Paradox games are actually great educational tools

[Carbon]

I am sure most players of Paradox games are interested in history. I certainly am. I believe they are great educational tools for learning about certain time periods.

Paradox games are ahistorical sandboxes. Despite this, they are actually rather great simulators for different historical epochs. They help a lot in understanding how countries worked in different time periods intuitively rather than teaching direct facts. Sure, some specific details in terms of research may not be up to academic standards, but in terms of helping to understand how countries in certain time periods functioned, they do that rather well.

Of course, I am not claiming that the primary function of these games is education, it is above all, for fun. Personally though, they make for a fun way to simulate alternative scenarios that revolve around historical facts that I have learned elsewhere.

Just wanted to share my thoughts on this.

 

[wildbillhdmax01]

True! I have learned a lot for the many PI game I've play!

 

[Wowwars]

I learned a megaton of stuff n economics n policys & doctrines & history from Pdox - Thanks, AP History is easy thanks to you

No if only you could make math fun for me than i'd be einstein.

 

[underlordgc]

I've heard that Professors use PI games in their courses but I've yet to see any proof on the matter. Either way, PI games are damn good education wise. (Although knowing to much about Nazi Germany is not good, be it trivia or otherwise, curse you HoI series!)

 

[Scree]

Yes, PI actually offers (I believe) free copies to teachers in Sweden, of EU3 and HoI III for the respective periods in time. I guess this works fine, until you unpause the game in which case I guess you could teach the kids HOW stuff worked and not focus on the timeline as much. All in all, good stuff. I'm proud of these guys.

 

[Agnitio Ex Mach]

This.

 

[unmerged(616751)]

You bet they are! I learned a lot about geography from games like ck2, eu3, and vic2.

 

[Kallocain]

Yes, PI actually offers (I believe) free copies to teachers in Sweden, of EU3 and HoI III for the respective periods in time. I guess this works fine, until you unpause the game in which case I guess you could teach the kids HOW stuff worked and not focus on the timeline as much. All in all, good stuff. I'm proud of these guys.

Yes, I think for most teachers the point is to arouse an interest in history, not perhaps using our games as carbon copies of exactly how everything happened.

 

[FOARP]

True! I have learned a lot for the many PI game I've play!

ME TOO! Lessons like:

1) Don't trust a release date - ever.

2) Don't buy games until the first stable patch.

3) Don't buy Horse Armour DLCs.

4) A patch is neither late nor early . .

 

[ryu2999]

ME TOO! Lessons like:

1) Don't trust a release date - ever.

2) Don't buy games until the first stable patch.

3) Don't buy Horse Armour DLCs.

4) A patch is neither late nor early . .

Oh, you are cheeky!

 

[KaiserChicken]

I wonder if Paradox used any economic advisor when designing Victoria

 

[Scree]

Yes the economic advisor thing is an interesting point. I find Victoria II to be the deepest Paradox game when it comes to pretty much everything except pure warfare. The modelling of the economic model and the way it influences things is masterful. Many many complex systems are integrated into that game. I really learned a lot from that game myself and I think Victoria II would be the most useful game to use in the classroom. If you've played Vicky for any length of time, you'll know what I mean.

 

[Raeheart_]

I never really learnt much history. I learned a lot of geography though!

 

[Samilou]

I never really learnt much history. I learned a lot of geography though!

Yeah, history is better learned from the older, Europa engine generation of Paradox games. But perhaps EU4 will remedy this.

 

[GreatSlayer]

Yes, I think for most teachers the point is to arouse an interest in history, not perhaps using our games as carbon copies of exactly how everything happened.

I used EUIII pre-made saves during my internship, to show the geographical points of interests during the Great Northern War. It was a pain to get to try it from my supervisor.
First I had to translate the game elements I was showing, because the class must be held in Swedish, and Swedish alone unless provided with a translation.
I could obviously not press unpause unless I had good reason to do it (such as showing the movement of the armies) which led to reload save, reload save, reload save.
Other than that, I guess it could be used as a quasi tool for getting a bigger picture of historical events. Though I am not sure how we'd accomplish what you're insinuating. Letting kids play in class? They'd have to fight the UI first.

 

[delra]

I can only hope you're not learning about WW2 based on HoI3. It's missing some critical parts, it wasn't all fun and tanks the way it has to be set up in a computer game.

 

[Carbon]

I can only hope you're not learning about WW2 based on HoI3. It's missing some critical parts, it wasn't all fun and tanks the way it has to be set up in a computer game.

I learned almost everything I know about World War II before I played HoI3. Nevertheless, HoI3 simulates the relative power structure of nations at the time. For example, you sort of see just how little of a chance Japan had against the US.

Again as I said in my first post, it's not perfect. It's a game first and foremost. It did however, bring back some interest in World War II when I play it, after which I read some more about this fascinating chapter in human history.

 

[delra]

People react a funny way when you click through the years in the starting screen of EU3. Show them border changes in Europe in intervals of something like 10 years during the timeframe. Teach them of the scale of changes and the power of various countries in the most visual way. I feel like it's a real eye-opener regarding historical processes, something that schools fail to teach properly.

 

[zedyue]

When I first picked up EU3 the only countries I recognized were France and England. That American education at work.
Now I know Geography vastly better than most of my peers.

 

[stilgarpl]

I learned a lot about history too - but only a small part from the games. Most of it was from reading those topic where users argue, that something in the game is wrong!