What @pbock said, can be easy done. When we have 1,000+ players in few seasons (my wife joined steemit just for the game) some kind of automation will be needed if just for double checking, second opinion, quality control.
Python is simple answer. I'm only doing my first baby steps in learning Python programming, so I can't be of help, but if anyone with moderate Python knowledge join, it would be a piece of cake.
You could have (for now) parallel system in place, as it is, players do the work, @novaatebatman do the data and Python script is in parallel double checking. Only big change would be some kind of unified posting with keywords. Keywords would be defined like this:
backupfood1 = can of beans
backupfood2 = beef jerky
bullets = 11 rounds
pills = water purification tablets
Then players would need to follow certain posting rules like this for example
@@@veleje, backupfood2, option3
This is just an example of course, double "@@" would differentiate from any other post that player @veleje would make, it would mean, this is answer, Python script would look up for them and parse them, everything that follows after @@@someplayer would be keywords that every one should use the same as per legend posted at each scenario.
Script would then easy, very easy parse data and act as second opinion, quality control for the spreadsheet.
Also it would be a breeze keeping up score about 'dead' players. Script would maintain the list and it would ignore any post from already perished player.
It is worth a try, genie is out of the bottle, this game will have much much players in the future :-)
True, Python would suit this fine, being a general language.
If we want to go into optimized territory, I think Perl, being specialized in data manipulation, could also be used.
If I could just get all those annoying projects Im working on right now done, instead of procrastinating, I'd even do this myself !