Educational Gaming Done Right

Whenever I talk with people about re-purposing commercial games for educational purposes, it is inevitable that Ubisoft's Assassins Creed will enter the conversation.  Despite the fact that the game is based around the often polarizing premise of ... well... assassinating people, it represents one of great examples of the potential for learning to occur when learning is not the primary goal.  Fun First, Learning Later if you will.  And so despite a recent glut of blockbuster video game releases, I was quite pleased to be able to give a copy of Assassins Creed 2 a happy home earlier this week.

As a gamer, AC2 is all I could have hoped for (at least so far).  But as impressive as the game's  improvements in entertainment value are over its predecessor, its advancements as an entertainment based learning experience are what really bring home the bacon and fry it in the pan. At least for me =)

I'm hoping to prepare a far more detailed breakdown of the historical truths behind the game (similar to the post a did for the first Assassins Creed), but to prime the pump (and to give myself a chance to finish the game), I wanted to talk generally about a few design mechanics in AC2 that really advance its support of informal learning.

• The Database

Its become something of a standard for large games with intricate storyline to maintain a database of important people, places and things that the player may come across in the game and Assassin's Creed 2 is no exception.  But where most game databases are filled with fictional content, the AC2 database is filled with real history.  In the first Assassins Creed there was no way in game to figure out if Conrad de Monferat was actually a real person who played a role in the 3rd Crusade, or whether he was simply a fictional character created by the game's writers.  Sure curious parties could do their own research or look for posts like mine - but any such curiosity would involve leaving the game.  "Oh noes!" might exclaim the cynic.  "Forcing people to do their own research would be a travesty!"  Eye roll.  Yes I know, that might not seem like a daunting task.  But keep in mind that this is an entertainment based game which is being played for fun.  Forcing players to leave the game environment to assuage curiosity puts learning and entertainment at odds.  And that could serve as a barrier to what might otherwise be receptive learners... er... players.  Having an in game database that allows players to access real history while they play is a key addition that could create even more opportunities for people to come away from Assassins Creed having learned something new. 

• An Artists Touch
  

Though somewhat tangential to the game's main story, art plays an interesting side role in AC2.  In each of the main cities you frequent, you can choose to purchase paintings to adorn the walls of your family's villa. Though such an addition could have been made haphazardly using gibberish art, the designers chose to use the collection mechanic to expose players to 30 different famous paintings from the Renaissance period in which the game is set - for example, Botticelli's The Birth of Venus or Da Vinci's Lady With Ermine. Again, the game does not force you to purchase these paintings to advance the plot, but they are tied to an in game achievement and make for a nice little educational side dish.  While on the subject of art, there is also something to be said for the game's use of historical photographs (not from the Renaissance period obviously), famous sculptures, and of course the masterfully recreated architecture of the time. But I'll discuss those juicy nuggets in my larger post. 

• Viva Italia!
  

Under normal circumstances, playing a game where a sizable amount of dialog is in a language you do not speak would probably be considered a bad, or at least a frustrating thing.  But AC2's use of Italian was not only appropriate, it also added depth and a sense of immersiveness to the world of Ezio Auditore da Firenze (the game's main character).  From longer plot discussions, to quick hitting expressions, to various "exclamations" or side talk from soldiers and townsfolk, there is plenty of Italian to be had in AC2.  Even the little touches like the "Fabbro" (blacksmith in Italian) sign that hangs over the Blacksmith's shop, or the way Venice is always pronounced Venezia add an incredible richness to the virtual Italy in which the game is set.  And it might just lead you to start learning (and yelling as you wash dishes, much to the dismay of my wife) a bit of Italian.

• The Tourguide
  

One of the things I discussed far too briefly in my post on Assassin's Creed 1 was the way in which the design team recreated important historical landmarks within cities such as Damascus or Acre.  Ubisoft's effort in bringing real places to life was commendable, but, as I discussed earlier, these efforts could often have been in vane.  For in order for a player to realize that they were looking at a virtual Dome of the Rock, they must either already know what such a building looked like, or be curious enough to try and match what they saw in game to a real place in the world.  In this way, the attention to the historical architecture could have easily been overlooked by potential players. 

AC2 fixes this in two specific ways.  The first, is the use of the aforementioned database.  Whenever Ezio walks by an interesting looking building, the building's name is displayed on screen letting the player know that the building is (or was) real.  And when you walk by the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, or some other real life place, an entry is then automatically added to the aforementioned database, allowing the player to view additional information on the location, such as when it was built or its historical significance.  The effect is comparable to walking through, say a museum with a hand held tour guide.  At minimum, you'll learn the names of some historical buildings, but if you'd like to learn more you have the ability to do so.  A side quest which helps to reveal more of the game's back story also encourages players to spend a little extra time taking a look at specific database entries and climbing around on some of these buildings, for anyone looking for an excuse to getup close an personal with a little historical architecture. 

The second way AC2 helps draw attention to important historical buildings of consiequence is a literal tour of a handful of important landmarks by an NPC upon arriving in Venice. Subtle, but beneficial and it proves to be interesting, at least for the interested.  I heart Yogi Berra.


None of these little mechanics or design decisions are earth shattering by any means.  But each one adds a little more educational potential here and a few more informal opportunities there.

Check back in in a few days and hopefully I'll have drummed up the motivation to pull out the old history books and get down to some edumicatin' video game style.



Images from http://www.consolemonster.com and realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net