Exercise 5.4: System Dynamics

System dynamics are a crucial part of any game. Unless the system works together perfectly, the game cannot function. In Settlers of Catan, the prices of roads, settlements, and cities are set, and they work very well with the game. The original game has roads costing one brick and one wood, settlements costing one brick, one wood, one wheat, and one sheep, and cities costing two wheat and three ore. If every brick and ore were switched, the game would be changed, but it would not be drastic.

If the prices were changed again, the game might be unable to be played. If a road costed two bricks, a settlement costed four bricks, and a city costed five bricks, the game could not be played. No one would want to build on any resource other than brick, and there would not be a variety of strategies. If the numbers on the brick spaces were not common, the game would take a very long time.

The crucial change that was made was taking away the variety of strategies. Without variation, the game is very predictable and not very fun.