Frankenstein Video Game

Campus Report ^ | January 30, 2008 | Deborah Lambert

[bs9021]

Frankenstein Video Game

by: Deborah Lambert, January 30, 2008

Although most parents would disagree with the emphasis their offspring place on video games, Nicola Groom of Reuters recently reported that a professor at the U. Of Southern California has devised a procedure for integrating “educational role-playing games into the classroom.”

Prof. Doug Thomas is “developing a game for students ages 10-12 that aims to teach ideas and skills not found in traditional textbooks.”

His game, Modern Prometheus, uses the story of Frankenstein to teach “ethical decision-making” by having the player “assume the role of Dr. Frankenstein’ assistant, who is forced to make a series of difficult choices that impact the game’s outcome.”

The assistants soon discovers a macabre element to the game, i.e. when they are forced into several dilemmas like deciding if they should steal body parts from a cemetery in order to help cure a widespread plague.

“We want them to really wrestle with doing things and ask, ‘Is it good for me or is it good for everyone else?’” ...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Igor.

[54skylark]

no Egor as in young frankenstein

[dan1123]

Although most parents would disagree with the emphasis their offspring place on video games, Nicola Groom of Reuters recently reported that a professor at the U. Of Southern California has devised a procedure for integrating “educational role-playing games into the classroom.”

Okay, so far sounds good. Kids have been playing Math Blasters and Oregon Trail for 20 years now. There are even good-selling educational games (Brain Age?) on game consoles.

Prof. Doug Thomas is “developing a game for students ages 10-12 that aims to teach ideas and skills not found in traditional textbooks.”

Okay, this could be interesting. Maybe historical play to get the underlying motivations behind events...

His game, Modern Prometheus, uses the story of Frankenstein to teach “ethical decision-making” by having the player “assume the role of Dr. Frankenstein’ assistant, who is forced to make a series of difficult choices that impact the game’s outcome.”

"Ethical decision-making?" What? How is this even school related?

The assistants soon discovers a macabre element to the game, i.e. when they are forced into several dilemmas like deciding if they should steal body parts from a cemetery in order to help cure a widespread plague.

And how much effort is being put into this one scenario? It doesn't even look like the point is to instill ethics, but blur them instead. A sort of anti-sunday-school lesson.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I was afraid that if I spelled it Eye-gore people would think I was making a reference to the Pope of Global Warming.

:)

[Brett66]

Does he get a minigun or rocket launcher to mow villagers down with?

[mnehring]

Nicola Groom of Reuters recently reported that a professor at the U. Of Southern California has devised a procedure for integrating “educational role-playing games into the classroom.”

Recently? Nicola sure isn't a pioneer in this. In the corporate education world, we've been using video game technology for years. She needs to catch up, we've moved on into using MMORPGs. Heck, I've held virtual learning conferences in Second Life.

[Age of Reason]

Main thing to remember is not to use the criminal brain.

[L,TOWM]

Or Abby’s...

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Abby? What was his last name?

[L,TOWM]

Abby.....ummmmm....Normal

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Sound of snaredrum “riff” and cymbal.

[Corin Stormhands]

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII ain’t got no body......

[Hot Tabasco]

My parents made me take all the Readers Digest word game tests and spelling tests........

I think they wanted me to be a spell checker when I grew up........

[ctdonath2]

There’s a key difference between games and stories.

Stories are interesting because we watch the protagonist follow an emotional arc. This arc is rarely pleasant at its peak, and is partly (if not completely) the result of making mistakes.

Games are interesting because we as protagonist work thru a stimulating process. This process rarely involves an emotional arc, and usually requires making no mistakes (insofar as they appear in the game, they are usually thrust upon us without our actual involvement).

[Neidermeyer]

The movie FRANKENHOOKER teaches this lesson really well and with plenty of humor...

WANNA DATE!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099611/trailers-screenplay-E20464-310