The Prisoner Dilemma

[JackieChan]

I'm playing a 3DS game right now called "Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward". This poll heavily defines one of the main aspects about the game, so here is the scenario:

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You are Mr. Apple. Your buddy in crime, Mr. Banana both get caught and are thrown in jail. You both are put in cells on the opposite ends of the prison so communicating with each other is impossible.

 

Suddenly a detective comes up to you:

 

"Okay scumbag, here is the deal. You both can clam up if that's what you really want. We've got enough on the both of you to put you away for 2 years if you both stay silent.

However, you can rat your buddy out and I can get your prison sentence reduced to 1 year, while your buddy gets 15 years, but that really isn't your problem, now is it?

Of course if you don't say anything and he rats you out, the situation is reversed. He gets one year while you get 15 years rotting in the slammer.

I can shave off a little time for the both of you saving me trouble, but that will result in you both getting 10 years.

So what's it gonna be? You going to give me what I want, or are you going to keep your trap shut?

Obviously I have already told your partner in crime the exact thing I'm telling you right now. Now...I wonder if you can trust him enough to keep the cat in the bag...? No rush though. I'll give you both plenty of time to think it over...heh heh heh."

 

Yes, this is reminiscent to the "Prisoner's Dilemma"

 

Here is a chart to give a visual example. This is the situation for Mr. Apple, since...well, you are Mr. Apple.

 

If Mr. Banana keeps his mouth shut, it would benefit you the most to confess, that way you only serve one year.

...But what if he confesses too? The smart thing to do would to do the same. That way you're taking the lesser of the two harshest punishments.

So you're thinking the win-win choice would be to confess.

 

However, he is thinking the exact same thing you are.

 

If you'd both have trusted each other from the start, you would only do 2 years, but the win-win choice is a decision based on your own self-interest thus spending 8 additional years in prison. The logical decision leads not only to a less desirable outcome on a group level, but a really bad situation on a personal level.

 

So the big question is...which would you choose? Confess? Or stay silent?

[onyxdragoon]

How are you liking the game? The prequel 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, looked very interesting to me also.

 

I would confess because that is who I am and I would risk it for 1 year.

[JackieChan]

The game is amazing. If you don't like extremely text-heavy games, it won't be for you. I've unlocked 5 out of 9 character endings so far and I've played over 20 hours of it. I'm counting 20 different ways the game can end, but there seems to be more than that because the game has an in-game flow chart and a couple paths so far unlocked further branching paths.

 

999 is an amazing game too. I need to pick that up sometime as well. I only got one ending in that one though...and it was unfortunately the worst ending you could get.

[Kuma]

Depends how good your buddy Mr. Banana is. I picked stay silent.

 

 

Are those only 2 options? What about if nobody confess, stay silent, police put you 2 years in prison and additional 1 to 4 years as being offender (co-worker) in crime?

Edited November 7, 2012 by Kuma

[mohawk]

Mr. B's dominant strategy is to stay silent, therefore you should confess.