Bank Rush

Industry Masters offers single-user and real-time, multiplayer simulations developed by Industry Masters for use by business schools, business competitions and corporate events. The multiplayer simulations allow you to run your own business and measure its success against the businesses of your competitors from all over the world. The single-user games such as Bank Rush, Mastering the Credit Crisis and Rescue Detroit (aimed at the automotive industry) are also grounded in real global economic conditions.

Although my knowledge of business principles is limited and my interest minimal, I decided to test myself by playing Bank Rush. Watching the computer-generated narration of the introductory video, I learned that the mission was to manage a bank through the financial crisis that began in 2007. I was given a brief overview of the trends and regulatory decisions which affect a bank’s direction. Each month I was made aware of the current state of financial affairs and then expected to base my decisions about things such as raising or lowering interest rates. My success was measured against other players’ performance.

As a part of a blended solution, I think that Bank Rush would certainly help business students learn to apply principles they’ve reviewed in lecture. The games themselves seem quite relevant and the videos do bring the descriptions of scenarios to life in a way that a written description wouldn’t. As a standalone game, I think that players without the support of an online or real classroom community might get overwhelmed by the abundance of information and the limited guidance offered.

What struck me while playing Bank Rush was whether it’s be possible for a game to engage a player in a topic that isn’t inherently engaging for them to begin with. Can superior game elements outweigh the inherent dullness of subject matter? If Bank Rush, for example, added more of a narrative to the game, would I have found it more compelling?

The goal I'm setting for myself in the development of games designed to educate on the payroll industry is to use narrative to draw someone into the game who isn't interested in payroll to begin with. We'll see how it goes.