The rules
Both Earths run on this one table and get the same dice rolls. The only thing that can make them drift apart is what each side votes for. One real week is one game year, starting in 2027.
Stats
Eight stats, each an index from 0 to 100. Both Earths start every stat at 50. The overall score is the average of the eight, with Cost of living and National debt flipped (100 minus the value). Stats are clamped to 0–100, and once a stat is above 85 or below 15, any change pushing it further out is halved, so nobody runs away with it.
| Stat | Good direction |
|---|---|
| Economy | ↑ Up |
| Jobs | ↑ Up |
| Cost of living | ↓ Down |
| National debt | ↓ Down |
| Safety | ↑ Up |
| Health | ↑ Up |
| Environment | ↑ Up |
| Happiness | ↑ Up |
Policy menu
A bill is a policy from this menu plus a name and pitch written by the player. Effects are per year the bill passes, before luck.
| Policy | Effects per year |
|---|---|
| Raise taxes | National debt −4, Economy −2, Happiness −2 |
| Cut taxes | Economy +3, National debt +4, Happiness +2 |
| Build housing | Cost of living −3, National debt +2, Happiness +2 |
| Raise minimum wage | Happiness +3, Jobs −1, Cost of living +1 |
| Universal healthcare | Health +4, National debt +3 |
| Fund police | Safety +3, National debt +1 |
| Green energy push | Environment +4, Cost of living +1, Economy −1 |
| Drill and mine more | Economy +3, Cost of living −2, Environment −4 |
| Fund schools | National debt +2, Jobs +2 (after 2 years) |
| Military buildup | Safety +2, National debt +3, Happiness −1 |
| Cut spending | National debt −4, Happiness −2, Health −1 |
| Space program | Happiness +1, National debt +2, counts toward the Mars base |
How luck works
- Each year the server rolls one seed, used for both Earths.
- Every passed bill's effects are multiplied by a roll from 0.5 to 1.5. The roll depends only on the seed and the policy, so the same bill on both Earths always gets the same luck.
- Every stat also drifts by −1, 0 or +1 each year (the same drift on both Earths), so doing nothing isn't safe.
- Crisis responses are applied as listed, with no luck multiplier.
The week
- Sunday: the year's crisis is announced. Sunday to Tuesday: propose and upvote bills. The top 5 per Earth make the ballot.
- Wednesday (12:00 AM to 11:59 PM Eastern): vote yes or no on each bill and pick one crisis response.
- A bill passes if it gets more yes than no votes, as long as at least 20% of that Earth's voters that week voted on it. Skipping a bill doesn't count against it.
- The crisis response with the most votes wins. A tie goes to the earlier letter; if nobody votes, response C applies.
- Thursday: the count is public and the President may veto one passed bill. Friday 12:00 AM: bills lock in.
- Saturday 12:00 PM: results. The year ticks forward.
Crisis deck
Every Sunday one crisis is rolled for both Earths. Each Earth votes on one response on Wednesday.
| Crisis | Response A | Response B | Response C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recession | Stimulus: Jobs +3, National debt +4 | Austerity: National debt −2, Jobs −3 | Wait it out: Economy −4 |
| Pandemic | Lockdown: Health +2, Economy −4 | Vaccine push: Health +3, National debt +3 | Stay open: Economy +1, Health −5 |
| Hurricane season | Rebuild fast: National debt +3 | Relocate towns: Happiness −2, Safety +2 | Do nothing: Safety −4, Happiness −3 |
| Oil shock | Subsidize gas: National debt +3 | Go green faster: Environment +3, Cost of living +3 | Drill more: Cost of living −2, Environment −3 |
| AI breakthrough | Regulate it: Safety +2, Economy −1 | Go all in: Economy +4, Jobs −3 | Tax it: National debt −3, Economy −1 |
| Border dispute (with the other Earth) | Negotiate: Happiness +1 | Sanctions: Economy −2, Safety +1 | Arm up: Safety +2, National debt +3 |
| Lucky break (gold rush, tech boom) | Save it: National debt −4 | Spend it: Happiness +4 | Invest it: Economy +3 |
Milestones
Races both Earths can win first.
| Milestone | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Golden age | Overall score above 70 |
| Debt free(ish) | National debt under 20 |
| Cure a disease | Health 90 or higher |
| First Mars base | Space program passed 5 times |