When Life Gives You Lemons

“When Life Gives You Lemons” is a game designed to teach educational principles, specifically in economics and financial planning. The game simulates the management of a real business, requiring the player to continually adjust in order to please customers and make profit. The player must run a lemonade stand, and is in charge of deciding how many ingredients to buy, what price to charge, and what sort of recipe to provide. At the end of each day, the customers give the player feedback on the quality and price of the lemonade. The objective of the game is to earn as much money (and popularity) as possible and earn badges for various achievements along the way!

Players are able to save their progress in the game, and continue at a later date. The success of a particular day in the game, as well as the success of a particular recipe, are mainly contingent upon weather and popularity, but also vary due to built-in randomness.

“When Life Gives You Lemons” was created by undergraduate computer science students at Harvey Mudd College in the Fall 2014 semester. The game, as well as the class which guided its development, were funded in part by the National Science Foundation#1042472.