As this history degree dropout can attest, video games are far more compelling than textbooks. We can also attest that historical video games can lead one down a solitary but deeply rewarding road; Civilization VII's senior historian is hopeful that the upcoming 4X grand strategy (launching day and date on PS5, 11th February) title will be a "gateway drug" for the kids these days, who are allegedly allergic to textbooks.
When not developing the next entry in the legendary franchise, Dr. Andrew Johnson teaches undergraduates about the wonder and magic of history. Sadly, as has always been the case, finding a way to hook students on what can sometimes be a dry subject is no easy task. Speaking to PC Gamer, Johnson lamented the state of today's youth: "I teach undergraduates in my other life, and my God, man, they don't read." Nevertheless, Johnson hopes the personality of (not to mention the hype around) Civ VII will spur players' interests:
"Trying to get them interested in history—if somebody plays Machiavelli, they might get really kind of interested. Machiavelli maybe has enough name recognition already, but like Amina [Queen of Zazzau], or, 'OK, this is the Ming Dynasty, how is that different from the Han Dynasty?' If that can provoke somebody to be interested in history, that is what's important here. This is not the textbook. This is the gateway drug into the textbook. If textbooks were drugs."
Has a video game ever inspired you to investigate a field further, whether historical or otherwise? Is your geography knowledge largely the result of a misspent youth staring at strategic maps? Plot your next move in the comments section below.
[source pcgamer.com]
Comments 8
Playing Civ has actually made me go back and try to read up on all these leaders. When a civ produces a unique unit or building I also like to read into what makes them so special to that particular civilization. Do I retain any of this knowledge? Not really...but it's still fun to take a deeper look in the moment.
Civ and Paradox games are pretty much the biggest reason why anybody picks History at uni these days. Sure, you can attribute some of the alt-right nonsense spreading among teens to the way that the Crusades are portrayed in Crusader Kings II but it’s always good to learn more about history, especially with the world repeating the mistakes of the Holocaust.
I feel bad for not taking the game this deeply.
Stick a cheat mod on, get the nukes researched for nout and stamp out other nations for clout. Just me?
@nessisonett
It's probably the other way around, people with interest in history look for any sort of media to support that.
And this is in no way supported by anything other than my own experience with my daughter and her friends, but I feel that history isn't that popular among young people as it was when I was her age. Maybe I should play Civ 7 with her!
@nessisonett those mistakes, it can be argued, are emerging now in the West. Clamp downs on personal freedoms especially speech, compelled speech, more State control, higher taxation, more focus on militarisation and expenditure on war and warcraft, increased tensions globally, demonisation and dehumanisation of the political opposition and its followers, mainstream media losing impartiality, persecution of opposing opinions...there are parallels that we should be wary of.
I found the series through my interest in world history, they really do get a lot right and being able to play your own scenarios is a big part of why I keep going back to the games. It's gone the other way too, Cities Skylines has given me an interest in city planning and minecraft has given me a love of the study of architecture. Games are definitely powerful teaching tools. Ubi's history features in the Assassin's Creed series are great too, they pack a lot in and make it interactive.
@Overmind My younger brother’s doing History because these sorts of games are what he grew up on. Most of the people on his course are either into Civ or Paradox games.
@nessisonett
I stand corrected!
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...