[Botp2004-devel] .5 pre alpha 2

[lon z. <zi...@gc...>]

Hi Laurent,

I just took BOTP .5 pre alpha 2 for a test run.  It looks good, the =
pictures are a nice addition.

Here are some questions I had for you :

    LAKE HABITATS
        FORMULA
            VIRGIN (slider ) 100k-------->1M

The slider seems to be adjusting acidity, but it is unclear what action =
a human would do to change the acidity. =20
I think it would be good to use pH as the unit for acidity. =20


  It would be helpful if the player could click on an information box =
for each topic as they try to make decisions about changing a subsidy or =
tax and how that might affect the results.  The information boxes are in =
the FILES section OLD MANUAL  at the BOTP SITE - YAHOO, (near the last =
end of the old manual document).

Here is the Acid Rain information box from p39 in the old manual:

                                                        Acid Rain=20
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Acid rain is caused by burning fossil fuels.  Coal burned in power =
plants and steel mills makes up most of it; but cars contribute as well. =
The nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide from burning fossil fuel mixes =
with water vapor in the air; when rain, dew, or snow fall, it contains =
the nitric acid or sulfuric acid from the pollutants.=20
=20

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Acid rain is particularly dangerous, because it is so politically bland. =

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It does not grab headlines.  It does not strike in a sudden dramatic =
catastrophe like an oil spill or a nuclear power plant accident.  It =
doesn=D5t leave  mangled bodies or dying creatures for the television =
cameras. Instead, acid rain happens every day. Its effects are dilute, =
only adding up to significance after several years. Its causes are =
diffuse, spread over hundreds or thousands of miles.  But the =
consequences of acid rain are just as disastrous. =20
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Acid rain kills fish and could poison lakes and streams so completely =
that no forms of life could survive.=20
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Acid rain destroys forests. The acid attacks the leaves of trees.  In =
the soil, acid rain causes the bacteria to release more methane gas, =
which in turn contributes to the greenhouse effect. Much forest land of =
Germany has already been damaged by acid rain.=20
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=20

Acid rain damages property. The acid attacks paint on cars and =
buildings, corrodes exposed structural metal in bridges and roads, and =
eats away at stone and masonry. The cumulative effect of the damage is =
estimated in tens of billions of dollars  every year.=20
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The future will probably reveal even more pathways whereby acid rain is =
wreaking its havoc.=20
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Another example  is the card for CARBON DIOXIDE  from page 43 in the old =
manual,


Carbon Dioxide=20
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Carbon dioxide is a simple compound: just two oxygen atoms attached to a =
single carbon atom.=20
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Its ecological significance lies in three facts: 1) it is the output of =
many biochemical reactions in which hydrocarbons are oxidized; 2) it is =
the input for biochemical reactions in which hydrocarbons are built; and =
3) it contributes to the greenhouse effect.=20
=20


     In the original version of BOTP , this information would come up =
along with the visual for Carbon Dioxide or Acid Rain.

I tried  the STARVATION POINTS and am not sure this is working quite =
right.  I clicked on STARVATION     then selected POLICIES so that I =
might make a decision about something that would alleviate world wide =
starvation.  I decided to try increasing the beef tax to reduce =
competition for grain supplies and make more food available.  I was not =
able to get to the formula for increasing the beef tax to help the =
starvation problem.=20

Thought you might like to try that one your self.

lon



    =20