35      607      17


Summary of Round: 1

                     Actual         Optimal*
* = optimal would max total milk production
Farmers:               15        No optimal #
Cows:                  574             300
Total milk:       $ 9949.33       $ 60000
Milk/rancher:     $ 663.28       $ 4000






























Details of Round 2

               No. of  Revenue   Profit

Name            Cows   or Loss   Per Cow
Goodwin, Emil     50     5406     108
Barron, Henki     30     3244     108
Okamoto, Risa     17     1838     108
Paulraj, Mall     18     1946     108
Mcclure, Kimb     15     1622     108
Murray, Mark      40     4325     108
Iwerks, Aliso     32     3460     108
Deets, Megan      25     2703     108
Smith, Eli        24     2595     108
Mezan, Kate       30     3244     108
Laughrey, Sar     20     2162     108
Silver, Mark      45     4866     108
Harrington, A     50     5406     108
Public, John      30     3244     108
Chi, Jennifer     21     2271     108
Lundgren, Kar     20     2162     108

Summary of Round: 2

                     Actual         Optimal*
* = optimal would max total milk production
Farmers:               16        No optimal #
Cows:                  467             320
Total milk:       $ 50494.37       $ 64000
Milk/rancher:     $ 3155.89       $ 4000

























Your Results So Far: 

               No. of  Revenue   Profit
                Cows   or Loss   Per Cow

                 50      867      17
                 30     3244     108
Enter the number of cows you want to place on the commons this round:

and click this button.


This game was created by:
Ronald Mitchell
Department of Political Science
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97503-1284
Tel: 541-346-4880
Email: rmitchel@uoregon.edu
Web: http://www.uoregon.edu/~rmitchel
© Ronald Mitchell, 1998