The Simulators page is where you find every simulator in one place. Each one has its own colored band showing how far you've gotten and whether your teacher has assigned it. Open a band to read what the simulator is about, then jump in.
Getting there
Click Simulators in your sidebar. The page lists six simulators, in this order:
Economy: your whole class runs one economy together, each person in a different role.
Budget: live through four stages of life on the paycheck each one brings.
Investing: buy shares of real companies at real market prices.
Startup: found a company and steer it through five stages.
Business: run a café on Main Street, one day at a time.
Arcade: quick money games you can finish in a few minutes.
Twine Town isn't on this page. It has its own Twine Town link in your sidebar, right under Simulators, if your class uses the Personal Finance Core Foundations course (unless your teacher has switched it off).
Reading a band
When a band is closed, the right side tells you where you stand:
New: you haven't started yet.
A percentage, like 40% complete, with a progress bar: how much of it you've finished.
Where you are, like Stage 1 of 5 or Round 3 of 8, when you've started but haven't finished a full step yet.
Your return, like +4.2% return, for Investing, since it doesn't have a finish line.
Finished or Game over: you've reached the end, or your run ended early.
A due date, like Due Friday, Due tomorrow or Overdue, when your teacher has assigned it and you haven't started.
Not in your class: your class doesn't have this simulator right now.
A gold Assigned badge next to the name means your teacher has assigned that simulator and it isn't done yet. On a phone, you'll see the badge once you open the band.
Opening a simulator
Click or tap a band to open it. On a computer, you can also rest your mouse on a band for a moment and it opens by itself.
Read the description, Your goal, and the skills you'll practice.
Click the big button to go in. It says Start if you're new (for example, Start Budget), Continue if you're partway through, or Review if you've finished.
The line next to the button tells you what kind of simulator it is (for example, "Whole class · your teacher runs the rounds" or "Solo · 4 life stages") or, once you've started, where you are and when it's due.
When you come back from a simulator with your browser's back button, the page opens on the same band you left from. Clicking Simulators in the sidebar starts you fresh with every band closed.
If you use a keyboard, the up and down arrow keys move between bands, and Home and End jump to the first and last.
Which simulators can I play?
All six bands show for everyone, but your teacher decides which simulators your class uses and when. Each one (except the Arcade) has to be started by your teacher for your class before you can play. If you open one that isn't running for your class yet, it will tell you so. That's not something you did wrong; your teacher starts it when your class is ready.
If a band says Not in your class, the open band explains that your class doesn't include that simulator right now and to ask your teacher if you'd like to try it.
The Arcade is always open, and your Arcade games count for you no matter which class you're in.
Common questions
My teacher said to start a simulator, but the band says New and nothing's assigned.
Not every simulator is given as an assignment. Open the band and click Start. If it says your teacher hasn't started it yet, let your teacher know.
Why does a band say Overdue?
Your teacher assigned it with a due date that has passed, and you haven't started it. Open it and get going; your teacher can see when you work on it.
Where did Twine Town go?
Twine Town has its own link in the sidebar, under Simulators. It comes with the Personal Finance Core Foundations course, so you'll see it if your class uses that course. If you don't see it, your class may not use that course, or your teacher may have switched Twine Town off. Ask your teacher.