My recommendations and hopefully yours--Games where you...gulp...learn things

[ZedClampet]

To start, I'm talking about real world knowledge as opposed to just improving your brain through puzzles and such.

As I've mentioned, I have been playing Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 quite a bit, and I think it's the most incidentally educational game I've ever played. I've always wanted to learn more about cars, and this has taught me tons. It could be more educational; for instance, it could have an option to explain the parts, but it's still been fascinating to take apart and put back together these cars, and I've found myself googling parts that I couldn't figure out what they were for. I think if you combined this game with the game Automation, which I'm planning to do, that you would have a pretty solid working understanding. I told my wife I was ready to take her car apart, but she suggested that I take mine apart first. Such little faith...

Also, Assassin's Creed games usually have a lot of educational stuff with them if you are willing to look, but I've also been doing their Discovery Tour "games" as well, and they are fantastic. So far they have them for Egypt and Greece, and I think they are working on one for the Vikings. Basically you take narrated tours through game locations. I've learned quite a bit (most of which I'll promptly forget, but that's another story).

The Discovery Tour stuff is meant as edutainment, and there's probably quite a bit of that, but I think the incidental learning in CMS18 is even more special.

I'd be interested in hearing what other games or edutainment you all have played that you would recommend. I find that I'm really enjoying learning as I play.

 

[Pifanjr]

All the historical grand strategy games from Paradox have definitely improved my knowledge of European countries/regions, plus some of their history.

My wife has introduced me to Titanic: Adventure Out of Time, which she absolutely loved when she was a child. Apparently, the developers were so faithful in their recreation of the ship that scenes from the game have been used for several documentaries.

From my childhood, The ClueFinders series from The Learning Company was the absolute best. There were also some Dutch specific games that were great (specifically the Red Cat games).

 

[ZedClampet]

My wife has introduced me to Titanic: Adventure Out of Time, which she absolutely loved when she was a child. Apparently, the developers were so faithful in their recreation of the ship that scenes from the game have been used for several documentaries.

Some good suggestions. It's kind of funny that you mentioned Titanic: Adventure Out of Time because my brother actually worked on that game. After it was released, the studio moved to California, and he didn't want to move, so that was his one and only game that he worked on, but he had a great time while working there.

 

[Brian Boru]

she suggested that I take mine apart first

Now that's a clever girl!

Great topic! Civilization 4 of course. Apart from the little bit in the Civopedia, I DuckDuckGoed—what's this 'googling' thing?—each civ and leader and learned loads, especially about the African & Asian peoples which I knew little about.

I have those 2 AC games, the Discovery Tours were what clinched the deal—even if I don't like the games, I should enjoy that aspect.

 

[Johnway]

a game that i've learned things... nothing comes to mind tbh. Sure Assassins creed had that historical aspect but did i learn anything? Not really but its still very interesting to stare at the artifacts, understand the locations and people etc. Wouldn't use it for a history test though...


Speaking of educational games. One thing i have been trying to do is use game logic to study. Right now i'm studying for AWS CCP exam (which apparently isn't difficult but i'm not taking any chances when its £100 to take the exam!) and i've been trying to use RTS, tech tree logic and sim management (atm its using a robotic pie factory) as one of the ways to understand stuff among the usual mnemonics and general endless reptition. Its worked in a few areas but some stuff i'm still struggling to remember.

 

[OsaX Nymloth]

Fallout 2!
What? I learned much of my "early English" from it. Game on the monitor and a solid piece of dictionary at the desk, ready to search for anything I didn't knew or understand. Don't get me to explain why I was confused by things like "nothing out of ordinary". Also do not mention me learning words for erm working women.

Oh, you mean, in general?
Well.

There was Colobot. And old game about exploring planets and building more complicated bases and well programming robots. Using Java or something very resembling Java if I recall correctly. It was quite fun back then, being able to program little robots to do more and more complicated operations than "go there, pick whatever is there, come back". By today's standards it have aged rather poorly I am afraid.

Also maybe Football Manager series?
I mean, being able to see the "backend" of how much money some clubs have, how much money some players earn, what contract clauses may look like - while not 100% real, gave a better understanding on how this football world functions and how much difference there's in different leagues based on finances alone. Or their transfer rules. French clubs being able to hire like a whole Africa without issues is OP.

Paradox games has been mentioned here and I second them greatly.

 

[Zloth]

Well, Star Wars: Rebellion taught me a lot about what ships are which in.... oh, you mean it has to teach you about REAL things, don't you? Well, at least that dodges the whole "canon vs. non-canon" worries.

The later Assassin's Creed games are a good example, but there's a big caveat: you don't know what's real and what's there for gaming purposes. Sometimes its obvious (no, there was not a real Medusa), but other times, not so much. For instance, were those historical figures all at their prime at the same time? Or did they move them around so they could get them all into the game? <shrug>