Potential of Instructional Games: Uncharted and Civilization

We are at an interesting cross-roads in terms of educational game development, we really haven’t had engaging, imagination capturing titles like the golden years of “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego or Oregon Trail” which were blockbuster educational games. We haven’t had a block buster learning game in quite some while.

Instead, we have had solid interactive instructional pieces created by companies like Knowledge Adventure who have the much loved game Math Blaster but no educational game has really broken the surface in the past few years.

I think there are many reasons for this but, rather than dwell on those reasons, we should employ a technique of immersion in well designed and engaging entertainment games as then see if we can pick up some points. I believe that as development costs decrease and more people learn to develop game-interfaces and employ game-based thinking in software and learning development that some really outstanding, block buster games will appear.

In the meantime, I suggest purchasing and playing several games which really speak to the potential of what could be done in educational games.

Uncharted 3
I have written about the Uncharted series before and, the thing is, it just keeps getting better. The cinematic, the game-play and the story which engrosses the player speaks to how compelling and deep a video game can become. It is like you are in the movie and making action happen. The game is in a third person perspective as you watch Drake swing, run, jump and gun his way through one adventurous scene after another.

I think this level of quality can influence game-based simulations for sales, safety, and operations. Imagine placing a learning in a situation in which he or she had to address upset customers, drive through town to get to a meeting on time and appropriately negotiate a deal. This game stands as a gold standard for development of a story and interaction. Play the game and observe the interplay between activity and story. And, notice that they even work in some history lessons.

Civilization V
Speaking of history lessons, check out Civilization V. I have written about this game before in You want to teach leaders about Strategy: Have them Play Civilization V

The game is an interactive turn-based strategy game with the goal to take over the world from a financial, military, technological or cultural perspective. The game has interesting graphics, intriguing decisions the player needs to make and even sprinkles in a little history about great civilizations.

I think from a learning perspective, the integration of strategy, the necessity of weighing multiple variables, different victory conditions and constant trade-offs the player needs to make provide a rich environment for learning and drawing out both process lessons and content lessons if designed correctly.