TED Talk now live on TED.com
May 3, 2012
The talk I gave on my non-digital games in the Mechanic is the Message series is now live on TED.com: Games for Understanding.
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Have you heard about live-action-roleplaying / larping? In the nordic countries we frequently make games/larps about really heavy subjects, like prison camps (Kapo) and the aids epidemy in new york in the 80s (Just a little lovin)
I just thought you might find this interesting and inspiring
http://nordiclarptalks.org/post/16371904478/can-playing-games-teach-us-about-war
Kapo:http://kapo.nu/
Just a little lovin: http://just-a-little-lovin.blogspot.se/
At least for ten years Monopoly should not be brought as an example of boardgames. Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Citadel, 7 wonders, Dominion and lots more but not Monopoly. Just visit http://www.boardgamegeek.com and see what variety is in modern boardgames. Anyone who was play one of the mention games will not say that they were boring.
Absolutely! The sad thing is that I am a huge, huge fan of board games and have easily over 200 in my garage. Board games are not boring to me at all. Monopoly is. I hadn’t meant that as a condemnation of all board games, but it sure came out that way! The moment I realized how it sounded… you can’t imagine how I felt. I own every game you mentioned and many more.
Hi Brenda,
I just watched the TEDx clip, very inspirational! I wanted to find out if you had any more information on the game you had briefly mentioned called “Trail of Tears”. Being Native American myself (Ojibway) I found it intriguing that an educational game could be created from such a terrible event in history. What a great learning tool.
Chi-Miigwetch (big thanks)
Mark
Thank you! The game will be completed this winter. I will likely make the rules for the game available in some form, and also plan to make the game more widely available for play. It’s a bit unwieldy with 50k pieces, but it will get around somehow.
Hi Brenda. I saw your presentation and loved it — I think the topic of using games to be educational will become crucial in teaching the next generation. It was good to hear that you taught your child something at a young age that most adults wouldn’t fully grasp until many years later — I know I’m grasping issues that I learned a long time ago.
I was wondering if you’ve worked on video games with these topics. I am a big gamer, yet am big into education (would love to teach someday) and politics. I’d love to learn more about what your company does, whether it’s video games or board games!
I have not worked on video games with these topics. For me, the tactile nature of these games was necessary to get the message across.
I am the President of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans. We are one of the largest food museums in the US. I am very interested in the Mexican food workers game that you mentioned in your Ted Talk. Food as love is a component of many cultures. Food work is also an entry point for many immigrants, since eating is universal. I would love to include this game in an exhibit at our museum.
Any plans to release the game (or at least the rules) for your Middle Passage game?
I love your TED Talk! I was moved to tears listening to you describe your daughter’s eventual understanding about the middle passage. I would like to know how I might follow your progress on some of the game’s you’re designing. I’m especially interested in your progress on Mexican Kitchen Workers and the Trail of Tears? Thank you very much!