As I have downloaded and installed Oil Baron on my computer, I was brought back to a time in high school when I was learning about the stock market. The game is interesting as it shows some of the various ways oil companies may (or may not) experience problems.
The game is relatively short. You’re allowed to select various years to play at the beginning of the game for length the shortest as 1 year and the longest of 10.
The years are divided into half year turns. You can also play along with up to 3 other people. So in a classroom environment it is interesting to see how different strategies pan out. Some are better for long term playing and others better for short term playing. However, even with 10 years of turns it is a relatively short game with 1 player you should be able to complete the game in 30 minutes or so depending, of course, on your speed going through the game.
Some of the events are getting a new investor, hostile takeover attempts, mergers, oil spills, oil fires, and dry oil wells. One of the benefits of the game is that persons can printout an end tally sheet so they can show what they earned
in the company over several periods of time.
Information on Bankruptcy
After releasing oil to the refineries and you have ended your turn, if you fall into a negative balance (Due to something in the random events) you will be forced to sell off assets:
You can choose to do voluntary liquidation where you choose what you wish to sell OR B, involuntary liquidation, you can have the ‘bank’ do it. In the case of B, you will not be able to choose the assets sold and you will have no say in the matter. In the case of Voluntary liquidation, if you sell off property that is less then that of the amount that you need (this amount is continually displayed) and then stop; the game will sell of the remaining portion as it so chooses.
There are two different stations available for purchase during the game. A Class A Station uses more gasoline then a Class B station. Note that your refineries release gas to your stations so the more stations you own the more gas you need to produce to supply them. During the game you may get one merger throughout the game. This will be taxed.
During a hostile takeover, you must repurchase enough stock in order to continue to play if you don’t have the cash reserves at this time in order to repurchase the stock you will be forced into liquidation of your assets. Domestic Lobbies help you in reducing fines and lowering domestic oil prices. Contributions to this are made in Lobby blocks costing 5000 per block. Foreign Lobbies help you in reducing foreign oil prices Contributions are made by the block and cost 10000 per block.
Various strikes occur during the game effecting whether or not you can get either Domestic or Foreign oil. So it is sometimes a good idea during the game to store up extra oil for these lean times. But note, you can sell the oil back after releasing oil to your refineries but at a reduced price then current market value. There is more information on the various items of the game through the use of F2 also note that when the program is loaded you can also view the guide automatically. Use the arrow keys to navigate through the help screen.
Overall, this is a fun, short, but realistic and fairly complex game that can teach you a lot about the stock market and the oil industry in general.
