Each year since 2017, I’ve been taking one lecture for Ryan’s subject LSM4255 Methods in Mathematical Biology, teaching evolutionary game theory and adaptive dynamics. After the class, we usually have a tutorial where we play the fishing game, a simulation of a fishery that teaches students about the tragedy of the commons.

Screenshot from the fishing game, which was sadly not available this year.

Screenshot from the fishing game, which was sadly not available this year.

Unfortunately, the fishing game was unexpectedly unavailable this year, but I was able to find a very nice last-minute alternative.

Charles Holt at the University of Virginia has made available the Veconlab software, a collection of 50 web-based experiments ranging from public goods games to auctions.

Look at all these free games.

Look at all these free games.

I just wanted to create a basic linear public goods game, and I was easily able to set one up using the adjustable parameter settings. The game was responsive and performed well during the tutorial. Students were incentivised by the promise of a conversion from dollars earnt to participation marks, and by 10 rounds, we had obtained the classic result of declining contributions.

The class's result from the public goods game.

The class’s result from the public goods game.