Johnn Four
Web Monkey
Joined: 12 Jan 2004 |
 Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 05:48PM |
|
Crushing your foes and driving them before you amongst the lamentations of their women (and men...this is an equal opportunity lamentation) is how Neverwinter Nights is generally expected to be used. Team staff at the West Nottinghamshire College are changing that expectation though, and they're building excitement in their students at the same time by taking Neverwinter Nights and turning it into a learning tool. Read the article for the full scoop.
|
|
Yggdrasil-X
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Joined: 13 Jul 2002
From: Wisconsin, USA |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 06:10PM |
Hmmm... I wonder how many of my credits could transfer... 
--ygg |
|
|
PIPBoy3000
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 17 Oct 2001
From: Eugene, Oregon |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 06:11PM |
|
Long ago in another lifetime, I wrote some educational software for high school science students. It was strange about how much they ate it up - alternative learning can really spark people's interest. It's always nice to see people pushing the boundaries of education. |
|
|
Jay Watamaniuk
Community Manager
Joined: 19 Nov 2001
From: Edmonton, Alberta |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 06:11PM |
Yeah, I had some pretty cool teachers in school but yeesh, not this cool.  Edited By Jay Watamaniuk on 10/20/04 18:11 |
|
|
Bannor Bloodfist
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 21 Apr 2004
From: Pennsyltucky USA |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 06:46PM |
I would be really interested in seeing exactly what sort of things they are doing.
Are these puzzles that need to be solved, quests for objects or what?
How would they prevent 'griefing' and/or cheating that even occurs on the more 'advanced' permanent player worlds? |
|
|
Morayus
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
NWN 2: SoZ
Joined: 14 Nov 2002
From: Ohio |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 07:10PM |
*Cry* I wanna a transfer right now!!
This has got to be some of the most creative thinking in terms of learn that I've ever heard! Thumbs up to alternative learning.
_________________
~ Though the sword of justice is sharp, it will not slay the innocent. |
|
|
The Whackmiester
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Joined: 24 Mar 2003
From: The Great White North |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 07:49PM |
Hmm, well I'll be damned.
_________________
"Tril ussa!"
-Drow Profanity meaning "Bite Me" |
|
|
Agent of greater will
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 06 Oct 2003 |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 08:50PM |
 "Lo and greetings potential friends and allies. What is this but a great opportunity for everyone to finally learn something? Strike me damned but I belive that this thing envisioned by a school is no beast the like of Cthulhu but a heaven sent guide to aid us on our journey to the seven heavens."
That is what one of my many chars would have said.
Personally I just think it "Neat!". |
|
|
sarek88
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Joined: 25 Jun 2003 |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 09:08PM |
|
dang. That is pretty cool |
|
|
DrDread
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Joined: 10 Jun 2002 |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 09:18PM |
Neverwinter Nights is so revolutionary in its ability to modified as an "Engine" rather than just a game it being used as an educational tool in colleges in other countries.
I wonder if when the college asks Bioware to make some changes to the engine to allow for more persistence or features that weren't part of the normal game so they can utilize it better, Bioware would respond with "Education was not in the scope of Neverwinter Nights and never will be as it does not involve playing the Official Campaign" 
I have always felt that the potential of Neverwinter Nights could go far beyond the Official Campaign and making simple Forgotten Realms Modules, even if it wasn't designed to. I realize it's too late for Neverwinter Nights to change but hopefully Dragon Age will be a little more open to using the engine for something else besides a "Dragon Age Module"
_________________
Creator of the World of Torr PW
www.worldoftorr.comEdited By DrDread on 10/20/04 21:19 |
|
|
Revages
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Joined: 01 Jul 2003
From: Virginia, USA |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 09:30PM |
NWN in school... sounds like my kind of school.
_________________
We rode on the winds of the rising storm,
We ran to the sound of the thunder.
We danced among the lightning bolts,
and tore the world asunder. |
|
|
mariomario
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Joined: 25 Sep 2004
From: Stoke England |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 09:37PM |
I have to admit, this is great, Wish I'd have know about this, Might have come to take a look at what your upto.
DnD, NWN being used in school to teach students, I have to admit though, not knowing much about computers and there uses i too have learnt alot by having a medium, ie NWN that I can sit and enjoy creating something with , with my favourite passtime.
If the students enjoy this too It really has to be said, things have moved on since my time at school, we didnt have computers.
Hope this can be carried on within other schools, it must be great for the students to have something they can create like this.
mariomario,
Game GM, |
|
|
ckirmser
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Joined: 03 Nov 2002
From: Hurst, Texas |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 10:45PM |
Oh dear God. They give out degrees based on playing in NWN? Hasn't education been dumbed down enough?
Students are in school to LEARN, to be EDUCATED, not to play games. No matter what the scenarios for these programs are, they are still playing a game.
I don't think I'd want the account handling my taxes to have gotten his certification by bartering with dwarves. Nor would I want my doctor to have any of his education provided by chatting with the local cleric.
Well, this is in England and, hopefully, it will stay there... |
|
|
DragonTayl
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Joined: 05 Feb 2002 |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 10:46PM |
I am thrilled to read this! I home school my children and have been using NwN as part of the curriculum for a little over a year now.
In sort of answer to some of the questions, though I can't speak to how they are using it, I use it in a variety of ways.
There are puzzles to solve, math problems to answer, and a bunch of tools where I can be, as the dungeon master, a teacher and my children can play in the module and interact with me there - normally boring subjects suddenly become much more interesting when they get to use their characters to figure them out in a graphical 3D environment.
The PCs gain XP and gold by solving problems (math, reading-comp, reasoning, etc.) and they can't access the stores or quests until they answer questions by the NPCs involved. It really is a great tool.
_________________
DragonTayl |
|
|
Jasperre
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 05 Jul 2002
From: UK |
Posted: Wednesday, 20 October 2004 10:58PM |
My god, I live in Nottinghamshire. Its amazing, honestly. I envy those guys - I wish my Computer Science university course used NwN...lucky gits.
A great NWN Wednesday - the best yet, something relivant to my country, at last.
_________________
Jasperre
Jasperre's AI for NWN1 | NWN2 AI In progress! |
|
|
