Zombieconomy Sim Analysis

Introduction

Zombieconomy Sim, by Craze, appears in Befuddle Quest 4 Dead, the fourth in a series of collaborative puzzle games organized by kentona, which I recently (as of this writing) streamed a playthrough of on YouTube. It's largely similar to the Economy Sim minigame Craze contributed to Befuddle Quest 2: Charmed & Dangerous, but zombie themed.

And I found myself failing it repeatedly (refer to the end of Befuddle Quest 4 Dead (part 1 of 3)). So, as I tend to do, I went ahead and took a look at the design. After coming up with a plan, the next attempt went much more smoothly (refer to the beginning of Befuddle Quest 4 Dead (part 2 of 3)).

Game Details

At the beginning of the game, you assign each of eight locations either a skeleton, a zombie, a ghost, or a reaper to oversee operations there. Skeletons are balanced and reduce the chance of a crisis, while zombies give bonuses to gold (because they don't mind tedious work), ghosts give bonuses to food (because they don't eat), and reapers give bonuses to bones (because reapers gonna reap). Those that give bonuses to a particular resource tend to reduce losses of that resource in addition to increasing gains.

During each round of the game, you pick one of three possible actions for each location. Some will normally have a single specific outcome, while others will randomly select between two or more, not necessarily with equal chance.

Each action you take may affect your current amount, production rate, or both for any or all of the three resources. Different options have different effects, and many of the results are tradeoffs that expend some of one resource to get more of another.

However, all actions also have a chance to result in a crisis—1 in 20 for skeletons, and 1 in 6 for all other units. Crises are generally harmful, but some of them can be negated or even turn beneficial depending on the overseer. Because the game runs for ten rounds with eight actions per round, you should expect to see several crises during the course of a run, even when using all skeletons.

You have 10 rounds to reach the goal of 300 gold, 200 food, and 200 bones. Your resources start at 0 each, and your total production starts out at +17 gold, -4 food, and +3 bones per round.

Keep in mind that changes to resource production affect all remaining rounds, so are more effective the sooner you get them. A +2 to production in round one, for instance, will provide 20 more of that resource over the course of the minigame, while getting the same +2 production in round ten will only add 2 to the total.

All averages below are accurate to two decimal places.

Desert Shrine

The shrine is place of worship that also features a mysterious tower and buried treasure. You won't get a lot of productivity out of it, but it's reasonably good, if inconsistent, for immediate gains. I picked a reaper and mainly used Dig for Treasure.

Initial production: +2 gold and -1 bones per round.

Pray

The priests attempt to summon something. Note that although the prompt indicates a bone cost, and the descriptions often mention using bones, none of the results actually affect how many bones you have.

Crisis

A giant gate to Hell engulfs the priests. Resources unaffected.

Normal

(2/5 chance) +3 gold production (+5 for zombie).
(3/5 chance) +5 food (+8 for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: +1.14 gold production, +2.85 food
Zombie: +1.67 gold production, +2.50 food
Ghost: +1.00 gold production, +4.00 food
Reaper: +1.00 gold production, +2.50 food

Dig for Treasure

Some guys who played lots of Spelunky go looking for ancient treasure.

Crisis

They're severely unhealthy and need medical care. -1 food production.
Countermeasure: The reaper kills them instead. +3 bones.

Normal

(1/5 chance) +20 gold (+30 for zombie).
(1/5 chance) +7 gold (+11 for zombie).
(1/5 chance) +5 gold (+7 for zombie).
(2/5 chance) Resources unaffected.

Average result

Skeleton: +6.08 gold, -0.05 food production, no bones
Zombie: +8.00 gold, -0.17 food production, no bones
Ghost: +5.33 gold, -0.17 food production, no bones
Reaper: +5.33 gold, no food production, +0.50 bones

Climb Tower

Adventurers set out to explore the tower.

Crisis

A sandworm attacks, and you hire mercenaries to kill it. -1 gold production.
Countermeasure: The zombie just ignores the sandworm. Resources unaffected.

Normal

(2/5 chance) +6 bones (+9 for reaper).
(3/5 chance) +1 food production (+2 for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: -0.05 gold production, +0.57 food production, +2.28 bones
Zombie: no gold production, +0.50 food production, +2.00 bones
Ghost: -0.17 gold production +1.00 food production, +2.00 bones
Reaper: -0.17 gold production +0.50 food production, +3.00 bones

Forest

Primarily a source of food and gold production, the forest can also provide immediate payouts, especially of bone. I like having zombies dance with skull elves.

Initial production: +4 food per round

Cut for Lumber

Lumberjacks go to work logging.

Crisis

A tree falls on them and you have to pay for insurance. -5 gold (-3 for zombie).

Normal

+2 gold production (+3 for zombie).

Average result

Skeleton: -0.25 gold, +1.90 gold production
Zombie: -0.50 gold, +2.50 gold production
Ghost: -0.83 gold, +1.67 gold production
Reaper: -0.83 gold, +1.67 gold production

Recruit Hunters

You hire hunters to bring in food.

Crisis

Some unspeakable horror wants the squirrel. -10 food (-7 for ghost).

Normal

+2 food production (+3 for ghost), -1 gold production (no cost for zombie).

Average result

Skeleton: -0.95 gold production, -0.50 food, +1.90 food production
Zombie: no gold production, -1.67 food, +1.67 food production
Ghost: -0.83 gold production, -1.17 food, +2.5 food production
Reaper: -0.83 gold production, -1.67 food, +1.67 food production

Dance with Skull Elves

You try to impress the skull elves with your dancing.

Crisis

Your dancer was so bad the elves demand payment. -8 bones (-5 for reaper).
Countermeasure: Zombies are the greatest dancers ever. +20 bones.

Normal

(2/5 chance) +3 food (+5 for ghost), +1 food production (+2 for ghost).
(3/5 chance) +4 bones (+8 for reaper), +1 gold production (+2 for zombie).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.57 gold production, +1.14 food, +0.38 food production, +1.88 bones
Zombie: +1.00 gold production, +1.00 food, +0.33 food production, +5.33 bones
Ghost: +0.50 gold production, +1.67 food, +0.67 food production, +0.67 bones
Reaper: +0.50 gold production, +1.00 food, +0.33 food production, +2.67 bones

Swamp

Entirely a production source, with no immediate payouts (or losses) for any option. I favor having reapers search for fossils.

Initial production: -3 gold and +1 food per round.

Terraform

Cultivate the swamp for agriculture.

Crisis

You upset the owlbears and need to appease them. -2 bone production (-1 for reaper).

Normal

+1 food production (+2 for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.95 food production, -0.10 bone production
Zombie: +0.83 food production, -0.33 bone production
Ghost: +1.67 food production, -0.33 bone production
Reaper: +0.83 food production, -0.17 bone production

Economize Operation

Shake things up in management to improve the cash flow.

Crisis

The new management is no better than the old. Resources unaffected.

Normal

+1 gold production (+2 for zombie).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.95 gold production
Zombie: +1.67 gold production
Ghost: +0.83 gold production
Reaper: +0.83 gold production

Search for Fossils

Make use of all the creatures that have died in the swamp.

Crisis

Mummies attack, but you end up leaving each other alone. Resources unaffected.

Normal

+1 bone production (+2 for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.95 bone production
Zombie: +0.83 bone production
Ghost: +0.83 bone production
Reaper: +1.67 bone production

Castle

Although there's some variety available here, the castle is primarily a gold farm. As such, zombies are probably the best choice.

Initial production: +7 gold, -5 food, and +2 bones per round.

Plant Gardens

Supplement food by planting gardens.

Crisis

Some tentacle beasts grow and need to be poisoned. -2 food (-1 for ghost).
Countermeasure: A skeleton will deal with the plants itself. +4 food.

Normal

+1 food production (+2 for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.20 food, +0.95 food production
Zombie: -0.33 food, +0.83 food production
Ghost: -0.17 food, +1.67 food production
Reaper: -0.33 food, +0.83 food production

Kill Citizens

Feed your bone supply with the excess population.

Crisis

You have to pay off a meddling paladin. -10 gold (-8 for zombie).
Countermeasure: A ghost scares the paladin away. Resources unaffected.

Normal

(2/5 chance) +7 bones (+12 for reaper), +1 bone production (+2 for reaper).
(3/5 chance) +7 bones (+12 for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: -0.50 gold, +6.65 bones, +0.38 bone production
Zombie: -1.33 gold, +5.83 bones, +0.33 bone production
Ghost: no gold, +5.83 bones, +0.33 bone production
Reaper: -1.67 gold, +10.0 bones, +0.67 bone production

Encourage Immigration

Increase the local population to improve cash flow at the cost of food.

Crisis

A huge influx arrives. +8 gold prod. (+9 for zombie), -5 food prod. (-4 for ghost).

Normal

+3 gold prod. (+5 for zombie, +2 for ghost), -1 food prod. (no cost for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: +3.25 gold production, -1.20 food production
Zombie: +5.66 gold production, -1.67 food production
Ghost: +3.00 gold production, -0.67 food production
Reaper: +3.83 gold prodction, -1.67 food production

Mountains

Although most obviously a gold source thanks to the mines, I find it more useful as a food farm with a ghost cultivating deep moss.

Initial production: +4 gold per round.

Mine Hard

Collect the readily available gold for an immediate payout.

Crisis

The miners work hard and eat hard. +15 gold (+20 for zombie), -4 food (-2 for ghost).

Normal

+7 gold (+11 for zombie).

Average result

Skeleton: +7.40 gold, -0.20 food
Zombie: +12.50 gold, -0.67 food
Ghost: +8.33 gold, -0.33 food
Reaper: +8.33 gold, -0.67 food

Expand Tunnels

Use bones as supports to expand the tunnels for better productivity.

Crisis

A cave-in results in deaths and pension payments. -1 gold production.
Countermeasure: Ghost does seances; results in hit sitcom. +2 gold production.

Normal

+3 gold production (+4 for zombie), -1 bone production (no cost for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: +2.80 gold production, -0.95 bone production
Zombie: +3.17 gold production, -0.83 bone production
Ghost: +2.83 gold production, -0.83 bone production
Reaper: +2.33 gold production, no bone production

Plant Deep Moss

A nice change of pace from mining that provides a food source.

Crisis

An aboleth ruins everyone's day. -6 food (-4 for ghost), +2 bones (+4 for reaper).

Normal

(2/5 chance) +2 food production (+3 for ghost).
(3/5 chance) +1 food production (+2 for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: -0.30 food, +1.33 food production, +0.10 bones
Zombie: -1.00 food, +1.17 food production, +0.33 bones
Ghost: -0.67 food, +2.00 food production, +0.33 bones
Reaper: -1.00 food, +1.17 food production, +0.67 bones

Barrens

Unreliable but fairly large immediate payouts, with no chance of ongoing production, but no risk of losing anything, either. Although you can never be sure of what you'll get, a reaper scavenging for bones typically results in the most total resources gained.

Initial production: None.

Send Out Foragers

Focus on finding food.

Crisis

The search party never returns. Resources unaffected.

Normal

(2/5 chance) +4 food (+8 for ghost).
(1/5 chance) +3 food (+5 for ghost).
(1/5 chance) +5 gold (+7 for zombie).
(1/5 chance) +6 bones (+12 for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.95 gold, +2.09 food, +1.14 bones
Zombie: +1.17 gold, +1.83 food, +1.00 bones
Ghost: +0.83 gold, +3.50 food, +1.00 bones
Reaper: +0.83 gold, +1.83 food, +2.00 bones

Send Out Diggers

Focus on finding gold.

Crisis

The search party never returns. Resources unaffected.

Normal

(2/5 chance) +7 gold (+12 for zombie).
(1/5 chance) +3 food (+5 for ghost).
(1/5 chance) +5 gold (+7 for zombie).
(1/5 chance) +6 bones (+12 for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: +3.61 gold, +0.57 food, +1.14 bones
Zombie: +5.17 gold, +0.5 food, +1.00 bones
Ghost: +3.17 gold, +0.83 food, +1.00 bones
Reaper: +3.17 gold, +0.5 food, +2.00 bones

Send Out Scavengers

Focus on finding bones.

Crisis

The search party never returns. Resources unaffected.

Normal

(2/5 chance) +9 bones (+15 for reaper).
(1/5 chance) +3 food (+5 for ghost).
(1/5 chance) +5 gold (+7 for zombie).
(1/5 chance) +6 bones (+12 for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.95 gold, +0.57 food, +4.56 bones
Zombie: +1.17 gold, +0.5 food, +4.00 bones
Ghost: +0.83 gold, +0.83 food, +4.00 bones
Reaper: +0.83 gold, +0.5 food, +7.00 bones

Snow Village

A smaller settlement with perhaps the most peculiar option. Ignoring that and using a ghost to make soylent green feels like the way to go, though.

Initial production: +4 gold, -2 food, and +1 bones per round.

Add Igloos

A population increasing measure, as in other towns.

Crisis

A blizzard wipes out your igloo construction. Resources unaffected.

Normal

+2 gold prod. (+3 for zombie), -1 food prod. (60% chance of no cost for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: +1.90 gold production, -0.95 food production
Zombie: +2.50 gold production, -0.83 food production
Ghost: +1.67 gold production, -0.33 food production
Reaper: +1.67 gold production, -0.83 food production

Pretend to be a Judge

Nearly as unpredictable as it is peculiar. Mainly a food source.

Crisis

Someone notices you're not the reaper elected judge. -6 food (-3 for ghost).
Countermeasure: A reaper fools everyone. +8 gold and +3 bones.

Normal

(1/5 chance) +3 gold production (+5 for zombie).
(1/5 chance) Resources unaffected.
(3/5 chance) +5 food (+8 for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: no gold, +0.57 gold production, +2.55 food, no bones
Zombie: no gold, +0.83 gold production, +1.50 food, no bones
Ghost: no gold, +0.50 gold production, +3.50 food, no bones
Reaper: +1.33 gold, +0.50 gold production, +2.50 food, +0.50 bones

Make Soylent Green

Produces bones immediately as well as food over time.

Crisis

Soylent green is people! A plant closes down. -1 food production.
Countermeasure: A ghost gets the same message, but loses no production.

Normal

+1 food production (+2 for ghost), +2 bones (+4 for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: +0.90 food production, +1.90 bones
Zombie: +0.67 food production, +1.67 bones
Ghost: +1.67 food production, +1.67 bones
Reaper: +0.67 food production, +3.33 bones

Dirt Town

Mediocre all around. Bone flour gets you some food, and digging up the cemetary is a good source of bones if you have gold to spare. I can't recommend forcing residency, unless you somehow have a gold shortage and an excess of food.

Initial production: +3 gold, -2 food, and +1 bones per round.

Dig Up the Cemetery

Pay gold to (usually) get a decent payout of bones.

Crisis

Vampires are partying, and the workers don't work. -5 gold (-3 for zombie).

Normal

-5 gold (-3 for zombie), +10 bones (+14 for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: -5.00 gold, +9.50 bones
Zombie: -3.00 gold, +8.33 bones
Ghost: -5.00 gold, +8.33 bones
Reaper: -5.00 gold, +11.67 bones

Make Bone Flour

Grind bones into food.

Crisis

The bones are ground too thin to use. -8 bones (-5 for reaper).
Countermeasure: Zombie spit makes the powder viable. +10 food.

Normal

+2 food prod. (+3 for ghost), -1 bone prod. (-4 bones instead for reaper).

Average result

Skeleton: no food, +1.90 food production, -0.40 bones, -0.95 bone production
Zombie: +1.67 food, +1.67 food production, -1.33 bones, -0.83 bone production
Ghost: no food, +2.50 food production, -1.33 bones, -0.83 bone production
Reaper: no food, +1.67 food production, -4.16 bones, no bone production

Force Residency

Arguably the worst version of the usual tradeoff for increasing population.

Crisis

Slave rebellion. -3 gold production (-2 for zombie), +2 food production.

Normal

+3 gold production (+4 for zombie), -2 food production (-1 for ghost).

Average result

Skeleton: +2.70 gold production, -1.80 food production
Zombie: +3.00 gold production, -1.33 food production
Ghost: +2.00 gold production, -0.50 food production
Reaper: +2.00 gold production, -1.33 food production