Comments on: Science Grows On Trees: The History of Science and Technology Acording to Video Games http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/ User Centered Digital History Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:46:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Some reflections of others « U-R-Versity http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/#comment-243 Some reflections of others « U-R-Versity Sun, 30 May 2010 13:36:56 +0000 http://www.trevorowens.org/?p=361#comment-243 [...] of that tree Trevor Owens Blog about games, online learning and digital history, with his post: Science grows on trees (what a nice picture – even if (strictly speakin) civilizations tech tree is no tree but a [...] [...] of that tree Trevor Owens Blog about games, online learning and digital history, with his post: Science grows on trees (what a nice picture – even if (strictly speakin) civilizations tech tree is no tree but a [...]

]]> By: Teaching History with Video Games « Document http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/#comment-242 Teaching History with Video Games « Document Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:40:50 +0000 http://www.trevorowens.org/?p=361#comment-242 [...] title “Technology Grows on Trees”, was inspired by a post written by our classmate Trevor Owens, that some of you may remember. Possibly related posts: [...] [...] title “Technology Grows on Trees”, was inspired by a post written by our classmate Trevor Owens, that some of you may remember. Possibly related posts: [...]

]]> By: Trevor http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/#comment-241 Trevor Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:41:56 +0000 http://www.trevorowens.org/?p=361#comment-241 Rob that sounds like a fantastic course! I would be love to hear more about the specifics of your classes ideas. Rob that sounds like a fantastic course! I would be love to hear more about the specifics of your classes ideas.

]]> By: Rob MacD http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/#comment-240 Rob MacD Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:32:58 +0000 http://www.trevorowens.org/?p=361#comment-240 Great post, Trevor. I haven't had a chance to post about it yet, but the most recent assignment in my <a href="http://www.robmacdougall.org/index.php/2008/05/on-a-planetary-scale/" rel="nofollow">Global History of Science and Technology</a> class was to critique the assumptions of, and propose an alternate model to, the Civ tech tree. We got a great collection of responses: tech spheres, matrices, randomizers... If I'd seen this post earlier I would have included it in the assigned readings! Great post, Trevor. I haven't had a chance to post about it yet, but the most recent assignment in my Global History of Science and Technology class was to critique the assumptions of, and propose an alternate model to, the Civ tech tree. We got a great collection of responses: tech spheres, matrices, randomizers… If I'd seen this post earlier I would have included it in the assigned readings!

]]> By: carbonbasedcaveman http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/#comment-239 carbonbasedcaveman Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:26:32 +0000 http://www.trevorowens.org/?p=361#comment-239 Cool stuff. Real cool. The future of that stuff must be exciting. Cool stuff. Real cool. The future of that stuff must be exciting.

]]> By: Trevor http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/#comment-238 Trevor Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:31:48 +0000 http://www.trevorowens.org/?p=361#comment-238 I think your onto something Jeremy. The systems have changed and evolved a little bit through different iterations of the game, there are also a variety of spin offs and related games that each have slightly different systems and I think there is some richness there to explore to better tease out the possibilities available in these sorts of games. Another avenue to explore is the way users mod the games, and make alterations to the tech trees. On the second question, my impression is that historians have just about nothing to do with these games. In general this has probably been a good thing. Here is how Sid Meier, the creator of Civilization put it when asked about the kind of research he did for the first version of Civ by <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1523/the_history_of_civilization.php?page=7" rel="nofollow">Gamasutra</a>. <blockquote>Q: When you were creating Civilization, how much research did you put into world history? Sid: Not a whole lot. I did do a little bit of reading, and it's kind of where the idea of the city as one of the kind of core elements of the game came from. It just struck immediately: "4000 BC the first city was formed," and I thought, "Oh, that's a cool place to start the game." But basically, I tried to use fairly well‑known concepts, well‑known leaders, and well‑known technologies. I mean, it wasn't intended to be "bizarre facts about history." It's more like, "Here, we all know a little bit about history, but now you get to take control of it, invent gunpowder, and the wheel, electricity, all sorts of cool stuff." But you don't have to research to know what it is, you just know.</blockquote> I think your onto something Jeremy. The systems have changed and evolved a little bit through different iterations of the game, there are also a variety of spin offs and related games that each have slightly different systems and I think there is some richness there to explore to better tease out the possibilities available in these sorts of games. Another avenue to explore is the way users mod the games, and make alterations to the tech trees.

On the second question, my impression is that historians have just about nothing to do with these games. In general this has probably been a good thing. Here is how Sid Meier, the creator of Civilization put it when asked about the kind of research he did for the first version of Civ by Gamasutra.

Q: When you were creating Civilization, how much research did you put into world history?

Sid: Not a whole lot. I did do a little bit of reading, and it's kind of where the idea of the city as one of the kind of core elements of the game came from. It just struck immediately: "4000 BC the first city was formed," and I thought, "Oh, that's a cool place to start the game." But basically, I tried to use fairly well‑known concepts, well‑known leaders, and well‑known technologies. I mean, it wasn't intended to be "bizarre facts about history." It's more like, "Here, we all know a little bit about history, but now you get to take control of it, invent gunpowder, and the wheel, electricity, all sorts of cool stuff." But you don't have to research to know what it is, you just know.

]]> By: Jeremy Boggs http://www.trevorowens.org/2009/02/science-grows-on-trees-the-history-of-science-and-technology-acording-to-video-games/#comment-237 Jeremy Boggs Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:03:09 +0000 http://www.trevorowens.org/?p=361#comment-237 This seems pretty interesting. Have you charted any changes or evolution across the history of games as they related to science and technology? That is, has, say, the system for science and technology in Civilization changed with each new version? Also, what is the word from game companies in general? Do they employ or consult historians when making games? This seems pretty interesting. Have you charted any changes or evolution across the history of games as they related to science and technology? That is, has, say, the system for science and technology in Civilization changed with each new version?

Also, what is the word from game companies in general? Do they employ or consult historians when making games?

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