How To Play
1. Discover the scenario.
Watch the short welcome video to find out what future we’re forecasting. Think about the scenario questions for a minute or two, and you’re ready to play! (There’s also background on the scenario if you want to learn more.)
2. Play a card.
A card is an idea about the future. Your first card is either “positive imagination” — something good that we could do in the future scenario — or “dark imagination” — a challenge or obstacle that might stand in our way. If you’re optimistic, play a positive imagination card. If you’re pessimistic, play a dark imagination card. And if you can picture both positive and dark outcomes, then play one of each!
3. Build on other players’ forecasts
Check out the ideas created by other players! Look for cards that really catch your eye — and then take them one step further, in one of four possible directions.
- “No way!” If you disagree, play an antagonism card.
- “Yes! And…” If you agree, play a momentum card.
- “Yes! But…” If you agree, but if you can imagine the idea playing out differently in your field or part of the world, play an adaptation card.
- “Hmmm…” If you have a follow-up question, play an investigation card.
4. Watch the game live on the Dashboard
Get a bird’s-eye view of the game unfolding on the Dashboard. Follow trending topics, and see which ideas are gaining momentum. Track your favorite ideas and players in conversation. And keep an eye on the leaderboard to see where you stand!
Forecasting Tips
Make your best guess… but don’t worry about being “right.” If you think something is possible, share it! Your ideas don’t have to be probable. They just have to be possible.
Play to your personal strengths. The Foresight Engine is a collaborative community. Everyone is encouraged to draw on their individual expertise. What do you know a lot about? What do you care a lot about? Where do you live? Who do you know? What are you good at? Whoever you are, there are ideas about the future only YOU could have, and there are thoughts only YOU could think. Please share them with us!
Share multiple ideas. Don’t try to come up with the one “best” idea. Share all your ideas, one card at a time. Then watch and see which of your ideas spark the most conversation!
Don’t get into idea wars. We will frequently disagree with each other’s ideas and forecasts! But we can still treat each other with respect. If you disagree, make your best case, and then move on to other ideas.
Push yourself to be original. Feel free to play the first ideas you think of. But after that, try to push your ideas to the extreme. Go beyond the obvious. Try to think something you’ve never thought before!
The Foresight Engine features Strengths,
Points, Levels and Achievements. They’re a fun way for you to measure
your personal progress in developing future forecasting skills.
Strengths
Every card you play builds up your personal forecasting strengths.
| Positive Imagination | Your skill in imagining Best-Case Outcomes |
| Dark Imagination | Your skill in imagining Worst-Case Outcomes |
| Momentum | Your skill in pushing micro-forecasts One Step Further. What happens next in this story? |
| Antagonism | Your skill in arguing an Alternative Outcome. Disagree? Tell a different story. |
| Adaptation | Your skill in adapting a micro-forecast for your field or location. Tell a story more relevant to your work or your life. |
| Investigation | Your skill in asking a follow-up question. |
Watch your strengths
grow on your
profile page
. You can also view the strengths of
any other player by clicking on their name.
Forecasting Points
The more you inspire others and provoke conversation, the more points
you’ll earn.
You earn 1 point whenever another players
build on your forecast – and 20 points when your card is marked
as “Super-interesting” by a Foresight guide.
(You don’t earn any points for a
forecast unless someone else builds on it, or a guide is surprised by
it – so don’t be boring!)
Track your points, and see players
and cards with the most points, on the leaderboard.
Levels
The more idea points you earn, the faster you’ll level up.
| Level | Forecasting Points Required |
|---|---|
| Novice | 0 |
| Keen | 1-4 |
| Inspired | 5-19 |
| Brilliant | 20-42 |
| Luminous | 43-79 |
| Genius | 80-179 |
| Extreme Genius | 180-299 |
| Beyond Extreme Genius | 300-424 |
| Legend | >425 |
Achievements
If you really apply your imagination, you’ll unlock forecasting achievements.
Here are some of the achievements available… and many more surprise
achievements you’ll only discover whe you earn them! Keep an eye on the Game News for achievement announcements.
Automatically unlocked
| HIGH SCORE: | Most points earned in an experiment |
| PROVOCATEUR: | Started the longest chain-reaction in an experiment |
| THE WORKS: | Contributed all five types of micro-forecasts in a single experiment |
| TRILOGY: | Completed three different engagements |
Awarded by Foresight guides
| Ted Talk: | Micro-forecast most worthy of an 18-minute elaboration* |
| Macarthur Genius: | Micro-forecast most worthy of five-year funding** |
| Hawking: | Micro-forecast with the clearest sense of the very big picture |
| Feynman: | Micro-forecast with the clearest sense of the very small picture |
| Venter: | Micro-forecast that makes the biggest paradigm shift |
| Heisenberg: | The player that had the biggest impact of the conversation |
| J.K. Rowling Award: | The most imaginative idea |
| Usain Bolt Award: | The idea that will have the greatest impact on speeding new treatments to market. |
| The MRF ARC™ Award: | The idea that offers the most holistic approach. |
| ????: | Mystery achievements will be awarded throughout! |
*does not come with an actual invitation
to present at the TED conference
**does not come with $500,000 funding
If you only have 1 minute:
- Play one card and make your voice heard.
If you have 10 minutes:
- Explore the card stack and try to find 3 forecasts that surprise you. Play at least one card on each, to build on their ideas.
If you have 20 minutes:
- Watch trending topics on the dashboard and jump into the most conversations. See if you can start your own trending topic by sparking conversation with other players about a future idea you really care about.
If you’re hooked:
- Most engagements last at least 24 hours – so come back anytime to check the dashboard for builds on your forecasts, or new cards from your favorite players.
- As you dive deeper into the scenario, watch the blog for new forecasting challenges. You’ll be asked to tackle specific themes and twists within the future scenario.
