Archaeogaming

On a lark, I started a Twitter conversation on the evening of January 27th to lament the fact that relics in video games are never really used for archaeology. This then cascaded into a conversation covering a range of topics from game development to intangible heritage to new achievements. Below is a transcription of the conversation. I’ve annotated it in places. When known, I use the real names of the tweeters, abbreviating later in the conversation thread. I received permission from everyone to reproduce their thoughts here on the Archaeogaming blog. A word of warning: some of the dialogue might appear out of order. I’ll try to edit this for a better chronology when I have the, um, time.

To see this thread and all other video game archaeology threads, use the #archaeogaming hashtag.

Here’s my initial post on relics and video games:

Andrew Reinhard (AR): Once again, relics are used to create weapons, just like in real life >.>

AR:  Relics in games = weapon tech, magic, buffs, or cash.

Tara Copplestone (TC): Ye 😦 #shadowofmordor went pure collectible + #Elegy uses them as core narrative – but on the whole its pretty dire

AR: One of the many things I liked about Skyrim was that there was at least one museum in one of the towns.

TC: Yes! Also loved the inclusion of non tangible heritage which is sorely overlooked in favour of tangible in a lot of #archaeogames

Sarah May (SM): not just in games, ask the heads of UK heritage organisations about intangible heritage and they giggle

AR:  I think there should be a “loremaster” achievement for that. Didnt Skyrim have 1 for reading X number of books #archaeogaming

Ethan Gruber (EG): yep

AR: Hrmph. At least UNESCO takes it seriously.

AR: Interesting! How very 19th-c German. #Schachthaus

John Lowe (JL): judging by things I find in looter backfire IRL this seems fairly accurate

AR: #archaeogaming achievements wish-list: repatriate artifacts; run a temple w/out looting it; turn in drops to museums; don’t damage buildings

AR: OOoooooo!!!!!

NG: Also features Grumpos, a scholar and former curator whose special power is Yammering. And in the game.

Space Archaeology (SA): Have you checked out Elegy for a Dead World?

AR: Tara Copplestone mentioned Elegy earlier. I haven’t played it. Now I have to. #ArchaeogamingProblems

AR: Riffing on intangible heritage, it would be fun to participate in some “ancient” traditions in-game, turning that into an achievement, too.

AR: These non-destructive #archaeogaming achievements are no different that “stealth” achievements in other games, where conflict is avoided.

TC: part of the problem w incentivised heritage in games, no matter the incentive it ends up being reduced to a commodity of sorts

AR: True. In-game heritage never seems to exist for its own sake as part of what makes the world interesting.

JW: What about a game where you’re trying to save your own heritage from predatory colonizers/merchants?

AR: I’d buy that game in a heartbeat. GingeryGamer mentioned that there is a Crucible match in Destiny that does this

TC:  interviews with devs showed trend towards writers wanting heritage implemented as narrative but designers wanted it as mechanic

TC:  which seemed 2 reflect on how heritage profs frame CH to wider audiences + how gamedevs tried frame that 4 player expectations

AR: I don’t see why these have to be mutually exclusive. Developers underestimate their audiences perhaps. People want story.

TC: awesome idea for a game! Might try prototype something this weekend…

TC: yah! Its mostly bet-hedging in the AAA by sticking to what they did in the past that made money, indies were better for sure

JW: Like in real life, some of the looters might be your own people; there’d be economic/pol/mil disparities

JL: archaeology game for Wii using balance board and controls. could do in semi-real time and also emphasize fitness!

JL: I couldn’t remember what other system had Mo-Cap. Could include choices of different cultures to widen appeal

JW: You might not know yourself where/what some of the heritage is; have to figure out ways to save it in situ or ex

TC:  Interesting! Thnk thr is a possibly neat mechanic in there about how to stop CH loss when alot of the time is not obv

JW: Obviously, though, I am being quite tangible-centric here… 🙂

JW: Which we do *not* shorten to “tantric,” no sir

TC: hah 🙂 I think theres the possibility to use the difficulty of identifying and preserving NTCH as mechanic too

JW: Good, because, I was having trouble visualizing how that would happen. But then, I don’t really play games.

AR: I would also LOVE it if a game could include a questchain or storyline that builds a case against a shady antiquities dealer.

GG: There was a mission in DA:Inq where a haunted mansion killed it’s looters.

AR: Have looters learned nothing from horror? Steal some ancient stuff. Die a horrible death. #LeaveAntiquitiesAlone

JS: Sounds like John Grant’s Lovejoy

AR: Also, if games insist on having players loot something, it should take seconds instead of being instant. Sweat for that artifact!

Pre-CatLady (PCL): my daddyo organizes hackathons at MIT if you wanna do it for real 🙂

AR:  Archaeology is a physical thing. I wonder if this could be ported to Kinect for the Xbox One, too.

AB: I would play this game.

SG: we talked in #hist3812a about doing exactly that, as a co-op.

SG: internet of things. wire up a bunch of equipment, send folks outside to the soccer field…

JL: I couldn’t remember what other system had Mo-Cap. Could include choices of different cultures to widen appeal

JL: running with it: could add “survey” option with walking/shovel digging. Go crazy & toss in mapping/drawing/lab!

SG: your conversation reminded me of this, re heritage mechanics- totem’s sound http://killscreendaily.com/articles/totems-sound/ …

AR: Oh yeah! I remember this from you 🙂 I played it through (until it glitched near the end).

SG: virtual conference on archaeogaming. Use mit unhangouts, everybody finds, plays, talks games, build…

AR: Yes! Monthly heritage jam then?

AR: Romana’s York conference could totally jumpstart this.

SG: why not?

AR: Also, if games insist on having players loot something, it should take seconds instead of being instant. Sweat for that artifact!

JL: archaeology game for Wii using balance board and controls. could do in semi-real time and also emphasize fitness!

AR: Handheld controller as trowel in one square, and as a pick in another. Wii U could totally do this.

JL: don’t forget taking your turn at the screen! Shake the handhelds forward and back

AR: Tilt the controller up for end-of-day beers.

NG: Probably you already know them, all this archaeogaming chat just brought them to mind.

NG: Poss. of interest: Renowned Explorers http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/08/26/hands-on-renowned-explorers/ … and esp. Curious Expedition http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/11/28/hands-on-curious-expedition/ …

Conclusions:

1. Archaeologists need to create their own game design studio or need to lobby existing studios to improve archaeology in games, or to make some really fun and more “real” archaeology-themed titles.

2. Developers need to include new achievements that reward non-looting, non-destruction, and repatriation in games.

3. Developers and players need to pay more attention to the concept of intangible heritage in the games they make and play.

Please feel free to leave constructive comments, questions, and suggestions in the Comments area, and join this lively discussion!

-Andrew Reinhard, Archaeogaming