D&D 5E Simulation vs Game - Where should D&D 5e aim?

[Neonchameleon]

Is that true? Economists' models - while obviously flawed - don't seem any less powerful to me than psychologists' models of individual behaviour.

No... and yes. I'd say that macroeconomics was easier than micro, and climate modelling was easier than weather forecasting. On the other hand D&D is already working at an individual level - you'd have to start almost from scratch to get to population behaviours.