Developing Logical Thinking: the Place of Strategy Games

[Marutia Ortia]

One of the essential mathematical problem-solving skills that we want to help children to develop is that of logical thinking: ‘if this ... then that’. Strategy games are a great way to offer children the opportunity to develop this skill in a stimulating environment.

Strategy games are low-threshold, high-ceiling tasks where all children can easily access the game at its basic level and play ‘randomly’. The high ceiling is developing a winning strategy and communicating that effectively, in writing, to others.

Strategy games are a great way to enjoy some time with family and friends in the upcomming summer holidays.

[wings7]

Absolutely! Could not have said it better myself! [:)]

Patrick

[Twotribes]

Of course convincing kids of that is another story. They want first person shooters or mindless easy games. Hell most young adults are the same. A game of strategy requires to much thinking planning and execution. And they may lose. heaven forbid they lose, we have spent the last 40 years teaching the young that their self esteem is to important to lose at a game.

[Greyshaft]

My 8 y.o. son has just started on Civilisation IV (at his request).
If they want to play then good luck to them.

[Gilmer]

I started playing chess at a fairly young age and was horrible. Then my aunt let me read a book of hers. I cannot remember who wrote it. Edward somebody. Anyway, after I read that book, I beat my older brother and he says, "What did you do? How did you get so much better?"

[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Of course convincing kids of that is another story. They want first person shooters or mindless easy games. Hell most young adults are the same. A game of strategy requires to much thinking planning and execution. And they may lose. heaven forbid they lose, we have spent the last 40 years teaching the young that their self esteem is to important to lose at a game.

As a kid I enjoyed the strategy games that came with lil plactic pieces like American Heritage games or Feudal or Risk. I bought a ton of those games with lil plastic men in comic books too. It seems a whole lot more fun pretending when you have something that actually looks like a soldier or cavalry or artillery piece out there than some cardboard chit. Even today I like isometric games over nato counters. I don't care for all the animation but I do still like the look of plactic representations of the units. I guess that's why Norbsoft Gettysburg and 2nd Manassas and Combat Mission, Battle Academy, Command Osfront and Tin Soldiers Caesar/Alexander are more popular with me than the others. Command Ops is in the middle I can take it or leave it but it does need some minature representation to make it more popular I think. Especially to the kids.

[Perturabo]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

Of course convincing kids of that is another story. They want first person shooters or mindless easy games. Hell most young adults are the same. A game of strategy requires to much thinking planning and execution. And they may lose. heaven forbid they lose, we have spent the last 40 years teaching the young that their self esteem is to important to lose at a game.

Because Call of Duty in multi-player totally, like doesn't involve losing, right? And additionally not being insulted for losing?

Also, stuff like DoTA and League of Legends are a much better example of games that people prefer over wargames and they are hardly easy or mindless.

[Perturabo]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes

And they may lose. heaven forbid they lose, we have spent the last 40 years teaching the young that their self esteem is to important to lose at a game.

Meanwhile in reality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HerTxKS4GBM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0v3jAY4X-A

[gradenko2k]

ORIGINAL: Twotribes
Of course convincing kids of that is another story. They want first person shooters or mindless easy games. Hell most young adults are the same. A game of strategy requires to much thinking planning and execution. And they may lose. heaven forbid they lose, we have spent the last 40 years teaching the young that their self esteem is to important to lose at a game.

Could you maybe take your age-old "those damned kids better get off my lawn" rabble-rousing elsewhere? The fact that stuff like roguelikes and Dark Souls exist and are big successes is a huge counter-factual.