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Games Used To Teach History
Next Generation is reporting on the use of games in educational situations. From the article: "Age of Empires III deals with the conquest and colonization of the Americas; fertile ground for imaginative students. Taking on the role of a European power - desperate to grab land and resources - helps students understand the motivation and planning behind invasion. It also paves the way for learning about its consequences. That, at least, is the theory."
What a novel idea. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go play me some Oregon Trail.
WARNING: If accidentally read, induce vomiting.
If you want serious history games, check out Paradox.
"I only speak the truth"
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Koei's games got me interested not only in the Three Kingdoms period, but also in other similar conflicts in China & Japan, leading to a general interest in Chinese & Japanese history.
I heard that their next plan for a Dynasty Warriors-ish game is one set in the Hundred Years' War - it'll be interesting to see if they can pull it off.
There are a lot of stages in history that can be made into the background of a great story, and I have a feeling that Koei's going to find even more. They did some nice experimenting a while back with Genghis Khan, Uncharted Waters, etc. and I'd like to see more of that done.
By the way, did you get "Pluvius" from Gemfire? Good game, I'd like to see it re-done.
As for the "understanding motivations" issue, I can definately bite. When I first started playing Civ II I would never want to try for a military victory. Then I got older and better at it (Civ III by then) and started to understand the reasons why one would do such a thing. Specifically, if you get tanks before anyone else, game over for them. When you have military superiority, you go for it. It's enlightening when you first find yourself being militaristically greedy.
As for history, I thought Civ II was better. they actually had factual information regarding untis/science etc. Civ III just has in game info. I dunno about AoE.
Help a student gain some exp. http://www.halovariants.com/touchup/index.php
The reality, of course, is that students learn how to fend of an archer rush, but not much else.
Playing the Forgotten Hope mod for Battlefield 1942 got me interested in WW2. This is how I learned how the allies totally pwned the n00b germans despite their brillant defenses and 1337 hax0ring at both Omaha and Gold beach. The allies best tactic?... bunny hopping.
Don't blame me, I voted for Cthulhu.
All I ever needed to know about North American colonial history, I learned from Day of the Tenticle.
Which, come to think of it, explains a few things.
Yes, just about everything I know about the historic Terran-Zerg-Protoss conflict on Aiur comes from playing Starcraft. And that time the soviets tried to seize america using mind control? It's all portrayed accurately in Red Alert 2. Thank goodness for historical gaming.
i think it's all a matter of comprehension. like that story about Sun Tzu when he visited his 80 year-old master, the mast showed Sun Tzu his mouth, which had no teeth left, but had a working tongue. Sun Tzu understood and left, while his students were wondering what the lesson was about. some people can learn from video games, doesn't matter if it's history or co-operation skills. but some people just play the game and does not relate it to real life.