Create & Run a Simulation Session

Run an MSgames simulation from selecting a simulation to reviewing your results.

MSgames simulations place participants in decision-making environments where they make business decisions, experience the consequences of those decisions, and learn through repeated cycles of action and outcome.

The exact experience, rules, configuration options, rounds, and decisions vary by simulation. This guide explains the common workflow for creating and running a Simulation session.

Before You Begin

Before creating your session, make sure you have:

An active MSgames instructor account
A simulation you want to use
An idea of when you want the session to take place
The participants who will be joining the session
Any preparation or instructions you want to provide participants before they begin

1. Select a Simulation

After logging in as an instructor, go to your MSgames dashboard.

Select Simulations to browse the available simulations.

Each simulation is displayed as a card with information such as its name and a brief description. Browse the available options and select the simulation that best fits your course, topic, and learning objectives.

Once you select a simulation, you will enter its dedicated simulation workspace.

2. Explore the Simulation Workspace

Each simulation has its own workspace with a navigation panel on the left.

The workspace provides four main areas:

Overview

The Overview is your starting point for the selected simulation. It gives you a quick look at the selected simulation and the key steps involved in running it, from creating a session and sharing the code to starting the game and reviewing the results. Use it as a quick reference while running your simulation.

Session

The Session section is where you create and manage the specific session you will run with your participants.

This is where you begin the setup process.

Resources

Use Resources to access the materials associated with the simulation.

Check the available resources before running your session so you understand what information, instructions, or supporting material is provided for the simulation.

Reports

The Reports section is where you can review the results generated by the simulation and access the available report for download.

3. Review the Resources

Before creating or running your session, review the resources available for the simulation.

We recommend that instructors review the resources relevant to their preparation, particularly the Instructor Video, Manual, Facilitator's Handout, and Teaching Note.

The Player Video can be used to help participants understand the simulation before they begin.

The Author Video provides additional context about the simulation.

The resources available may differ from one simulation to another.

4. Create a Session

Once you have selected your simulation and reviewed the relevant resources, go to Session.

Select New Session to create a session for the selected simulation.

A session is a specific instance of a simulation that you will run with a particular group of participants.

For example, if you are using the same simulation for two different classes, you can create separate sessions for each class.

The session is associated with the simulation you selected, so the available setup and configuration options are specific to that simulation.

5. Configure the Simulation

After creating the session, configure the simulation according to the requirements of your class.

The configuration options available depend on the simulation you selected. These settings determine how the particular simulation session will be conducted.

Review the available game rules and parameters and configure them according to your requirements.

Depending on the simulation, this may involve configuring aspects such as:

Game rules
Timing
Rounds
Participant or player settings
Other simulation-specific parameters

Important

Every simulation can have its own rules and configuration options.

Do not assume that the setup or configuration of one simulation will be identical to another. Always review the options presented within the selected simulation.

6. Get Your Session Code

Once your session has been set up, MSgames provides a session code for participants to use when joining.

The session code identifies the specific simulation session you have created.

Keep the code available and share it with the participants who will be playing the simulation.

Share the session code with your students, players, or other participants.

You can share the code through the channel you normally use with your class, such as:

Your LMS
Email
Classroom display
Messaging platform
Verbal instructions

Make sure participants know that they will need the code to join the session.

8. Participants Join the Session

Participants use the session code to enter your simulation.

Participant journey

1. Log in to MSgames

Participants select I'm a Student on the MSgames login screen and sign in.

2. Select Join a Game

From the dashboard, participants use the Join a Game area.

3. Enter the session code

Participants enter the code provided by the instructor.

4. Join the simulation

After entering the correct code, participants can enter the simulation session.

Before starting

Confirm that the participants you expect to play have successfully joined the session.

If a participant is unable to join, visit Troubleshooting for help.

9. Prepare Participants

Before starting the simulation, make sure participants understand the experience they are about to undertake.

Depending on the simulation, participants may need to understand:

Their role
Their team or group
The decisions they will make
The number or sequence of rounds
The time available
How decisions are submitted
How outcomes or feedback will be presented

Use the simulation's available Player Video and other relevant resources where appropriate.

The exact participant experience varies by simulation.

10. Start the Simulation

Once participants have joined and everyone is ready, start the simulation.

Many MSgames simulations are structured around multiple rounds. Participants make decisions based on the information available to them, and the simulation generates outcomes based on those decisions.

Those outcomes then provide information for subsequent decisions.

The learning cycle is:

Decision → Outcome → Interpretation → Next Decision

The number of rounds, decisions, timing, and gameplay mechanics depend on the selected simulation.

11. Run and Monitor the Simulation

During the session, facilitate the simulation while participants work through the experience.

Use the simulation workspace to track live progress and understand how the session is progressing.

Depending on the simulation, you may need to:

Monitor participant progress
Track the current round
Manage classroom timing
Clarify instructions
Give participants time to make decisions
Observe emerging patterns
Facilitate discussion between rounds
Help participants understand the implications of their decisions

The objective is not simply to reach a final score. Participants should experience the consequences of their decisions and use those outcomes to inform subsequent decisions.

Where appropriate, pause between rounds and ask questions such as:

What happened?
Why did it happen?
Which decisions contributed to the outcome?
What assumptions did you make?
What would you change in the next round?

12. Complete the Simulation

Once the required rounds or activities are complete, conclude the simulation.

Allow participants to reflect on what happened and how their decisions affected the outcome.

A useful reflection moves beyond:

What was my score?

to:

Why did I get that outcome?

and:

What would I do differently?

13. Review Your Results

After the simulation, go to Reports to review the results generated by the simulation.

The information available depends on the selected simulation.

Use the results to understand participant and team performance and to support:

Classroom debriefing
Feedback
Assessment
Performance review
Discussion of decision quality
Connection to course concepts

Where available, download the simulation report for further review or use in your classroom.

14. Debrief the Simulation

The simulation provides the experience; the debrief helps turn that experience into learning.

A useful debrief can move through three questions:

What happened?

Review the major decisions and outcomes.

Why did it happen?

Explore the assumptions, trade-offs, and decisions that contributed to the outcomes.

What would you do differently?

Ask participants to apply what they learned to a future decision or a real-world business situation.

Use the Teaching Note and Facilitator's Handout, where available, to support your preparation and debrief.

The Complete Simulation Workflow

Select a Simulation

↓

Explore the Simulation Workspace

↓

Review Resources

↓

Create a Session

↓

Configure the Simulation

↓

Get the Session Code

↓

Share the Code

↓

Participants Log In

↓

Participants Enter the Code

↓

Start the Simulation

↓

Monitor Live Progress

↓

Complete the Simulation

↓

Review & Download the Report

↓

Debrief

Quick Faculty Checklist

Before the session

Select the simulation
Explore the simulation workspace
Review the available resources
Watch the Instructor Video, where available
Review the Manual, Facilitator's Handout, and Teaching Note, where relevant
Create a new session
Configure the simulation
Note the session code
Share the session code with participants
Share the Player Video, where appropriate
Confirm that participants have joined

During the session

Start the simulation
Monitor participant progress
Manage timing and rounds
Clarify instructions when needed
Observe decisions and outcomes
Facilitate discussion where appropriate

After the session

Complete the simulation
Open Reports
Review the results
Download the available report
Debrief the simulation
Connect the experience to your course objectives

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find the simulations?

Where do I create a session?

Select the simulation you want to use, open its workspace, go to Session, and select New Session.

Where can I find resources for a simulation?

Open the simulation and select Resources from the left-hand navigation.

Resources may include Instructor Video, Player Video, Author Video, Manual, Facilitator's Handout, and Teaching Note.

Which resources should I review as an instructor?

Start with the Instructor Video and review the Manual, Facilitator's Handout, and Teaching Note where available. These resources can help you prepare to facilitate the simulation.

Yes. The Player Video is intended to help participants understand the simulation and can be shared as part of their preparation.

Where do I find the session code?

The session code is associated with the session you create and configure. Share this code with participants so they can join the simulation.

How do participants join?

Participants log in to MSgames, select Join a Game, enter the session code provided by the instructor, and join the simulation.

Where can I find the simulation results?

Go to Reports within the simulation workspace to review the available results and download the report.

Can I use the same simulation for different classes?

Yes. Create a separate session for each class or participant group so that each experience can be managed independently.

What if a participant cannot join?

Confirm that the participant is using the student login option and entering the correct session code. If the issue persists, visit Troubleshooting.

Ready to Run Your Simulation?

The process is:

Select → Review Resources → Create Session → Configure → Share → Join → Run → Report → Debrief

For technical preparation, visit Technical Requirements & System Check.

If you encounter an issue while setting up or running your simulation, visit Troubleshooting.