Project: The Science of Sharing

Role: Lead Exhibit Developer

Team: Chris Cerrito, Doug Thistlewolf, Peter Scheidl

Description: The Free Rider Dilemma occurs when individuals benefit from a shared resource or group effort without contributing their fair share, relying on others to shoulder the cost while still reaping the rewards. Freeloader illustrates this phenomenon through a simple game with complex choices and outcomes.

Accommodating up to six players, each user has an individual colored cubby hole containing a hidden button and a corresponding onscreen scoreboard. During each timed round, players face a critical choice: Do nothing and earn two points for themselves, or press the button and receive only one point. The catch? If no one presses their button, the game ends for everyone.

Freeloader encourages negotiation, trust, and strategic decision-making, challenging players to balance personal gain against collective survival—a real-time exploration of cooperation, risk, and social dynamics. To encourage replayability—and most players do return for multiple rounds—both the highest score and the most rounds played for the day are displayed on the screen, adding a competitive element that keeps players engaged and refining their strategies.

Freeloader was extensively prototyped to refine gameplay mechanics and player interactions. The exhibit originally started as the "Washer Game," where users decided each round whether to hide or show a washer in their hand to influence the game’s outcome. Through multiple iterations and playtesting, the game evolved into its current form, with hidden buttons, an onscreen scoreboard, and timed rounds to heighten strategy and engagement. Many of these early prototypes are displayed above, showcasing the iterative design process that shaped the final experience.

More Information: Freeloader for the Classroom, The Science of Sharing

2013