This post is part of a continuing series on game-based learning in connection to the Games For Change Festival.
In 2016 MOMI (The Museum of the Moving Image) completed their Arcade Classics exhibition, but they still have programming workshops for student visits. These focus on text-based games. For those who are unfamiliar with the genre, these are adventure stories like Zork and Oregon Trail.
I have written in the past about how impactful games can be in improving language acquisition and fluency. Text-based games are inherently educational since they are basically interactive stories. In the sessions at MOMI students are instructed in how to design and construct a text-based game. Even if you are unable to attend a session, you or your students can create your own great games using Twine. You can learn about the many features available in the Twine guide.
If you just want to see what’s possible you can view other people’s creations on the Twine Hub. Some of the best text based games throughout history can be found on Text Adventures or Web Adventures. Some games I suggest exploring are Haunted House where you act as a real estate agent or venture through a cold wilderness in Frost. Try to survive in Ghosts are Good Hosts, await a dragon in A Bucket Filled with Sand, or stage a coup with Cinderella in Secret Agent Cinder. These are stories that empower students through choice as well as engaging them through visual content. When done well these stories can empower students to live their legend.
“The most important question anyone can ask is: What myth am I living?” – Carl Jung
