one dataset · paper, tables, graph, wiki
simgrammar the grammar of simulation

parts

8 mechanics, as Rebel Inc. does them

core · 3

governance & policy

Citizen satisfaction

Civilian initiatives raise popular support region by region, and stabilizing the country without letting insurgents take control is the goal.

governance & policy

Stability and unrest

An insurgency emerges partway through and contests regions against coalition forces; later, peace can be negotiated with insurgent leaders.

economy & finance

Treasury and budget

A monthly budget funds infrastructure, jobs, education, roads, and military spending; the more initiatives the player funds, the more corruption and inflation rise, and the Economist governor receives the whole budget annually.

supporting · 5

governance & policy

Corruption leakage

Funding more civilian initiatives raises corruption and inflation, which erode what the monthly budget achieves; the governance tab offers anti-corruption measures.

governance & policy

Policy toggles

A governance tab offers anti-corruption measures.

progression & goals

Scenario objectives

Each region has its own geography, and selectable governors such as the Economist and the Warlord change the rules.

narrative & generation

Triggered event chains

Random events interrupt plans and offer choices.

core loop

fund civilian initiatives in regions -> popular support rises -> spending raises corruption and inflation -> an insurgency emerges and contests regions -> deploy troops, counter corruption, or negotiate -> stabilize the country to win

design notes

Rebel Inc. inverts Ndemic's earlier Plague Inc.: instead of spreading a disease, the player contains an insurgency by building popular support, and spending itself generates corruption and inflation. The tension is between civilian initiatives that win support slowly and military spending that holds ground without building support. Corruption as a side effect of spending is not yet a mechanic in the taxonomy (proposal corruption-leakage).

appears in

the paper, 2 sections · 2 chapters
paper

5. The structure of the design space

linked in this section of the paper

paper
paper

Appendix A. Game catalog

linked in this section of the paper

paper
catalog

The catalog

listed with its year, developer, subgenre, and number of mechanics

book
ch 9

Chapter 9. Vacant lots

linked from the text

book
ch 10

Chapter 10. Bets

linked from the text

book

relations

1 stored edges
influenced by

sources

1
Wikipedia contributors (2026). Rebel Inc. (video game). Wikipedia

provenance

runs in log/runs
2026-10-24
created2026-10-24-catalog-gicatalog
2026-10-24
reviewed2026-10-24-review-fixesmaintenance