Who'd a thunkit?

[puglover]

Civilization helping with homework? Can it be true? Yep. Part of my Junior high writing assignment is to find three pictures and write a story based on them. (I know, it's a very elementary class ) Anyway, I tried my hardest to think of three pictures that would coordinate a story. Then it hit me during a game of Civilization 2. To the Civilopedia!

I took the picture representing the Warrior Code technology, the picture representing the Fusion Power technology, and a screenshot, and combined them. Thus, the story of Wong, martial artist and enemy of the Sky Lord, was born.

Is this cool or what? Civilization helping me with homework!

 

[funxus]

Go for it!

My comp and history teacher knew I was playing civ, and had an idea about a civ competition. Nothing ever happened though, probably because it would have been hard to sort out practically...

 

[The Last Conformist]

Civ as homework?

Next thing, and they're gonna claim it's educational.

 

[The Person]

Civ2 isn't educational? It requires you to think all the time to win, something that can't be said about school.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Civ might improve your strategic sense, but hardly more than, say, chess, and imparting strategic sense isn't what the term 'educational' is normally understood to mean anyway.

 

[ElephantU]

Civ has geography (if you play the World map), economics, civics, city planning, diplomacy, military affairs, and history. I'd hardly call it an equivalent to chess...

 

[Smash]

Civilization2 has been used in Universities.

Scenarios are an excellent way to look and learn about historical events.Fun too

 

[Yuri2356]

Civilization2 has been used in Universities.

"And that's how a virtual dice roll decided the battle of Thermopale. I remind you once again, that this will be on the final exam. Any questions?"

 

[The Last Conformist]

Civ has geography (if you play the World map), economics, civics, city planning, diplomacy, military affairs, and history. I'd hardly call it an equivalent to chess...

The chess comparison related strictly to the issue of strategic sense.

CivII economic, civics, city planning, diplomacy, and warfare relate very loosely to their real-world counterparts. Browse thru the "1000 ways to know you've played ..." to see some examples of why learning about those things from CivII might be a bad idea.

If you can learn any geography from the CivII world map (or the CivI or any of the CivIII ones), that's sad indictment of your geography education.

Granted, you can learn some basic facts of history by reading up 'Pedia entries and the like. I would have thought that anyone interested enough to look them up would already know what's written there, but that's apparently not the case.

 

[Prof. Garfield]

Geog from the world maps and scns. is not useless. I have learned of the locations of many places because I have played civ2 scns. It is always nice to recognise a place because you remember it from a scn. you played. Furthermore, building an accurate map or scenario will neccesitate a good deal of reserch and map reading, and such work is learning. Motivation is the key to learning.

 

[The Last Conformist]

Scen-playing and -creation is something rather else. I was refering to the game as shipped.

 

[Smash]

Shipped there ain't much too learn from it.

Just your basic abstract lessons like hard work,attention to detail etc,etc.

It is very chess like in the multiplayer arena.Some important lessons could be learned there I spose

 

[puglover]

I first started playing Civ2 when I was about 9. It, coupled with Oregon Trail II and Caesar II, sparked an intrest in history that I still have today. Even if it isn't slightly educational (which I think it is), it can lead to an extremely educational interest in history, geography, and social studies (my favorite subjects).

 

[Old n Slow]

Part of the advanced history isn't so much what happened... as it is why it happened. Once the student grasps social issues & conditions prevailing at a particular point in time, the economic underlying situation, the percieved chance of opportunity and the minsets of persons in power, then some of the wars and paths of development make a lot of sense.

For example, once easy rich looking city sites all disappear, then a pressure for conflict begins -- unless one's minset is changed. Humans can react rather well, but some underthinking types (like the ai) may need their hand slapped (or lose a city) before they see a need to rethink.

Perhaps Civ IV might introduce a switching of leader personalities as time or game events occur.

 

[#1 Person]

I often look at the History parts of the Civilopedia. They have nice page worth of stuff about the different Techs, units, wonders ect.

 

[Peaster]

1) Civilization2 has been used in Universities.

2) Scenarios are an excellent way to look and learn about historical events.Fun too

1) Interesting... any details? How did it work out?

2) Agreed. After Imperium Romanum, I knew more about the Punic Wars than my history prof friend. I didn't learn that much from the scenario itself, but it provoked enough interest that I read up on the period.

Regarding the chess comparison... I agree with LC that neither is "educational" in the usual sense. But I think civ2 is better for practicing strategical thinking, because its tactical aspects are simpler. So, a sound plan is more likely to work out well in civ2 than in chess.

 

[Conrino]

Well...the different advances and they're affects are already drilled into your mind, and the basic knowledge of history you can gain from CIV2 will help yhou a bit
if you plan on getting a doctorate in history

 

[bkwrm79]

Civ II is useful for understanding historical situations. Sometimes you experience and have to deal with dilemmas that resemble historical situations... Russia being huge but also surrounded and over-stretched, for example.

 

[Specialist290]

Civ II is useful for understanding historical situations. Sometimes you experience and have to deal with dilemmas that resemble historical situations... Russia being huge but also surrounded and over-stretched, for example.

...And why the Swiss have managed to survive in the middle of Europe for so long despite the fact that they're such a small nation.

(And also why the Swiss were reputed as having the best Pikemen in the world, and how they were able to continue using them even after the discovery of gunpowder. Look at a topographical map of Europe and you'll understand )

 

[Broken_Erika]

civ2 and The age of empires series or the most educational games that are actually fun to play, i learned more about history from thses games, then i ever learned in scholl