Games That Taught You Skills, History, etc

besttechadvisor on 14/11/2024 - 09:45

I haven't been much of a gamer since playing MW2 in highschool over a decade ago. While it was fun, I remember realising I had spent hours sitting in front of a screen and felt like it was lost time.

I've just bought a laptop good enough for dinner gaming, and I foresee being stuck indoors a lot in my near future, so I'm looking for some PC games that will teach me something.

I've got Assetto Corsa in my library from the recent sale and will need to buy a wheel. I will also be downloading Mechanic Sim and Flight Sim. I remember playing Age of Mythology as a kid and learning a lot about Greek and Norse mythology that way.

I'm looking for anything along that spectrum: Games that teach you real-world skills (eg flying, driving, mechanics) or simply educate you on topics in a fun way (eg mythology, history, etc).

I'm open to an all suggestions, they don't need to be practical skills/knowledge that I expect to use (I doubt I'll be flying a plane or start a career in mythology). The games don't need to be focused on teaching, but I do want to walk away from the game feeling like I got something out of it beyond the time spent playing.

Thanks for any positive feedback :)

Gaming Video Game

Comments

  • mapax on 14/11/2024 - 09:51
    +5

    War never changes

    • QuickToThePointless on 14/11/2024 - 14:32
      +2

      Right on.

      Also, I have found time spent on the Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter series over the years do indeed yield valuable real world skills!

  • Benoffie on 14/11/2024 - 09:54
    +3

    Obviously the Assassin's Creed series is highly rated in terms of visual representation of historical periods. It's frequently used in classrooms. Also For Honour and Mordhau for swordplay if that's your thing (they focus more on the technical rather than the aesthetic).
    I enjoy Cleopatra for understanding the notions of ancient Egyptian society.
    Red Dead Redemption series is crazy on point. God of War series.
    Also Sea of Theives for pirates
    There's heaps more but they'd be my starting point.

    • QuickToThePointless on 14/11/2024 - 14:29
      +4

      Agreed - I you do learn a lot of history from AC games, esepecially if you bother to read the menu entries.

      When I was a kid I used to play a lot of Super Mario Bros.

      Now when someone asks who can fix a leaky tap, blocked drain or a toilet that just wont flush in the house, I proudly declare

      "It's a meeee"

      • johnno07 on 14/11/2024 - 22:48
        +4

        "It's a meeee"

        Jumps down pipe

  • Kail on 14/11/2024 - 10:06
    +4

    Loved Age of Mythology as a kid!

    PC Building Simulator is a good one.

  • SnowDragon on 14/11/2024 - 10:17

    Typequick goes hard

    I enjoy open world games based on places like GTA V and FH4. After walking around Edinburgh and going there in Forza I was stunned how accurate it was.

  • JDMcarfan on 14/11/2024 - 10:28
    +17

    Euro Truck Simulator 2.
    Taught me how drive a truck, so now I can competently tailgate a p-plater in a swift doing 90.

    But seriously, the game taught me how to reverse park a trailer.
    Gave dad and the neighbours a shock when 14-year-old me (obviously didn't have a licence) reversed a bunnings trailer down a narrow driveway on the first go, after many a failed attempt by him,

    • besttechadvisor on 15/11/2024 - 08:35

      Thanks for suggestion, put it on my wishlist!

  • roguescholar on 14/11/2024 - 10:41
    +10

    Carmen Sandiego - geography
    Oregon Trail - how to die from dysentery
    Solitaire - Mouse clicking and dragging
    Minesweeper - Instinctive left and right mouse clicking

  • ihbh on 14/11/2024 - 10:46
    -1

    Games That Taught You Skills, History, etc

    Chess, backgammon, Spelling Bee, Sodoku, etc. teach you strategic thinking, probability, vocabulary, logical thinking, etc.

    Read a book, listen/watch a lecture/documentary, to learn about history.

    Don't kid yourself that you're learning some new skills, historical knowledge playing games. Just enjoy it and don't feel guilty or play enough so you don't feel guilty.

    • besttechadvisor on 14/11/2024 - 17:47

      I already read at least a book a week, a lot of it history. I just finished reading The Men Who Lost America and highly recommend it. But while I enjoy reading, it can also be taxing.

      I disagree that you can't learn any historical knowledge playing games. It may be reductive, but games are like interactive movies, and you can definitely learn a lot about history from movies, if you take it with a grain of salt.

      Like I said, I learnt a lot about history from games like Age of Mythology and Civ. as a kid - I knew about Ragnar BEFORE the Vikings TV show 🤪

      • CommuterPolluter on 14/11/2024 - 21:53

        I loved AOE2, AoM, Civ, etc. but it’s a very superficial knowledge you pick up. I personally wouldn’t count it for anything. I think his point was just that you might have more fun and learn more if you let study be study and play be play.

        Games like AoM, AoE2, Valheim, Assassins Creed, etc. are all examples of excellent games which have historical or mythological settings. But there are plenty of other amazing games in totally fantastical settings, like the new Baldurs Gate game, which you’d be hard pressed justifying as educational.

        • besttechadvisor on 15/11/2024 - 08:43

          I think his point was just that you might have more fun and learn more if you let study be study and play be play.

          I understand his opinion, but I disagree that I must always draw a strict line between the two.

          Fun and learning are not mutually exclusive.

          Games like AoM, AoE2, Valheim, Assassins Creed, etc. are all examples of excellent games which have historical or mythological settings.

          Thanks, I'll take a look 😀

  • MS Paint on 14/11/2024 - 10:49
    +11

    Not the same but after watching all 436 episodes of Grey's Anatomy I'm pretty much a qualified surgeon.

    • arkie0 on 14/11/2024 - 11:01
      +3

      I did the same with House - What I've learnt is when you get sick it's never just an infection, it's more likely to be cancer or heavy metal poisoning

      • ihfree on 14/11/2024 - 11:27
        +16

        Well, it's not lupus.

        • Mikeer on 14/11/2024 - 19:55
          +1

          Except for that one time

    • djones145 on 14/11/2024 - 11:17
      +1

      hi dr nick

    • Miami Mall Alien on 14/11/2024 - 12:35

      After watching The Sopranos several times over I've come to the realisation that I don't have the makings of a varsity athlete…

    • mousie on 14/11/2024 - 15:21

      Walter white enters the chat

  • jellykingdom on 14/11/2024 - 10:52
    +4

    When i was little I used to play a platform game called Math Rescue. Absolutely loved it, and without even really realising it, i got really bloody good at mathematics. There's a spelling version too

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Math_Rescue

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 14/11/2024 - 10:57
    -2

    Custers revenge- Atari 2600. ;)

  • Bid Sniper on 14/11/2024 - 11:01
    +2

    Found Assetto Corsa great to learn Luddenham raceway (github DL) before I drove first time IRL.

    Games for me teach me philosophical lessons and just a different perspective in life, rather than mechanical skills. Why I have a project car to mess about with as a hobby.

    But Id say Dark Souls series for lessons in perseverance and Red Dead Redemption 2 for a historical view of life.

    • besttechadvisor on 15/11/2024 - 08:48

      Thanks for the recommendations.

      I want to get a project car eventually too, but I noticed that Mechanic Simulator has a few of the cars I'm interested in working on.

      As someone who's only ever changed oil, tyres, brakes, etc before, it seems like a good idea to play the $20 game to learn the basics of the cars before I drop $10,000+ on one.

      • mapax on 15/11/2024 - 09:12

        I haven’t played mechanic simulator and will have to check it out, but IMO you will learn more about working on cars from watching YouTube videos than from playing a game. Even videos that are mostly meant to be entertainment like VGG would probably be more useful.

        All you really need to play cars IRL is the correct FSM, a reasonable I.Q. and some money. Being a glutton for punishment also helps…

  • AustriaBargain on 14/11/2024 - 11:28
    +4

    Civilization 1 on DOS.
    And Pokémon got me interested in biology. Sure evolution irl wasn't much like it is in Pokémon, but actually a lot more interesting. Biology, chemistry, and physics really kills any belief in the supernatural you might have had, science is kind of a buzzkill really. So thanks a lot Pokémon for turning me into a nihilistic naturalist.

    • WhyAmICommenting on 14/11/2024 - 13:16
      +1

      Civ 1 you could text edit the introduction to say whatever you wanted!

      • casho on 15/11/2024 - 09:52

        h4ck3rm4n, whoa!

  • QF99 on 14/11/2024 - 11:30
    +2

    PC building simulator can be useful if you want to learn the process of building a pc.

  • ihfree on 14/11/2024 - 11:34
    +4

    Tetris - has taught me to pack things into cars, cupboards, etc.
    Crazy Taxi - maximising efficiency when driving. Yet to put it to proper use and become a taxi/Uber driver
    Vampire Survivors - self explanatory
    Left 4 Dead - Zombie Survival
    Typing of the Dead - More Zombie survival
    Firewatch - walking

  • montorola on 14/11/2024 - 11:44
    +12

    Age of Empires!

    • Cluster on 14/11/2024 - 13:39
      +7

      Wollollo!

      • ihfree on 14/11/2024 - 13:55
        +3

        The power of religion - possibly the most important lesson of all.

      • montorola on 14/11/2024 - 14:02

        Brogan?

  • Godric on 14/11/2024 - 11:46
    +4

    WoW Auction House

    • xis123 on 14/11/2024 - 11:57

      TradeSkillMaster

    • BoltThrower on 14/11/2024 - 13:51

      Learning arbitrage on the AH helped me quit WoW. I scanned eBay and Amazon for drop-shipping instead.

  • FezMonkey on 14/11/2024 - 11:52
    +3

    I love the puzzle games that really stretch your way of thinking and challenge a lot of fundamental assumptions about how things work. So games like:
    - Portal 1 and 2
    - The Talos Principle 1 and 2
    - Antichamber
    And many more.

  • Butterfly Gocha on 14/11/2024 - 11:57
    +2

    Stronghold

    The various siege weapons.

    Learning that a trebuchet is a far more superior weapon than a catapult

  • FezMonkey on 14/11/2024 - 11:59

    Or ones that give you a human experience with a deep and emotional story. These can be great pieces of art that make you introspective.
    Like Firewatch or Outer Wilds. Plus another plug for The Talos Principle, my favourite game.

    • johnno07 on 14/11/2024 - 22:50

      Absolutely adore both Firewatch and The Outer Wilds - but couldn't get into The Talos Principle. Probably means I should give it another crack.

  • onetwothreefour on 14/11/2024 - 12:09
    +5

    GTA taught me how to car jack.

  • try2bhelpful on 14/11/2024 - 12:09

    Not a video game but have you thought about getting into Cryptic crosswords? They are logic puzzles that also bring everything you know to the table.

  • Gunnar on 14/11/2024 - 12:33
    +7

    Leisure Suit Larry taught me how to meet women

    • WhyAmICommenting on 14/11/2024 - 13:16
      +1

      Ken sent me

    • pharkurnell on 14/11/2024 - 14:37

      which version? Im a bit out of practice….

      • oO0Dam0Oo on 14/11/2024 - 19:44

        She does not like that… slap

  • GettingThePlus190s on 14/11/2024 - 12:40

    EU4, Factorio, Portal, RTS (AoE 1 in particular is good for history).

    Lots more of strategy / puzzle games that I haven't listed.

    • SpainKing on 14/11/2024 - 13:26
      +1

      If you go back far enough the lines between history and mythology can get a little blurry. While games are unlikely to give you the depth of knowledge you need to make use of that info, I wanted to say that learning mythology can be useful in the same way as historical knowledge can be (depending on the time period)

    • Jake D on 14/11/2024 - 13:40
      +3

      Read the post though.

      They didn't ask how to learn things. They want to play games but feel like they learnt while doing it.

      • ForkSnorter on 14/11/2024 - 18:07
        -3

        Oh, I get it. It's a guilt thing. They can't find any new fun games, or they don't find the same games fun anymore, so they want to feel some kind of justification for sitting in front of the screen for hours playing boring games.

    • Miami Mall Alien on 14/11/2024 - 14:08
      +4

      Here's a thought: you can enjoy both books AND videogames and the two hobbies can greatly compliment one another as they are both fundamentally art-forms of escapism at heart.

      Modern videogame writing and storytelling is now on a level that's on par with big budget Hollywood productions, if not frequently surpasses it because of the creators far more personally-invested passion for their craft as opposed to production of modern film/TV frequently being done entirely for materialistic/contrived reasons by teams of staff who have little to no personal stake in the project. Obviously, videogames can't compete with the greatest fiction writers but nonetheless with so many videogames being inspired by some of the greatest works of fiction, particularly from the Sci-Fi and fantasy genres, they are often gateways for gamers to discover some of the best books ever written.

      I remember as a kid reading the richly-detailed Age of Empires II manual that was filled with historical footnotes and accounts of medieval warfare/weapons/battles, which along with the gameplay, then spurned me onto learning about the great empires of classical antiquity right up to the age of discovery through numerous books. It was great springboard for a love of history (same goes with Rome: Total War).

      Video games can have a positive, educational impact on children and adolescents, believe it or not, they're not exclusively murder simulators that serve as training tools for future school shooters like something anti-videogame activist/lawyer Jack Thompson would have claimed back in the day.

      • ForkSnorter on 14/11/2024 - 17:45

        I think you didn't read my comment fully, nor the OP's post. I reckon the neggers didn't read it either. I actually like gaming.

        I suggested focus on fun for gaming, and if you really want to learn something, leave it for books.

        Gaming is an inefficient way to obtain knowledge, unless it is an educational app, plus why compromise on your fun in order to learn some fragmentary knowledge?

        OP is now an adult, and likely does not have the time to trawl through age of empires for months/years for education purposes when he could obtain the same information from a book in a matter of hours (and enjoy it too).

        • Miami Mall Alien on 14/11/2024 - 19:02

          I think you didn't read my comment fully, nor the OP's post.

          No I did but I think you're being rather rigid, close-minded and stubborn in your assertion that "gaming = entertainment only" while "reading = serious learning".

          This isn't 200BC. We have developed other methods of education and instruction today that can serve people just as well as rote memorisation of text can, especially for those who don't have the innate aptitude for reading, which is not a pervasive skill in today's world sadly.

          Games as a medium for education (or the gamification of traditional educational mediums) is a concept that's already been well-tested in classrooms around the world from early learning contexts all the way through to tertiary education for a long time now. This isn't some new-fangled Interwebs voodoo wizardy that's the stuff of Sci-Fi fever dreams. It actually has been clinically proven to work quite well. You seem a little out of the loop with this whole technological progress thing.

          I suggested focus on fun for gaming, and if you really want to learn something, leave it for books.

          No offence but this is either showing your age or some painfully pedantic and anachronistic 1950s mentality of yours along the lines of listening to boomers rant about how "real music" died in the 1970s or some sh*t.

          Gaming is an inefficient way to obtain knowledge, unless it is an educational app, plus why compromise on your fun in order to learn some fragmentary knowledge?

          Not depending on the subject matter being learned, the purpose of studying, the personal learning style, the alternatives methods of learning available and so many other variables you're failing to take into account with your myopic views.

          OP is now an adult, and likely does not have the time to trawl through age of empires for months/years for education purposes when he could obtain the same information from a book in a matter of hours (and enjoy it too).

          Again, you're making massive assumptions about what the OP is seeking to achieve here, how they best learn information and how videogames versus books would compare from the OP's perspective.

          You seem to be under the impression that the OP is doing his PhD thesis and he needs to be feverishly scanning an entire library of books by candlelight when for all we know, he's just looking for a fun way to combine some of his particular reading interests with videogames, which is basically what the OP said in these sentences:
          "I've got Assetto Corsa in my library from the recent sale and will need to buy a wheel. I will also be downloading Mechanic Sim and Flight Sim. I remember playing Age of Mythology as a kid and learning a lot about Greek and Norse mythology that way."

          "I'm looking for anything along that spectrum: Games that teach you real-world skills (eg flying, driving, mechanics) or simply educate you on topics in a fun way (eg mythology, history, etc)."

          You were saying something about not reading people's posts?

          • ForkSnorter on 15/11/2024 - 07:16

            @Miami Mall Alien:

            Games as a medium for education (or the gamification of traditional educational mediums) is a concept that's already been well-tested in classrooms around the world from early learning contexts all the way through to tertiary education for a long time now. This isn't some new-fangled Interwebs voodoo wizardy that's the stuff of Sci-Fi fever dreams. It actually has been clinically proven to work quite well. You seem a little out of the loop with this whole technological progress thing.

            Yes, but OP is not talking about educational apps with little games in them. He's talking about "gaming", and I think you know what that means.

            This isn't 200BC. We have developed other methods of education and instruction today that can serve people just as well as rote memorisation of text can

            It really sounds like you haven't read many good books. A good book (and I mean non-fiction, not just fiction) is one of the most enjoyable forms of entertainment available.

    • CommuterPolluter on 14/11/2024 - 21:55

      I dunno why you’re getting downvoted for such a reasonable comment.

    • johnno07 on 14/11/2024 - 23:02
      +1

      The fastest way to obtain new information is to read a book.

      The fastest way to figure out someone is bullshitting is to look for unequivocal, unsubstantiated statements like this.

      • ForkSnorter on 15/11/2024 - 07:11

        It is true though. We can read much faster than a person can talk. There are really only two ways to obtain new information other than sensual data: to read it, or to hear it spoken. There are of course many ways to retain that information though.

        Furthermore, good writing generally facilitates the acquisition of information. I'm not talking about fiction, but about well-written non-fiction books. On the other hand, if you want to obtain systematic, structured information it's probably better to take a course (whether online or in person) or use a textbook.

  • thespensa on 14/11/2024 - 12:46

    The Shadow Hearts series for some 1914-1930s history (it's a stretch as this is a world with monsters and demons).

  • djones145 on 14/11/2024 - 12:52
    +3

    football manager 01/02

    after 20 years im ready to manage man u

  • trapper on 14/11/2024 - 12:55
    +6

    Kerbal Space Program - Orbital mechanics

    https://www.xkcd.com/1356/

    • johnno07 on 14/11/2024 - 22:53

      Scrolled down to make sure this had been mentioned.
      PSA: Just get the first game and try to ignore that the sequel exists.

  • tikei on 14/11/2024 - 13:09

    Uncharted waters for geography and history on what speciality goods the cities produce (as you will be trading)

  • Dollar General on 14/11/2024 - 13:11
    +2

    Strip poker. I quickly learned how to play well

    • Maxi Pad on 15/11/2024 - 08:51

      It's so embarrassing when mum comes in and you are naked in front of the computer screen and she assumes you just alt-tabbed into Solitaire.

  • Ratzos on 14/11/2024 - 13:16
    +1

    RuneScape taught me loads.
    Trading
    Iron + coal makes steel
    And so much more

    • ozbargainer88 on 14/11/2024 - 15:07
      +1

      Free armor trimming
      U can trust me with ur adamant

    • pieoz on 14/11/2024 - 20:03
      +3

      taught me the real harsh world. getting scammed, scamming others, flipping goods, time management etc.

      • Prosp24 on 15/11/2024 - 08:08

        +1 to this
        Modern games are far too linear with too much handholding. Runescape was barebones, it was harsh and you looked like a newbie if you didnt know what u were doing

        Learnt so much, essentially to get out of the 'rat race' that existed in that game.

    • djones145 on 14/11/2024 - 21:57

      i learnt cheating from it lol, click bots hehehe

      and selling party hats for $$$

  • asCMSas on 14/11/2024 - 13:19

    If you like ancient history, there is a great mod for total war MW2 called https://www.europabarbarorum.com/EB1/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Barbarorum

  • Cluster on 14/11/2024 - 13:38
    +1

    Strip Poker on the Amiga. Great motivator to learn how to play!

    • BoltThrower on 14/11/2024 - 13:53
      +1

      Some learned poker, others learned cracking/disk sector editing.

  • Cheap Gamer on 14/11/2024 - 14:09
    +1

    Sierra City Builders (Caesar, Pharaoh, Zeus, Emperor). I used to think an aquaduck quacks.

    Microsoft Flight Simulator. When they scream, "Can anyone fly a plane?", I'll be like "YO!".

  • Jamiea on 14/11/2024 - 14:44
    +1

    Copper+tin = bronze
    Iron+coal = steel
    Iykyk

  • mousie on 14/11/2024 - 15:19
    +1

    Monkey Island - Fencing

    • mapax on 14/11/2024 - 16:11

      You're no match for my brains, you poor fool.

  • TopG on 14/11/2024 - 16:11
    +1

    Red Dead Redemption 2 - Amazing game.. Gives an insight into how America was in the 1899.

    You can get a feel of American History in the late 1890's and the Things that were prevelant in that age. Some tid bits and fun facts are sprinkled all over the game. Few things which we use today can be dated back to that era.

    American locations such as New Orleans, Mexico, Florida, Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park are featured in the game and you can get a feel of these places.

    Downside is You need to spend a lot of time on that game to explore the vast open world. Probably would take a Year to reach 100% completion…. YMMV

    Cheers

  • Kegsta on 14/11/2024 - 16:48
    +2

    The Total War series taught me the geography of Europe. They need to make an african one so I can learn that continant!

    • Maxi Pad on 15/11/2024 - 08:52

      Total war gives a good feeling of learning history…. Even if you are not.

  • rawm on 14/11/2024 - 17:22

    Nintendo NES - Double Dribble, NBA game = Taught me the USA National Anthem
    Ninendo NES - North vs South = Taught me a lot about the American Civil War

  • tessel on 14/11/2024 - 18:30

    Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe and Civilisation, OG civilisation.

  • stedmaster on 14/11/2024 - 18:43

    Playing games actually does a lot for your mind and the way you think. RTS games, games with economies, or even fast-paced shooters all help improve how you handle high-pressure situations and make quick decisions, it also sharpens your problem-solving skills.

    I've met a few adults my age who didn't grow up playing games and now want to give it a try. But often they say its like doing an exam and they feel mentally drained afterwards, they don't have that level of curiosity or intrigue anymore. It's more like a work out for them.

    There’s a certain mental dexterity and acuity you can gain, almost like a mental sport, just like chess or other board games. I actually stopped playing for a few years, and I noticed it started affecting my work and day to day. It’s like a specific mental sharpness I can only maintain if I’m also playing games, obviously there are other outlets, but ultimately I think play is crucial to life long learning and maintaining that neural malleability that can be used in other areas.

    So I wouldn't feel disappointed just because you don't think you've specifically learned anything from games.

    One things for sure when I'm older I'll be a grandpa gamer

  • S Baldrick on 14/11/2024 - 19:05

    Gran Turismo 2's driving manual taught me the theory about vehicle dynamics, racing lines etc.

    Assetto Corsa with an FFB wheel made me competitive against mates with more wheeltime in (rental) go-karts.

    FPS games and racing Sims have sharped my response times, and made me more observant of my surroundings (fellow Sim-racers will have shared PTSD of Monza T1)

  • Some Human on 14/11/2024 - 19:13
    -1

    One time my car started sliding, so I used my forza and mariokart skills to stay on the road.

    Also with animal crossing gamecube, the more you visit your grumpy post office employees, the happier they seem when you go there.

    • johnno07 on 14/11/2024 - 22:54

      mariokart skills to stay on the road.

      I too use boost to correct oversteer in real life.

  • Maglia Nera on 14/11/2024 - 19:15

    Leisure Suit Larry - life skills ….

    • Some Human on 14/11/2024 - 21:09

      Wear a condom or die.

  • psdillon on 14/11/2024 - 19:23

    Here's a video of something learnt in Mario Kart working in RL: https://youtu.be/sOY9p5gFa5Q?si=Aez_LqaBEX-iK6Hw&t=43

    And Elon Musk says games are good for you. Of course what is good for 1 extremely successful, intelligent and conscientious person is good for everyone, no? :D

    I imagine you could learn flight theory from aviation sims, which is a big part of getting a pilot's license.

  • DiscoJango on 14/11/2024 - 20:52
    -1

    Op you under house arrest?

  • Embaloo on 14/11/2024 - 21:08

    DX-ball - pong-style gameplay with angle, momentum and velocity prediction skill-forming that I believe helped me get an engineering degree?

  • DontNeedThis on 14/11/2024 - 21:45
    +1

    The first God of War series teaches you a lot about characters and creatures in greek mythology. And they're the most kickass games of all tine.

  • Breno785au on 14/11/2024 - 22:00
    +2

    Kingdom Come Deliverance for medival history. Such a great game. So immersive.

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