Steam Greenlight
Educational Games?
At the risk of sounding really lame, it doesn't seem like there are many educational games on Steam. There's not even a section for it, and I didn't see many even in Greenlight.

Educational games don't have to be boring things made for primary school kids, they could be anything. For example, a game which teaches you a language. I personally would lay down up to $30 for a really well made game that teaches Japanese or Russian. Or they could teach other things, I'm sure there are many topics people are interested in as adults which they would like to learn more about as a hobby, and learning the subject through a fun game could be really good.

What do you think?
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Показані коментарі 115 із 22
There's certainly room for them, but they are notoriously difficult to make good enough to generate a profit. I remember trying many educational games when I was a kid but most were just not as fun as normal games so I would just play normal games instead, and that's the problem with making educational games, you have to compete with normal games but due to the much smaller market you have to do so with a much smaller budget. But it can be done, the one educational game that I really did want to play as much as the normal games was Treasure Mountain, I loved that game, and I would definitely love to see some modern games of that ilk be made, even if I am a bit too old for them now ;).
Автор останньої редакції: AusSkiller; 5 жовт. 2013 о 23:32
Well certainly educational games for younger people are important, but I was thinking more for adults as well. They would struggle to compete against normal games most of the time, unless a person specifically decided they wanted to learn a topic, in which case they might go out and intentionally search for that type of game. I only think of this now because right now I'm learning a language and I'd happily buy a game that helps me learn it.
For some topics it is just pretty difficult to make an educational game. You could still go (especially for learning a language) for the unintended educational game. As I was young, I played an adventure game called "Hugos House of Horror" which only worked with english commands you hand to type in. Those have basically been my first english lessons. I'm sure the game was never meant for that. So just choose a game and set its language to the one you want to learn. Might be helpful if it is a replay and you already know what the text should mean.
As for making an enjoyable game for learning languages: I think it is difficult to adjust the learning curve with the gameplay so that a lot of people can follow it. For some it might be too slow, for others too fast. People with basic knowledge would be bored at the beginning. You had to divide the game in sections and force repitition on the people which would lessen the fun factor (probably).

Sidenote: I think there was atleast one educational game in Greenlight about a Roboter and physics and nature or something like that.
There's the problem of finding a good public educator to work with. I know a lot of teachers who know their subject well, but can't get "outside people" interested, I also know a lot of teachers who get attentioin but don't have the depth. The ones who manage both are rare, busy and expensive.
Edit: Apparently they get snapped up by Musea,
Автор останньої редакції: C0untzer0; 6 жовт. 2013 о 3:19
Цитата допису Adelion:
...
Sidenote: I think there was atleast one educational game in Greenlight about a Roboter and physics and nature or something like that.

That was probably
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=94184206

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=160542549
was actually built around an engine for ESL students, and can be used to practise English.
Автор останньої редакції: Psycho; 6 жовт. 2013 о 4:47
I personally would like to sell Steam educational games and also clearly out of easy access to find it if it already on Steam and ..
Цитата допису Grady Vuckovic:
I personally would lay down up to $30 for a really well made game that teaches Japanese or Russian.
While certainly a nice idea, bear in mind that actual software designed for language instruction will often be valued at well over $100 depending on how in-depth it is. Depending, of course, on company providing the software, level of immersion, etc. For a $30 price tag, you might be able to get an introductory level perhaps, but certainly nothing granting anywhere near fluency.
Out of curiousity, what subjects would the people reading this discussion personally like to see covered in an educational game? I already mentioned language, but there could many things. Music perhaps? History? Maths? etc?
Probably best to go for "Internationally transferrable" subjects. History for example tends to focus on Southern Europe (Greece, Rome, etc) or what little history the Americans have so far. Phi is just as beautiful in New Jersey as it is in the old one.
I personally love rocket science, I bet a lot of other geeks would too.
Автор останньої редакції: C0untzer0; 6 жовт. 2013 о 6:19
Ya know, looking at this page.. http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/ .. that's a list of the subjects which can be taken up in the final 2 years of high school in Australia. Any one of those subjects involves a lot of information, and terminology or equations to remember, any one of them would be a valid idea for a game that specifically teaches the subject. For example, a computer game that teaches Chemistry or Physics. Maybe 'computer game' isn't quite the correct term, but sorta like a trainer, which measures your progress, gives you tests, focuses on the areas you need help, and tries to make the process at least painful in the process, possibly fun at times.
I remember recently someone posted a language-focussed educational game in Concepts. It stood out because the author seemed to have trouble with English. Not really what you'd want in a product aiming to teach cross-language skills.
Цитата допису Skoardy:
I remember recently someone posted a language-focussed educational game in Concepts. It stood out because the author seemed to have trouble with English. Not really what you'd want in a product aiming to teach cross-language skills.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=182572184&searchtext=
Цитата допису Grady Vuckovic:
Out of curiousity, what subjects would the people reading this discussion personally like to see covered in an educational game? I already mentioned language, but there could many things. Music perhaps? History? Maths? etc?

Music theory would quite be nice if it is expressed in a refreshing way.
But who defines the content? What Scales, what patterns, is this the only way of doing it...?

Nice thread btw.!

It would freak me out to see more 'classy made hate propaganda' or other forms of miss education and numbing. There are more than enough of those.

Education is something that should be handled with great care. As already mentioned, good teachers are hard to get by and nice ones even harder.

Teaching history could be a challange, history from different perspectives would be allmost insane! =D
Автор останньої редакції: James; 6 жовт. 2013 о 11:26
There is one educational game on Steam I can think of. Air Forte.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/55020/?snr=1_7_15__13
Цитата допису Grady Vuckovic:
Educational games don't have to be boring things made for primary school kids, they could be anything. I'm sure there are many topics people are interested in as adults which they would like to learn more about

adults go find info about topics they like . people in general do that . and topics that they like they remember pointless info for . there is no need for a game to teach any one anything . because the game would be ineffective if the subject matter is borring to a person or if they cannot understand the material and any one who finds its interesting would remember reading a article 1 time

people may think they want to learn something but they dont actually find it interesting and as a result it is a waste of time . a game wouldnt change that and it would just be a distraction . people who think there should be educational games dont appreciate the average persons capacity to tune out whatever they dont care about at a subconcious level
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Опубліковано: 5 жовт. 2013 о 22:03
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