Games: Enjoyable but Trivial?

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content” css=”.vc_custom_1520848150496{margin-top: -35px !important;border-bottom-width: 20px !important;border-bottom-color: #13997a !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;}”][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_empty_space height=”60″][vc_single_image image=”859″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”http://www.saa.org/Portals/0/Nov2016_web.pdf”][vc_single_image image=”2520″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”http://www.saa.org/Portals/0/Record_March_2017.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”VALUE’s very first research project”][vc_column_text]The thrill of discovery and exploration combined with the opportunity to re-live the past is something that appeals both on an instinctive and emotional level. Video games have played into this desire in several ways. As with many instances of popular media appropriation of specialized fields, archaeologists are critical of how their discipline, as well as past places, people and cultures, are portrayed. However, as also argued by other contributors in this special forum, we feel that archaeology and video games can be combined in ways that have a positive impact on society, education and research. This is why, early in 2015, we founded the research group VALUE: Videogames and Archaeology at Leiden UnivErsity. Even if video games are not on the radar as a serious research subject, this does not mean that there is no interest in the topic among individuals. Therefore, one of the first projects we undertook was a survey which charted the interest in and appreciation of games that incorporate archaeological and historical themes among students and professionals.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Download the Survey Form here” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Finteractivepasts.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F03%2FLeiden-Survey.pdf|title:Leiden%20Survey|target:%20_blank|”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]We are always looking for people who want to collaborate on research on the interactive past as well as willing to function as reviewers for drafts or manuscripts for either authors and journal editors. Get in touch with us via info[at]value-foundation.org[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_slide” interval=”0″ images=”2522,2521″ title=”Graphs of Survey Results”][/vc_column][/vc_row]