Thread by @mizzao

The closest feeling I've felt to building a startup, outside of actually building a #startup, is playing Sid Meier's #Civilization.

(1/n)

But compared to Civ, a startup:

- has way more complex and nuanced strategies and best practices, but no Civilopedia
- doesn't let you save the game and pick it up later
- doesn't always let you "one more turn"... sometimes you just have to take a break or do it tomorrow

(2/n)

The beginning of Civ when you're scouting out the terrain near your capital and trying to find the ideal place to settle your next 2-3 cities feels a lot like the idea maze.

(3/n)

When you find out that Shaka spawned next to you, and he declares war and sends over a carpet of doom of Impis, crossbows, and trebuchets... that's FAANG copying your product after you find some product-market fit.

(4/n)

Could we create a game like Civilization, but where you build a startup instead? Perhaps a cool way to teach the real ups & downs of entrepreneurship, closer to firsthand. Could maybe leverage AI-driven procedural generation (negotiating with GPT-3 generated NPC VCs?)

(5/n)

Chieftain level: you start as a freshman in an Ivy League school amidst high quality potential co-founders, your parents are rich self-made entrepreneurs who you can ask for advice, and can introduce you to Tier 1 VCs or just let you self-fund for a while

(6/n)

Deity level: same world, but you're the poor child of immigrants and didn't go to college. Your friends are all working gig jobs or trying to get rich with crypto. One of your parents is sick and you work two jobs to pay the bills and take care of your younger siblings.

(7/n)

Would love to play this game someday. Seems like it could let you feel what it's like to be in someone else's shoes, perhaps?

(fin)