In light of this, I’m going to propose a rule set for strip iterated prisoner’s dilemma.
For those unfamiliar, the Prisoner’s Dilemma is a standard example in game theory. The setup goes thus:
Two prisoners (who acted together) are accused of a crime. Each is given the following deal: Betray the other prisoner, and they can walk free while the other serves 10 years in prison. The catch is that if both betray, both serve 5 years instead of one going free and the other serving 10 years. If they both remain silent (“cooperate” with each other), then they each receive a brief 6-month sentence for the only thing the cops have enough evidence to pin on them.
So to make this a strip game, we just need to change the rules a bit:
- Alice defects, Bob defects: Each player removes two articles of clothing.
- Alice defects, Bob cooperates: Bob removes three articles of clothing.
- Alice cooperates, Bob defects: Alice removes three articles of clothing.
- Alice cooperates, Bob cooperates: Each player removes one article of clothing.
It’s unfortunate that articles of clothing are such coarse score units. I’m thinking a system whereby players accumulate points and every time they pass n points they have to remove an article of clothing might work better, but hey, it’s Strip Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma. How polished need it be?
You also have to take into account that neither of the two prisoners ever get to see each other, thus removing any reason for them to take off there clothes in the first place.
Unless you were the detective, in which case I would say “Bad news, Alice. Bob betrayed! Take off three!” regardless of what Bob said.
*their
Haha, good point. Although, in cases where the game is actually played, it is usually done with cards played face downand revealed simultaneously, earning points on a payoff table.
As in any strip game, the golden rule is dress for a blizzard. Then I’d just defect each time ^^
I implemented the game in Second Life (yes, using the world’s worst programming language…)
If you have an account, IM me or send me a notecard if you’d like a copy! I don’t remember exactly what values I used, but it’s open source, so you can change them anyways.
There’s a problem with this approach, that it gets people naked so quickly that it doesn’t really qualify as a game.
I mean its possible that 3 articles of clothing will have to be removed at once – that makes for how many? 2 rounds?
I propose another version one for more than 2 players:
1) 2 players are randomly selected (spin a bottle, draw lots, whatever). They get seated back to back, so that they can’t see each other.
2) They then make a gesture – thumbs up means cooperating, thumbs down means defecting.
3.1) If they both cooperate they keep their clothes and 2 replacing players are selected
3.2) If A cooperates and B defects, A keeps their clothes and get replaced, B has to remove 1 article and stay.
3.3) If they both defect, both have to remove 1 article and be replaced.
The first obvious problem seems to be that if everyone cooperates, the game comes to a halt, but I am actually more concerned that it might deteriorate to everyone defecting.
Gonna have to try this out when I get a chance and keep thinking about how to avoid single-solution situations without making the game complicated (with drunken strip games, simplicity is the holy grail).
I think that you may have made a mistake with the utility of the payoffs.