As I pondered over my summer reading last night, I wondered what it would be like to play a video game focused on a book. Not to say that this hasn’t been attempted in the past, it just hasn’t been very well done nor successful. It should be noted that this would be a serious game, that is, one that has more educational content than entertainment.
Can educational games about books also be entertaining?
If students were to use these games for their English classes, I think that they could easily learn the book’s educational materials while also having a bit of fun with the content to keep their interest. There would have to be a lot of text to explain the many literary concepts that students are expected to know when they enter their AP English Lit. class. It would be absolutely key to keep literary elements in tandem with the more entertaining aspects of playing a video game.
For example, the current novel I am reading, Reservation Blues, features an all Indian band. In the book, the band goes on tour to a few venues, to which I could easily see the concepts of Rock Band applied. However, making the game solely based on the Rock Band/Guitar Hero formula would be foolish, because the band doesn’t play frequently in the book. An adventure aspect would be absolutely necessary, allowing the reader/player to visit the many areas of the Spokane Indian Reservation to interact with the book’s many characters.
At the end of each stage, a summary of the chapter’s man points would be absolutely necessary. Perhaps add in a quiz to test what the player learned during the chapter.
Could this idea work? Not necessarily. Why do people by video games? To have fun. Obviously the target audience for a given book would be very small, which could be a potential problem. On the other hand, releasing the games as downloads could work better, as their prices would be lower, making them more accessible to the target consumers. It would also be a good idea to consider putting several books on one disc, allowing the buyer to get a bigger bang for their buck.
Just thought I’d put this idea out there, because I think this could make mad money if done and marketed correctly. As with most serious game, educational and entertaining content would have to be balanced as closely as possible.
August 20, 2008 at 8:13 pm
As a teacher, the idea of a video game that works in tandem with literature is intriguing. However, I wouldn’t want it to include end of chapter tests because the goal is for my students to have it not feel like school. If it is a game, it would have to have an interactive feel at all times and have great graphics as well as some action.
August 20, 2008 at 11:32 pm
amayala:
Thanks for being my first comment ever!
I have to agree with your feelings here. The biggest problem with incorporating educational content in a game is to retain the learning aspect while entertaining the player. Perhaps leaving quizzes and things of that sort at the discretion of the teacher is a better plan.
Edutainment, as it has sometimes been called, has great potential. Once a good developer sticks their neck out and takes a successful chance with educational video games, perhaps the field can really pick up.
August 22, 2008 at 5:43 pm
You’re welcome! And best of luck with your chosen profession.
August 22, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Thanks a bunch!