Cisco computer game lets you play CEO

If you want to be a CEO but not have any of the real responsibilities of one, you could try to play a new online game being offered by Cisco. The company this week posted myPlanNet, a computer game that lets anyone be a broadband executive making network deployment decisions.

Cisco says of the myPlanNet game: “You manage your business as it evolves from the stone age of dial-up, through the broadband and mobile connected eras, and into the dawning of the medianet age.” That means you get to pick and choose everything from routers to networked-applications to help your company grow. The Game even has a Facebook page.

NetworkWorld Extra: 12 mad science projects that could shake the world

Cisco created the game for the company’s network certification site, the Learning Network. That site features a number of computer games such as The Cisco Mind Share Game that let you play and learn the content of the CCENT/ CCNA exam. If that’s possible.

From the company’s Web site: “In myPlanNet v1.0, we included some events that present players with challenges or opportunities. Think of these like Chance or Community Chest cards in Monopoly. Events include things like threats from competitors, initiating marketing programs, and even coping with disasters. These events may affect cash amounts, population size, happiness, service adoption, among other things. We admit that what's in there is a little basic, so there's lots of room for improvement. That's where you come in.”

The game begins when you download a 40mb file to a Windows only machine. On the myPlanNet site the company says it has no plans right now to offer a Linux or other version of the game.