Game
experiences can
engage kids and newcomers in
various aspects of
learning beyond a game’s
core theme: following
directions, estimating situations, exploring
solutions to challenges, working
as a team, winning and
losing graciously. I draw on my familiarity with games and my ability
to inspire others to explore the confluence of games, history, and
learning. I’ve created and hosted game events for museums,
libraries, and game conventions, often adapted to appeal to young
people and those new
to the hobby. My commitment to enhancing learning through meaningful
games makes me a valuable asset for any organization seeking to
enrich its educational mission.
During
a career spanning more
than three decades of game design I’ve
run roleplaying games and wargames at conventions and
game days; I’ve also
spoken about games publicly through volunteer programs. I’ve
used game-design techniques to inspire students to create science-fiction worlds and aliens. I’ve designed and run
kid-friendly games like Panzer Kids and Valley of the Ape at
regional wargaming conventions. I’ve
adapted existing games like Wings of Glory and Gridded Naval Wargames for
introductory game experiences. I’ve
created games like Lord of the Two Lands and
Sol O.P. Grand Prix
to explore ancient Egyptian history and reinforce math skills with a
space-travel theme. Through
the Museum of Culpeper History I’ve developed an introduction to wargaming and history presentation as well as historically based
strategy game scenarios specifically
designed for kids and hobby
newcomers.
Game
Presentations
 |
Schweighofer discusses a Civil War
board/map during a museum presenattion. |
I’m
available to speak at
schools, libraries, museums, historical
sites, and other venues
on
various topics about
games, history,
and learning. I customize
each presentation to a specific audience and topic, including a
participation
demonstration game when
practical. The outline
booklet for my Fire
When Ready! museum
program provides some idea of the aspects of wargaming I can
incorporate in my talks.
Contact
me at schweig@att.net
to discuss your needs,
ideas, and audience to customize a program for your
institution.I
offer several broad presentation subjects I can adapt
for different audiences and venues:
- Fire
When Ready!: A broad
introduction to historical
strategy games...their history, reasons for playing, core elements, and
suggested games for a particular interest.
- Games
in History: How have
games helped shape the
course of history? I
examine several historical episodes where games influenced events,
from the creation and refinement of the Prussian Kriegsspiel
to wargames affecting action in World War II for
both good and ill.
- Game
Survey: I
present an overview of
games related to particular historical periods or topics, discussing
the ways designers abstract major elements into relevant
game mechanics and
produce an immersive player experience.
- Transforming
History into Games:
I discuss
how we can take a historical event (usually a battle) to
research, evaluate, and adapt into
a game format so participants can gain some personal
understanding what it was like to experience.
I love talking about games, history, and learning, so if you want me to speak to your school, library, club, museum, or convention please get in touch.
Blog
Missives
You
can read my articles about games for learning at my Hobby
Games Recce blog:
- “Games
for Learning” — My
early discussion
how games can help us reinforce what kids learn in the classroom and
inspire curiosity to explore subjects to a greater depth.
- “COTS
Games for Learning”
— Explores how hosts can use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
games and adapt them as teaching tools.
- “Wargames
for Learning” — A reflection on a thoughtful video about
governments using games to develop military strategy and how
education/training is just as important as such games’ role in
analysis.
- “Ukraine
2022 Prepares Students for War” — A look at the
Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science’s decision to use a
commercially available wargame to help train high school students in
various battlefield skills, including a brief discussion of the sad
necessity of such an exercise.
- “Modern
Crisis Wargaming” — A look at some games about the current
situation surrounding North Korea and how they allow players to
explore near-future issues through multiple plays and discussion.
