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Students can join on a laptop, desktop, tablet, or mobile phone with a modern browser and a stable internet connection. Coordinators should use a laptop or desktop, as the coordinator dashboard shows more at once than comfortably fits on a phone. SIMSOC runs entirely in the browser either way (no downloads or installs), and uses built-in video calling, so a camera and microphone are recommended for hybrid and fully virtual games.

For in-person sessions, we recommend either a separate room per region (four for a full-size game, three for a smaller cohort), or one larger room split into a corner or area per region. Either way, a coordinator or helper should confirm each student is where they’re supposed to be — a glance at their device, which always shows their current region live, is enough to check — and in a shared room, it’s on the coordinator to make sure players aren’t communicating across regions.

Anywhere from 16 to 90 participants. The simulation automatically adjusts its regions and organizations to fit your group size, so you don’t have to plan around a fixed headcount.

SIMSOC runs as a series of sessions of roughly 50 to 90 minutes each, usually five to ten of them, plus a reflection that can last anywhere from 45 minutes to 2+ hours. Some programs run SIMSOC all in a single day, others over consecutive days, and others spread it across several weeks of a course. We’ll help you find a shape that fits your schedule.

No. Our team helps you plan your first session, and the app automates resource distribution, employment, and transactions during the game itself, so you can focus on observing and facilitating rather than bookkeeping.

Yes. We only collect what we need to run and support your session, and we never sell or share participant data.

SIMSOC is built for experiential learning and debrief rather than automated scoring. Most instructors connect it to a written reflection, class discussion, or participation grade. We’re happy to talk through what’s worked well for similar courses.