THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCES
This article explores the evolution of wargames from historical tactical and abstract encounters to multivariable and complex historical representations often reflected in the video game genre of Grand Strategy. The article argues that, because of the increasing complexity of historical wargames, th...
| Published in: | Digital Culture & Education |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Digital Culture & Education (DCE)
2021-09-01
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.digitalcultureandeducation.com/volume-13-papers/loban-2021 |
| _version_ | 1850390631677952000 |
|---|---|
| author | Rhett Loban |
| author_facet | Rhett Loban |
| author_sort | Rhett Loban |
| collection | DOAJ |
| container_title | Digital Culture & Education |
| description | This article explores the evolution of wargames from historical tactical and abstract encounters to multivariable and complex historical representations often reflected in the video game genre of Grand Strategy. The article argues that, because of the increasing complexity of historical wargames, there is a need to shift the discipline to the digital space where such complexity can be retained and enable the player to focus on the game’s content rather than the technical process of wargaming itself. Grand Strategy video games can alleviate several efficiency problems of physical wargames, while simultaneously providing historical breadth by depicting war and peacetime history, and depth in terms of historical narratives and details. Grand Strategy games also have the potential to support learning outcomes of history units in higher education and can be used as pedagogical tools for the exploration of historical worlds. Grand Strategy video games, and digital wargames more broadly, provide rich, accessible and active learning platforms that can enhance our experience with wargaming and history |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a973cea8e95b4c4e96edd10dfceacef8 |
| institution | Directory of Open Access Journals |
| issn | 1836-8301 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Digital Culture & Education (DCE) |
| record_format | Article |
| spelling | doaj-art-a973cea8e95b4c4e96edd10dfceacef82025-08-19T22:53:59ZengDigital Culture & Education (DCE)Digital Culture & Education1836-83012021-09-01131THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCESRhett Loban0Macquarie UniversityThis article explores the evolution of wargames from historical tactical and abstract encounters to multivariable and complex historical representations often reflected in the video game genre of Grand Strategy. The article argues that, because of the increasing complexity of historical wargames, there is a need to shift the discipline to the digital space where such complexity can be retained and enable the player to focus on the game’s content rather than the technical process of wargaming itself. Grand Strategy video games can alleviate several efficiency problems of physical wargames, while simultaneously providing historical breadth by depicting war and peacetime history, and depth in terms of historical narratives and details. Grand Strategy games also have the potential to support learning outcomes of history units in higher education and can be used as pedagogical tools for the exploration of historical worlds. Grand Strategy video games, and digital wargames more broadly, provide rich, accessible and active learning platforms that can enhance our experience with wargaming and historyhttps://www.digitalcultureandeducation.com/volume-13-papers/loban-2021: grand strategyhistorypolitical-military wargamesblack boxingdigital wargamesphysical wargamesgame-based learningtabletop wargames |
| spellingShingle | Rhett Loban THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCES : grand strategy history political-military wargames black boxing digital wargames physical wargames game-based learning tabletop wargames |
| title | THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCES |
| title_full | THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCES |
| title_fullStr | THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCES |
| title_full_unstemmed | THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCES |
| title_short | THE TRANSFORMATION FROM PHYSICAL WARGAMES TO GRAND STRATEGY VIDEO GAMES, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP AND EFFICIENT HISTORICAL WARGAMING EXPERIENCES |
| title_sort | transformation from physical wargames to grand strategy video games and the opportunities for deep and efficient historical wargaming experiences |
| topic | : grand strategy history political-military wargames black boxing digital wargames physical wargames game-based learning tabletop wargames |
| url | https://www.digitalcultureandeducation.com/volume-13-papers/loban-2021 |
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