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

parts

12 mechanics, as Schedule I does them

core · 5

resources & production

Crop cultivation

Plants are grown in pots with soil and water over a growth timer, then harvested as the base product.

economy & finance

Customer value choice

Customers have preferred effects and price tolerances; matching them builds repeat orders and relationships that open further customers.

control & automation

Direct avatar control

The player personally grows, cooks, mixes, and delivers in first person until staff take over.

economy & finance

Product development

Mixing ingredients such as soft drinks or paracetamol into a base product adds named effects that raise its value and match customer preferences.

economy & finance

Staff hiring and rosters

Dealers sell to their own customer lists for a cut, and botanists, cooks, and janitors run production at owned properties.

supporting · 7

space & construction

Building placement

Grow tents, stations, and storage are placed inside bought properties.

risk & failure

Crime and policing

Police pressure grows with operations through patrols, random searches, roadblocks, and night curfews; being seen raises a wanted status that can end in arrest.

environment & ecology

Day-night cycle

A daily clock with a night curfew shapes when deals can be made.

progression & goals

Milestone unlocks

Rank and story progress unlock new regions, customers, and equipment.

multiplayer & persistence

Modding API

No official API at release; mods load through the de facto MelonLoader.

resources & production

Production chains

Higher products need multi-step chains such as cooking methamphetamine at chemistry stations.

resources & production

Quality tiers

Product quality varies with inputs such as soil and additives and affects price.

core loop

grow or cook a base product -> mix in ingredients to add effects -> sell to customers who want those effects -> avoid police searches and curfews -> hire dealers and staff -> buy properties -> unlock new regions

design notes

Schedule I runs a production business through a first-person avatar: the player waters plants, operates mixing and cooking stations, and walks or drives deals across Hyland Point before hiring dealers, botanists, cooks, and janitors to automate the chain. Mixing common ingredients such as soft drinks or paracetamol into a product adds effects that raise its sale value, and customers want particular effects, so recipe discovery is the product-development layer. Police pressure rises with growth through random searches, roadblocks, and curfews, and being seen breaking the law sets a wanted status, a player-heat rule the taxonomy lacks (proposed as heat-wanted-level). The game is in early access, with an exit planned for Q4 2027.

appears in

the paper, 2 sections
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

sources

2
Wikipedia contributors (2026). Schedule I (video game). Wikipedia
(2026). Schedule I on Steam. Steam

provenance

runs in log/runs
2026-10-24
created2026-10-24-catalog-gecatalog
2026-10-25
reviewed2026-10-25-contributor-readinessmaintenance