'Sid Meier's Civilization': Breaking Genres for Better Histories - Robert Houghton
Channel: History & Games Lab
Date: 2022-03-08

Recorded on 3/03/2021.

In this talk, Dr. Robert Houghton (University of Winchester) addresses the limitations of the games within the hugely popular and influential Civilization series in their representations of medieval societies. 

The talk argues that the genre conventions, mechanical restrictions and player expectations placed on the designers of these games restrict their ability to represent the period and lead to a lack of distinction between the Middle Ages and other historical periods. Ultimately, it suggests that mechanics may be constructively drawn from games of other genres including Reigns, Mount and Blade, and The Sims: Medieval to provide a more nuanced and useful depiction of the Middle Ages.

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