How do you predict the future?

You can’t. But what you can do, is think through different scenarios or outcomes that might happen. As Dwight D. Eisenhower stated, “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” So it goes for foresight studies: you try to build out different scenarios to plan and prepare for as the future approaches.

Balance of Powers consists of 10 rounds, each representing 3-5 years of time, or the time for a single “international issue” cycle.

The first 5 rounds are considered the Near Future, when people can expect a limited number of outcomes. For this reason, there a number of rules that each Great Power must abide by during the Near Future of the game; representing trends or circumstances that are unlikely to change quickly.

The last 5 rounds of the game are considered the Distant Future, when a much wider range of outcomes are possible for the world.  Preexisting limitations and norms are less likely to be at play and may go away completely. Thus, these rules go away, once the players reach the 6th round of the game: anything goes!