"Edutainment" Video Games - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

collide · 10-09-2003, 11:55 PM

Hi folks. I'm working on a paper that deals with PC/console games and educational genres, particularly topics about the environment (since this is related to the class I'm taking), and I figure this would be a good place to start my research.

The ones I've found and played from ages ago, include the following:

Eco Quest 1: The Search for Cetus
Eco Quest 2: Lost Secrets of The Rainforest
Eco-Saurus (a.k.a. Zug's Adventures on Eco-Island)
Earth Quest
Pepper's Adventures in Time
Island of Dr. Brain

(the last two aren't really about the environment, but I thought they were good educational examples to include anyway.)

If you've played these games, I would be interested in your thoughts about it, and whether they were helpful in teaching you something about environmental issues and things like that. Was it effective? Are there any other games (maybe something more recent) that you'd suggest to add to the roster?

Thanks for all your potential insight.

Sleepyjack · 10-10-2003, 06:38 AM

this might be kinda stupid, but i've played a game called harvest moon where you manage a farm, animals and veges. You also go looking for love but that's another issue :P
I thought that was pretty good and you also learn some environmental issues, like taking care of your livestock and plants. Although quite primitive it does get across some issues i guess.

You could even go further and look at some real time stratergy games where you have to manage resources, although thats probably pushing it and beyond what you're after?

I haven't played any of the games you've mentioned, although i was also wondering if you could shed more details on your research and other sub goal you'd like to achieve or explore. it seems quite general atm, well for me.

also a game like sim city and i am sure other simulation games look at envirtonmental effects, like water pollution or general smog. They do teach you a bit about the environment, i guess?
So sim city 4 or whichever one came out recently or this year might be one to look at?

Ripsaw · 10-10-2003, 07:55 AM

Oregon Trail baby!

froggyo · 10-10-2003, 09:14 AM

heh....i love harvest moon....something so simplistic about it that makes it overly appealing...i believe there are 4 of them out now....1 for SNES, 1 for N64 and 2 for PS2

There are all sorts of "Magic school bus" games that deal with different issues that are meant to be learning devices. Also....this doesn't go with your research, but Where in the World/Time/Space/Supermarket is Carmen Sandiego were great edutainment games that used to be installed on all school computers around my neck of the woods.

IckUber · 10-10-2003, 11:53 AM

sim city?

collide · 10-10-2003, 04:09 PM

The project and paper is on an environmental media campaign (in which I am to produce conceptually), and I'm thinking about choosing video games as my media channel to reach people on environmental issues. The kinds of games I'm looking for should ideally include information about environmental situations and be able communicate this to a target audience (i.e. gamers, kids, college students, etc). The RTS and SIM games sort of touch on my goal here, but isn't quite focused enough for the purpose of my project. Games like Carmen Sandiego are definitely educational, but doesn't focus enough on environmental issues (but you do learn a lot about geography, even though that's still stretching it). Things in Sim City such as water and air pollution are more on target. If you know of any games are more specifically focused on that kind of thing, it would help immensely. Managing resources also plays a part in maybe applying realistic strategies from the game to real life, so that sort of helps. I haven't heard of Harvest Moon, but I'll be sure to check it out. I remember Oregon Trail, but that's a bit off from what I'm looking for.

Here's an excellent example from a game I mentioned above:
http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=356

Excerpt:

"Jane Jansen's (of Gabriel Knight fame) first game for Sierra is an excellent adventure game for any kid who's old enough to type. As son of an ecologist Adam, you must help the dolphin Cetus save the sea from pollution and waste. Educational elements are ingeniously blended into gameplay, from the new "recycle" icon that gives points when the player uses it on recylable objects, to lots of environmental facts throughout the narrative that are interwoven with traditional inventory-based puzzles. Highly recommended."

So far it seems that Adventure games seem to be the best genre for this campaign. On a side note: Sierra used to make such great adventure games, but they seem to be more into FPS games nowadays. Not that I'm complaining; they still put out some great games.

Thanks for all your input!

Spinach_Indeed · 10-10-2003, 05:09 PM

Oh man! Eco-Saurus! I played that game when I was younger like nobody's buisness. I think I played for over a year, never winning because there was a light (You quest in Ecosaurus was to cut out all the lights (to save electricity) and pick up all the litter) that I didn't cut off that was at the top of some building... It didn't really help a 8 year old me want to pick up trash or save electricity anymore than usual, but it was fun.

Anyway, Yea. I'm a Adventure Gamer at heart and Sierra was one of the first I got into. I remember playing Space Quest 3 until 3 AM some nights. Good Times.

Nefir · 10-10-2003, 05:33 PM

Aah the Search for Cetus... i learned absolutely nothing about the environmental issues of the day, except that them Sierra quest games are hardcore time-killers. I was totally hooked on all sorts of Quests... Sigh.. its too bad they went out of style thanks to consoles... (IMHO

)

wario · 10-12-2003, 03:42 PM

There was a Captain Planet game on the NES. But chances are it wasn't too educational and not at all what you're looking for.
Still, couldn't hurt to check out the ROM.

10-09-2003, 11:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
collide Turn off your TV. Location: ... .- -. ..-. .-. .- -. -.-. .. ... -.-. --- --..-- -.-. .-	"Edutainment" Video Games Hi folks. I'm working on a paper that deals with PC/console games and educational genres, particularly topics about the environment (since this is related to the class I'm taking), and I figure this would be a good place to start my research. The ones I've found and played from ages ago, include the following: Eco Quest 1: The Search for Cetus Eco Quest 2: Lost Secrets of The Rainforest Eco-Saurus (a.k.a. Zug's Adventures on Eco-Island) Earth Quest Pepper's Adventures in Time Island of Dr. Brain (the last two aren't really about the environment, but I thought they were good educational examples to include anyway.) If you've played these games, I would be interested in your thoughts about it, and whether they were helpful in teaching you something about environmental issues and things like that. Was it effective? Are there any other games (maybe something more recent) that you'd suggest to add to the roster? Thanks for all your potential insight. __________________ "inhuman fiery goat worship" is an anagram for "information superhighway" -kingvolc

10-10-2003, 07:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ripsaw Chef in Training	Oregon Trail baby! __________________ "We are supposed to be masters of space, but we cant even line up our shoes?" One life, one chance, one opportunity.

10-10-2003, 11:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
IckUber Funran Location: Norman, OK	sim city? __________________ How much is y'all Piolkles?

10-10-2003, 04:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
collide Turn off your TV. Location: ... .- -. ..-. .-. .- -. -.-. .. ... -.-. --- --..-- -.-. .-	The project and paper is on an environmental media campaign (in which I am to produce conceptually), and I'm thinking about choosing video games as my media channel to reach people on environmental issues. The kinds of games I'm looking for should ideally include information about environmental situations and be able communicate this to a target audience (i.e. gamers, kids, college students, etc). The RTS and SIM games sort of touch on my goal here, but isn't quite focused enough for the purpose of my project. Games like Carmen Sandiego are definitely educational, but doesn't focus enough on environmental issues (but you do learn a lot about geography, even though that's still stretching it). Things in Sim City such as water and air pollution are more on target. If you know of any games are more specifically focused on that kind of thing, it would help immensely. Managing resources also plays a part in maybe applying realistic strategies from the game to real life, so that sort of helps. I haven't heard of Harvest Moon, but I'll be sure to check it out. I remember Oregon Trail, but that's a bit off from what I'm looking for. Here's an excellent example from a game I mentioned above: http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=356 Excerpt: "Jane Jansen's (of Gabriel Knight fame) first game for Sierra is an excellent adventure game for any kid who's old enough to type. As son of an ecologist Adam, you must help the dolphin Cetus save the sea from pollution and waste. Educational elements are ingeniously blended into gameplay, from the new "recycle" icon that gives points when the player uses it on recylable objects, to lots of environmental facts throughout the narrative that are interwoven with traditional inventory-based puzzles. Highly recommended." So far it seems that Adventure games seem to be the best genre for this campaign. On a side note: Sierra used to make such great adventure games, but they seem to be more into FPS games nowadays. Not that I'm complaining; they still put out some great games. Thanks for all your input! __________________ "inhuman fiery goat worship" is an anagram for "information superhighway" -kingvolc

10-10-2003, 05:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Spinach_Indeed Banned? Location: Artic Tundra	Oh man! Eco-Saurus! I played that game when I was younger like nobody's buisness. I think I played for over a year, never winning because there was a light (You quest in Ecosaurus was to cut out all the lights (to save electricity) and pick up all the litter) that I didn't cut off that was at the top of some building... It didn't really help a 8 year old me want to pick up trash or save electricity anymore than usual, but it was fun. Anyway, Yea. I'm a Adventure Gamer at heart and Sierra was one of the first I got into. I remember playing Space Quest 3 until 3 AM some nights. Good Times. __________________ Spinach in Need is Spinach Indeed

10-10-2003, 06:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
Sleepyjack Fast'n'Bulbous Location: Australia, Perth	this might be kinda stupid, but i've played a game called harvest moon where you manage a farm, animals and veges. You also go looking for love but that's another issue :P I thought that was pretty good and you also learn some environmental issues, like taking care of your livestock and plants. Although quite primitive it does get across some issues i guess. You could even go further and look at some real time stratergy games where you have to manage resources, although thats probably pushing it and beyond what you're after? I haven't played any of the games you've mentioned, although i was also wondering if you could shed more details on your research and other sub goal you'd like to achieve or explore. it seems quite general atm, well for me. also a game like sim city and i am sure other simulation games look at envirtonmental effects, like water pollution or general smog. They do teach you a bit about the environment, i guess? So sim city 4 or whichever one came out recently or this year might be one to look at?

10-10-2003, 09:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
froggyo Tilted Location: Canada	heh....i love harvest moon....something so simplistic about it that makes it overly appealing...i believe there are 4 of them out now....1 for SNES, 1 for N64 and 2 for PS2 There are all sorts of "Magic school bus" games that deal with different issues that are meant to be learning devices. Also....this doesn't go with your research, but Where in the World/Time/Space/Supermarket is Carmen Sandiego were great edutainment games that used to be installed on all school computers around my neck of the woods.

10-10-2003, 05:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
Nefir Junkie Location: Louisville, KY	Aah the Search for Cetus... i learned absolutely nothing about the environmental issues of the day, except that them Sierra quest games are hardcore time-killers. I was totally hooked on all sorts of Quests... Sigh.. its too bad they went out of style thanks to consoles... (IMHO ) __________________ You do not use a Macintosh, instead you use a Tandy Kompressor break your glowstick, Kompressor eat your candy Kompressor open jaws, Kompressor release ants Kompressor watch you scream, Because Kompressor does not dance

10-12-2003, 03:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
wario Insane	There was a Captain Planet game on the NES. But chances are it wasn't too educational and not at all what you're looking for. Still, couldn't hurt to check out the ROM.