A strange little side quest
The mechanics around Baby Mary Goes Shopping have roots that stretch far beyond modern browsers. M.U.L.E. arrived in 1983 with multiplayer competition built around gathering resources and keeping a colony alive, an early example of resource-driven strategy play. A second detail makes the picture even better: By the 1890s, department stores and mail-order catalogs were selling mass-produced ready-to-wear clothes in standardized styles and price ranges. So a round of Baby Mary Goes Shopping is not just a quick distraction; it is a tiny stop on a much longer simulation games timeline.
