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#58 WAR AND CIVILIZATION David Emery is looking to strike a chord between reality and simplicity in gaming. #59 A BUBBA'S EYE RATES SMAC (Part I) Roger Oepkes writes about the successes of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri #60 MULTIPLAYER CIV... Die hard multi-player advocate Kwang quits #61 A BUBBA'S EYE RATES SMAC (Part II) Roger Oepkes writes about the failures of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri #62 NO EXCUSES Derek Barrett doesn't accept any excuses for a bad civ3 COLUMN ARCHIVE

Lately, computer games have been taking a black eye in the U.S., becoming a scapegoat for teen violence, etc. Nonsense,of course, but commentators overlook the positive educational side of gaming. I'd like to list, all in one place, the reasons I feel CIV gives insight into history.

First of all, I'm not saying that CIV is an anthropology text book. The timeline is ahistorical (he said as he throws his German riflemen at the Aztecs in 1200 AD.) This is impossible; witness DESTINY. However, the game holds certain truths that could give a child understanding.

Societal Balance Right off the bat, we see the give and take between expansion and city development. To explore its surrounding, a city must pay for a warrior, decreasing its ability to produce domestic needs. It must lose a population point and the productivity that entails to create a settler to create other cities and to improve its environs.

Military Balance Even if you've decided to use the peaceful solution, you will fight. First of all, neighbors will attack you without a phalanx in your city. Secondly, you need room to grow so you must conquer and man defensible borders before you get on with the serious business of peace. Thirdly, military advances often have spin-offs useful in peace.

Water In his strategy guideto CIV I, Allan Emerich states CIV uses the "hydraulic" theory of history. This is correct. All civilizations grew near rivers. Goverment was founded to control rivers. Hallmarks of great societies are acqueducts. Sewer systems are the heart of modern cities and public health. Modern irrigation is the cause of population growth.

Science The human mind works continually but needs encouragement. Thus, advances are always under development but needs subsidation and infrastructure to move at a nice pace.

Government and Money People like more money and less government. People-oriented governments like democracy allows people to be more productive but also more willful. To channel the energy created by freedom, institutions and expensive programs must be put in place while leadership (the player) works under more restraint.

Wonders Every once in a while, human genious provides manking with a step up. This is often a slow process with no single event to mark it. Wonders provide for this process with symbols which are, more or less, accurate.

Beauty versus Utility Pretty things don't make widgets. People with no outlet to beauty don't make good widgets. Seemingly frivoloes Wonders and Improvements point to the necessity of nourishing the soul as well as the body. Transportation To thrive you most move. The civilization with the most extensive road net and largest sea lift abilty will become rich and powerful almost inspite of itsel.

Environment Human progress takes a toll on earth. Production produces pollution. We must divert resources to maintain the enviorment or suffer.

This list is neither comprehensive or original. Many of the points are in the strategy guides. However, the next time somebody rails against computer games, print this off and ask them if they know any other way which makes these points so accessible to young minds.
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About the author: Historian and free lance game reviewer

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