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- 30-60 minutes of preparation time - A text editor (Word, Google Docs, or even Notepad—no coding required) - Optional: images or documents you want to include - Optional: the SCORP authoring template file
- Programming knowledge - Technical background - Experience with SCORP (we'll guide you through it)
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This is like writing the cover of your syllabus. Answer these simple questions:
1. What are you calling this?``` roleplayName: Peace Negotiation Summit ``` Make it clear and descriptive.
2. Who made it?``` roleplayCreatingOrg: International Relations Department ``` This gives you credit.
3. What's the one-liner?``` roleplayBlurb: In this simulation, diplomats from three fictional countries negotiate a trade agreement while managing domestic political pressures. ``` Think of it like a Netflix description—short enough to read in 5 seconds.
That's it for Step 1. Leave the other fields with defaults for now.---
Put yourself in a student's shoes: "What will I understand or be able to do after this roleplay that I couldn't before?"
Write 2-3 learning goals:``` learningObjectives: - Students will understand how trade negotiations balance national interests with global commerce - Students will experience the challenge of representing a constituency with competing pressures - Students will practice diplomatic communication under time constraints ```
Who should take this?``` expectedAudience: - Upper-level undergraduate students - Prior knowledge of international trade policy helpful but not required ```
Tell them what to expect:``` introduction: - This is a realistic simulation of international trade negotiations. - You will represent one country's interests. - You have 90 minutes to reach an agreement or declare negotiations failed. - Pay attention to both the official goals and the political pressures. ```
End with reflection questions:``` debriefQuestions: - What was the biggest challenge you faced as a negotiator? - How did you decide which issues to compromise on? - What surprised you about the other countries' perspectives? - What would you do differently if you ran this negotiation again? ```
Why this matters: These become the pages students see before and after the roleplay. Good ones help students get the most from the experience.---
Think of a phase as a "chapter" in your simulation. Most roleplays have 2-4 phases.
Example timeline for trade negotiations:- Each country gets 10 minutes to present its opening position - The facilitator summarizes the key interests - This sets the tone for the rest of the negotiation
- Countries pair off for direct negotiations - You have 30 minutes to find areas of agreement - Be willing to discuss strategic compromises
- All countries meet together to finalize the agreement - You need everyone's approval to succeed - If you can't reach an agreement, the deal falls apart
Tips:- 2-3 minutes per phase is realistic - Each phase should have a clear purpose - Make descriptions concrete (time limits, activities)
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This is the heart of your roleplay. Each character should have a public face and secret pressures.
Example: Prime Minister of Eastland```
actorName: Prime Minister of Eastland actorPublicDescription: - You lead Eastland, an agricultural economy that exports grains and dairy. - You're concerned about protecting farm jobs and prices. actorSemiPublicDescription: - Eastland's official position: We want 25% tariff protection on agricultural goods. - We're willing to discuss technology transfer in exchange. actorPrivateDescription: - Your country is in debt and NEEDS to increase exports by 20% this year. - If you fail, opposition parties will push you out of office. - You've been given secret authorization to go as low as 15% tariff if necessary. - You're most afraid of mass agricultural unemployment and rural collapse. ```
Key insight: The private description is what makes it real. That's the pressure cooker that creates interesting decisions. How many characters?- Minimum: 3 student roles + 1 facilitator = 4 total - Typical: 4-6 student roles + 1-2 facilitators = 5-8 total - Usually one per student, but you can clone roles
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For each phase, decide what activities students participate in. Use the checklist below.
Phase 1 activities might be:- Read background on their character (ShowDocument) - See all the other characters (Cast) - Read the rules and schedule (Introduction, Schedule) - Make an opening statement in chat (Chat)
Phase 2 activities might be:- Negotiation chat with one other actor (Chat) - Maybe a decision: "How much will you offer?" (Decision)
Phase 3 activities might be:- Final negotiation chat (Chat) - Answer debrief questions (DebriefQuestions)
Don't worry about the technical template format yet—we'll handle that part for you. For now, just plan what activities each phase should have. The Activity Options:For each phase, you can include: - Introduction - Show the learning goals and what's about to happen - Schedule - Display the timeline and phase lengths - Cast - Let students see who else is involved - Background Info - Give each character their role description and context - Chat - Allow students to discuss and negotiate with others - Make a Decision - Have students choose between options - Reflection - Ask debrief questions at the end to help students process what they learned
Start simple. You don't need every option in every phase. Pick 2-3 activities per phase and you'll have a solid roleplay.---
- Phase 1: Read background, see cast - Phase 2: Debate in chat - Phase 3: Vote and debrief
Activities:``` Introduction → ShowDocument → Cast → Chat → Decision → DebriefQuestions ```
- Phase 1: Get their character info - Phase 2: Pair off and negotiate privately - Phase 3: Group negotiation and agreement - Phase 4: Debrief
Activities:``` Introduction → ShowDocument → PrivateChat → Chat → DebriefQuestions ```
- Each phase is one round - Round 1-3: Make decision → see results → get injected event - Final: Debrief reflection
Activities:``` (per round) Decision → Inject → Announcement → (repeat) → DebriefQuestions ```
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``` ✗ "She's smart" ✓ "She's the Minister of Trade with 20 years of negotiation experience" ```
Private description = The conflict``` ✗ "She wants to succeed" ✓ "She wants to succeed, but her government is threatening to replace her if she makes any concessions. She's desperate but trying not to show it." ```
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- [ ] I've written learning objectives (what should students understand?) - [ ] I have 2-4 phases with clear descriptions - [ ] I've created at least 3 student roles with good private descriptions - [ ] I've planned activities for each phase - [ ] I've included debrief questions for reflection
To submit:1. Save your roleplay as a text or Word document 2. Attach any images, documents, or background materials 3. Email to: [email@scsw.org] 4. Include your name, institution, and expected class size
What happens next:- We review it (1-2 days) - We discuss any questions or refinements - We convert it to our system - You test it with a small group (1-2 sessions) - We make final tweaks based on how it runs - It's ready for your full class!
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1. We review your roleplay (24-48 hours) 2. We convert it to the technical format (2-3 days) 3. You test it with a small group (1 week) 4. We refine it based on feedback (1-2 days) 5. It's live! You can use it with your full class
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Here's a tiny complete example to show you what the finished template looks like:
```yaml roleplayName: Classroom Budget Committee roleplayVersion: 0.0.1 roleplayCreatingOrg: Community College roleplayBlurb: You serve on your college's budget committee and must allocate limited funds among competing departments.
learningObjectives: - Understand budget trade-offs - Practice prioritization under constraints - See diverse stakeholder perspectives
expectedAudience: - Any students interested in governance and finance
introduction: - You're serving on a committee that decides how to allocate $5M in budget cuts. - Each person represents a different department. - You have 45 minutes to decide.
phases: - phaseName: Opening Statements - phaseName: Negotiation - phaseName: Final Vote
actors: - actorName: Biology Department Chair actorPrivateDescription: Biology is only $2M, but you need another $500K to keep the lab open. If you don't get it, you'll lose 3 faculty members.
- actorName: Business School Director actorPrivateDescription: Business brings in more tuition than any other program. You'll argue to protect enrollment.
- actorName: Library Director actorPrivateDescription: The library serves everyone. You'll argue for cutting specific services instead of deep departmental cuts.
- actorName: Provost (Facilitator) actorPublicDescription: Your job is to keep the discussion fair and move toward a decision.
activities: - Phase 1: Introduction → ShowDocument (here's the budget) - Phase 2: Chat (negotiate) - Phase 3: Decision (vote) → DebriefQuestions ```
That's it. Simple, but effective.
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A: No. Sections marked "Optional" can be skipped. At minimum: metadata, learning goals, phases, actors, and activities.
Q: How long should character descriptions be?A: 2-3 sentences each. Students will read these in 1-2 minutes.
Q: How many actors should I create?A: One per student, typically. If your class has 20 students and you want groups of 4, create 5 actors and have them clone to 4 students each.
Q: What if I want to change something after students start?A: Tell your facilitator immediately. Small tweaks (like adding an Inject message) can be done on the fly. Major changes should wait for the next run.
Q: Is there a time limit to complete the template?A: Spend as much time as you want, but you don't need to be perfect. 60 minutes of thinking + 30 minutes of writing is typical. You'll refine after testing.
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- We have example roleplay templates available - Our team can answer questions about your design
After You're Done:- Contact us when you're ready to submit - We'll review your roleplay and help refine it - We handle converting your written guide into the technical format - You'll test it with a small group first before it goes live
Questions?- Email us at: [email@scsw.org] - We're happy to help with design questions before you submit
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Good luck! We can't wait to see what you create.SCORP Team Seachange Simulations Project August 2026