Getting Started¶
BDPD (Be Different Play Differential) is a computational laboratory for studying commons dynamics. It investigates how the Seneca Effect (asymmetric collapse), the Tragedy of the Commons (resource depletion under competition), and wealth inequality interact in socio-ecological systems.
Existing models study these phenomena in isolation. BDPD provides a unified testbed where they can be examined together — enabling questions about discontinuous collapse thresholds, the unintended consequences of adaptive behaviour, the role of information fidelity, and the structural fragility of cooperative equilibria.
Two Instruments¶
BDPD offers two complementary ways to explore the same dynamics:
| BDPD Platform | The Forest of Humbaba | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Multi-agent simulation engine | Physical/digital card game |
| Tech | Node.js + Python | Python + printable cards |
| Agents | 5 built-in heuristics + code sandbox + HTTP/LLM | 4 human/LLM-playable archetypes |
| Resource | Logistic or Seneca (Bardi 2011) commons | Hidden forest stock + stochastic die |
| Best for | Systematic parameter sweeps, statistical analysis | Behavioural validation, human intuition, LLM case studies |
The card game reimplements every core platform mechanic — harvesting, regeneration, stochastic collapse, strategic externalities, and defection — in a turn-based tabletop format. The mapping is exact: what happens in the platform has a direct analogue in the card game, and vice versa.
Who Is This For?¶
- Researchers in complex systems, CPR governance, and agent-based modelling
- Game designers exploring mechanics that model real-world resource dilemmas
- LLM/AI researchers studying emergent behaviour of generative agents in strategic settings
- Educators teaching commons dynamics through playable, tangible models
Where to Go Next¶
| If you want to... | Read this |
|---|---|
| Install and run BDPD | Installation |
| Run your first simulation | Design an Experiment |
| Play with an LLM or your own agent | Play with an AI |
| Plug in custom dynamics, metrics, perturbations | Extend the Engine |
| Understand the card game | First Card Game |
| Learn the platform architecture | Platform Overview |
| Read the research paper | Publications |