here’s what claude came up with, I fed it your prompt.
# INFLATION: The Card Game
*A satirical economic survival game for 2-4 players*
## OVERVIEW
Players struggle to maintain their standard of living as prices rise while their income stays flat. The goal is simple: survive the longest without going bankrupt while being forced to participate in the very system that’s bleeding you dry.
## COMPONENTS
### Card Types
- **Paycheck Cards** (40 cards): Your fixed income - $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, or $5,000
- **Essential Goods Cards** (60 cards): Rent, Food, Gas, Healthcare, Utilities
- **Inflation Tracker Cards** (20 cards): Price multipliers (1.1x, 1.2x, 1.3x, 1.5x, 2.0x)
- **Tax Cards** (12 cards): Government demands 30% of your paycheck
- **Investment Cards** (24 cards): Hedge fund shares in Essential Goods companies
- **Event Cards** (20 cards): Economic surprises and emergencies
### Other Components
- Player boards to track money and investments
- Inflation dial or tracker
- Money tokens ($100, $500, $1000 denominations)
## SETUP
1. Each player draws one Paycheck Card - this is their fixed monthly income
1. Create the Essential Goods Market: Place 5 Essential Goods cards face-up
1. Place Inflation Tracker at 1.0x (base prices)
1. Each player starts with money equal to their paycheck amount
1. Shuffle remaining cards into their respective decks
## GAMEPLAY
### Monthly Phases (each round)
#### Phase 1: Paycheck
- Collect your paycheck amount in money
- **Tax Phase**: Immediately lose 30% to taxes (round up)
#### Phase 2: Mandatory Purchases
Players must buy ALL five essential goods from the market:
- **Rent**: Base cost $800
- **Food**: Base cost $400
- **Gas**: Base cost $200
- **Healthcare**: Base cost $300
- **Utilities**: Base cost $150
*Current price = Base cost × Current inflation multiplier*
#### Phase 3: Forced Investment
- Must invest at least 10% of remaining money in hedge fund shares
- Investment options correspond to the essential goods companies
- Shares cost $100 each but pay dividends based on how much prices have risen
#### Phase 4: Inflation Increase
- Draw an Inflation Tracker card
- Prices increase by the multiplier shown
- Previous multiplier is discarded
#### Phase 5: Event
- Draw an Event Card and resolve its effect
- Examples: “Medical Emergency: Pay $500 extra healthcare costs”
- “Car Repair: Pay $300 or skip Gas purchases for 2 rounds”
## INVESTMENT MECHANICS
### Hedge Fund Dividends
At the end of each round, receive dividends:
- For each share you own, earn $10 × current inflation multiplier
- This creates the cruel irony: you profit from your own suffering
### Share Prices
- Investment shares increase in value as inflation rises
- You can sell shares for current market value
- But you must maintain minimum investment (10% of income per round)
## WINNING CONDITIONS
### Bankruptcy (Elimination)
You’re eliminated if you can’t afford all essential goods for two consecutive months.
### Victory
Last player remaining wins, or the player with the highest net worth (cash + investments) after 12 rounds.
## SAMPLE CARDS
### Essential Goods Cards
```
RENT
Base Cost: $800
"A roof over your head - non-negotiable"
Current Price: $800 × Inflation Rate
```
### Event Cards
```
SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS
All goods cost +$100 this round
Inflation increases by additional 0.1x
```
```
CORPORATE WINDFALL
Your investments pay double dividends this round
(Because someone's getting rich off this mess)
```
### Investment Cards
```
BigRent Corp Shares
Sector: Housing
Dividend: $10 × Inflation Rate per share
"Profiting from necessity since 1982"
```
## ADVANCED RULES
### Salary Negotiation Variant
- Once per game, attempt to negotiate a raise
- Roll dice: 1-2 = Denied, 3-4 = 5% raise, 5-6 = 10% raise
- But inflation immediately increases by 0.2x (the market “adjusts”)
### Credit Card Debt
- Players can go into debt to buy essentials
- Pay 20% interest each round on outstanding debt
- Bankruptcy threshold becomes -$2000 instead of $0
### Political Action Cards
- Special cards that let you vote on economic policies
- Effects last 2-3 rounds but often have unintended consequences
## DESIGNER NOTES
This game captures the frustrating cycle of modern economics:
- Your necessities become more expensive
- Your income stays flat
- You’re forced to invest in the companies raising your costs
- The system profits while you struggle
- Even when your investments do well, it’s because everything else got worse
The game ends when players realize the house always wins… just like real life.
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*“In Inflation, everybody loses - except the house.”*