Connecting Past to Present: Exploring History Through a 2.5D Interactive Game
Duration: 30 minutes
Location: Fort York National Historic Site, Fort York Visitor Centre. Students unable to attend in person can participate online using a QR code, a link or platforms like Microsoft Teams.
Materials Needed: Smartphone, tablet, or laptop
Participants: 10-20 for in-person sessions; unlimited for online.
Plan Overview
This program uses modern technology to bring Fort York’s history to life, allowing students to connect with the past in an interactive way. Through a 2.5D game, students will explore museum exhibits, solve puzzles, and learn about the challenges of war and the importance of peace.
Game Demo
YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/FC3b28RzK1k
A gameplay demo showcasing the mechanics and design of the game.
The game named Echoes of Fort York is a 2.5D pixel-style mobile game (2D visuals with 3D spatial depth). It combines museum artifacts with historical facts to tell the story of Fort York.
Students can access the game via QR code or link.
Gameplay Features:
Players can choose to play as Canadian soldiers, with a focus on diverse characters to highlight the historical contributions of Indigenous and Black soldiers to Canada’s defense, addressing gaps often overlooked in textbooks. Players can interact with fellow soldiers to learn about their stories.
the left side showing game screenshots and the right side displaying museum exhibits and descriptions.
Puzzle Integration:
The game includes puzzle elements tied to museum artifacts, covering:
• War timelines
• Historical figures
• Weapons
• Everyday objects
• Uniforms
• Military ranks
• Geographic locations
Students must explore the museum exhibits to solve these puzzles, advancing the storyline by providing correct answers. Incorrect answers or historically inaccurate choices result in restarting the game.
Critical Thinking Prompts:
The game also poses open-ended questions to encourage critical thinking, such as: “Do cannons or similar heavy weapons still hold value in today’s society?” Students can reflect on whether historical relics like cannons are essential for learning about war or if they represent a symbol of power and serve as historical warnings.
Random Events:
The game features randomized challenges, such as weather changes or food shortages, to simulate the hardships of war. Incorrect decisions result in restarting the game, emphasizing the difficulty of resource management during wartime.
Narrative Scope:
The game offers a limited perspective, representing a small group within the larger war effort, ensuring historical accuracy is maintained.
Post-Game Reflection:
An animation summarizes the historical facts, clearly distinguishing creative elements from factual content.
Learning Objectives
• Understand the historical importance of artifacts by solving puzzles.
• Strengthen knowledge of Fort York’s history through interactive gameplay.
• Bridge the gap between Fort York’s history and the virtual world, enabling remote exploration.
• Develop connection with historical narratives and characters.
Schedule
1. Introduction (5 minutes):
Teachers and staff guide students into the Visitor Centre, where they receive a brief explanation of the museum and the game.
2. Game and Museum Exploration (20 minutes):
• Students access the game by scanning a QR code.
• They explore the museum to solve puzzles related to the artifacts.
• Collaboration and discussion are encouraged to progress through the game.
• The game concludes in 20 minutes but allows replay for alternative endings or further exploration.
3. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):
• Students gather back at the Visitor Centre.
• QR codes are shared for at-home gameplay.
• Take-home resources are introduced for further critical thinking.
Conclusion
Following the activity, students engage in discussions about historical truths and new knowledge gained. Teachers and staff facilitate reflective conversations about the lessons learned from the game’s storyline and puzzles. Each student encounters unique puzzles, allowing them to share and exchange knowledge about different objects. Further critical thinking activities are included in the take-home resources.
Game Development Process and References
