Surprise! Video games can help children learn -- and prepare them for the workplace. That was the theme of the Dec. 23 Business Week Cover Story, and of the Dec. 15 conference. The guests were J.W. "Wild Bill" Stealey, chairman of game maker Interactive Magic, and the authors of the story, Technology Editor Neil Gross and Staff Editor Paul M. Eng.
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OnlineHost: Welcome to Business Week Online! Video games aren't just a mindless distraction -- they actually can help kids learn. To discuss the Dec. 23 BW Cover Story laying this all out, we have as our guest J.W. "Wild Bill" Stealey, chairman of computer-game maker Interactive Magic (IMWILD BIL), who's here with the story's two authors, BW's Neil Gross (NeilBW) and Paul Eng (PaulEBW).
JackBW: Good evening to all of you here on AOL. Welcome, "Wild Bill" Stealey of I-Magic. Thanks for joining us tonight. And hi, Neil Gross and Paul Eng of Business Week. I'm Jack Dierdorff of BW Online, the moderator tonight.
IMWILD BIL: Thanks for asking me. We were flying Air Warrior to get ready for this!
PaulE BW: Hi, Jack, Neil. Welcome, Wild Bill!
JackBW: BuzzetteL in the audience submitted a question that should start us off on tonight's topic very aptly. Here goes...
Question: How are video games actually good? I see no benefits.
IMWILD BIL: Video games can entertain, teach, and simulate real-life situations. They teach eye-hand coordination, teach decision-making, teach planning skills. They can also let kids and adults learn about historical situations, like our American Civil War and our Battle of Alexander games. It is harder to teach history from a book than it is from a video game!
Neil BW: Games also reward kids with ever-more-difficult challenges.
PaulE BW: And what's more, you can try different things that may be impossible to do in "real life" -- things like fly planes, or teach how to mix chemicals and experiment.
IMWILD BIL: Games also get kids into computers, which is the wave of the future!
JackBW: RWalkinsha has a related question.
Question: But isn't it true that violent video games can cause children to be desensitized?
IMWILD BIL: That is what I have heard from the news media, but try getting killed 50 times on Doom, and you would never want to be killed or kill anywhere in real life. It even hurts too much in a game!
Neil BW: Parents should use common sense. Don't let kids play all day. It's obvious.
PaulE BW: Unfortunately, I think violence is a part of all our lives and not just in video games. But it's up to us as consumers and responsible adults to say, "O.K., enough." Ultimately, it's up to the consumer to decide. Don't like violent games? Then support those that make the games YOU like!
IMWILD BIL: Imagic games are generally aimed at consumers, kids and adults, who are interested in great subjects that they would want to learn more about! Our Capitalism teaches and entertains as you build your own great corporation!
Neil BW: Game makers do have a responsibility, too. So far, video-game makers have stayed away from education. They could be a little more adventuresome in that area.
IMWILD BIL: All video games have some form of education involved.
JackBW: MikeMerc in South Plainfield, N.J., pops this question for I-Magic's "Wild Bill."
Question: Bill, do any of your games intentionally include elements thought to further important skills in kids?
IMWILD BIL: Most of our games are aimed at older kids who want to know something about a subject. They may find interesting subjects like Capitalism, American Civil War, Apache, etc. We teach not only decision skills but planning and implementation skills. You can't fly a great aircraft without learning about aerodynamics a bit or fly great missions if you can't plan how to accomplish it!
Neil BW: Wild Bill, do you find anything ominous in the involvement of the military with the game industry?
IMWILD BIL: I believe that simulation is the way to teach not only how to build cars at GM, but how to do great operations at a hospital and to be a better military, with the limited dollars we are willing to spend as a country. If we are not going to spend like we did in the cold war, we had better have better, albeit fewer, soldiers, who are better trained and prepared!
JackBW: PCC Guod in Texas asks the next question, almost a follow-up to Neil's.
Question: Bill, what trends do you see in the future for simulations, both historic and flight, sports, etc.?
IMWILD BIL: Simulations can only get better in graphics, sound, and total realism and will be played by hundreds of contestants all at the same time over the Net, like the Air Warrior game that plays right here on AOL!
JackBW: Paul Eng of BW has a follow-up.
PaulE BW: Wild Bill, you say they can only get better. How "far" are we now? Or how much further can simulations get? Better than the Pentagon?
IMWILD BIL: We will improve the simulations in graphics and maybe go as far as the Holodeck of Star Trek fame. I have seen better sims in computer games than many of my military friends have been able to use. I learned to strafe in the A-37 Dragonfly from a video game. I got to be the top gun in my squadron for three months because of that game!
JackBW: Any advice for Sososol -- and the son?
Comment: My son is crazy for role-playing games almost exclusively. I feel that this has interfered with real life -- sports, school, and all. What to do?
IMWILD BIL: I would get him a basketball and go outside with him myself. If dad and son do things together, he won't have time to be on the computer.
PaulE BW: Well, too much of ANYTHING is a BAD thing, in my opinion. I would try to REASON with your son. Set limits. Try to get him interested in OTHER activities that simulate the same "role-playing" -- acting, maybe? But DON'T deny him access to the game completely -- just tone it down a bit and limit the time.
IMWILD BIL: Limiting the time is tough -- kids cheat.
PaulE BW: Right, I agree with Wild Bill.
IMWILD BIL: Get him involved with things you -- the dad -- do!
PaulE BW: Limiting time IS tough. But you can try.
JackBW: Neil or Paul, we know part of the answer to JBennett69 is Interactive Magic! The others?
Question: Who are the leading-edge companies in this field?
IMWILD BIL: It depends on what kind of game you want. Davidson, Learning Co., and Broderbund are best for learning games. Electronic Arts is best at sports games. Sierra On Line is best for adventure games. Interactive Magic is great for historical simulation and strategy games and flight sims. Everyone does a little of all the games.
PaulE BW: I agree with Bill on all those companies. But to it, I'd add Lucas Arts for their Star Wars stuff.
IMWILD BIL: Love Lucas Arts.
PaulE BW: And with the 20th anniversary of "Star Wars," the movie, expect to see some REALLY great role-playing stuff there. But I think there are lots of small garage shops out there that have yet to be recognized.
JackBW: MZoom has a question next, back on education.
Question: How long do you think it is before the virtual classroom becomes a feasibility?
IMWILD BIL: What is your definition of such a classroom?
PaulE BW: I think there's a lot of things holding it back. Like Bill said, it depends on what your definition is. In some sense, virtual classrooms are already here with schools jacked into the Internet. But there's the issue of connecting them. (Does YOUR local school have telephones and modems and computers?)
IMWILD BIL: Today each kid can have a computer. In North Carolina, all college campuses are linked by the North Carolina Information Highway, and they share classes between the colleges.
JackBW: Exsaysita has this for us.
Question: Hey, game guys, comment on the fundamental difference between PC games and the Nintendos and PlayStations of this world.
IMWILD BIL: The consoles are generally for a younger audience. They are usually more action-oriented. They do not usually have great sims except for sport sims. They are not games that require any great planning except for some of the adventure games found there!
PaulE BW: Also, PC games are a bit more "varied" in type of games, I think. It would be hard to do a game that requires a lot of typing -- say, "role playing," where you have to interact with characters -- on a Nintendo.
Neil BW: Console games still have some advantages. They don't crash. Ever. That matters to some players.
JackBW:I didn't ask this question -- but I might well have!
Question: Is it too late for adults who didn't grow up with computer games to learn how to play them?
IMWILD BIL: The best way to learn is to try. If you are on this chat, you can play I-Magic games. We add easy modes to the front of all our games to get the newbie playing.
Neil BW: Neuroscientists have actually studied this issue. The answer is, it's never too late to learn. Your brain is wired for learning. And games are a great way to do it.
PaulE BW: I agree with Neil. It's never too late to learn. The important thing is -- find a game that YOU like and don't think would be too difficult. Don't like Doom? Find a poker game or maybe an electronic version of Monopoly or Battleship. Find the games that interest YOU!
IMWILD BIL: Would you like to be a great general, fighter pilot, capitalist, pirate captain? We can help you do any of those things!
JackBW: Now, turn to this one.
Question: Most of the game industry seems to be focusing on males -- and interest in stalking or shooting or flying, or all of the above. What efforts are being made to reach beyond this audience?
IMWILD BIL: At least one company has tried to set up a girls' division. American Laser games tried with some interesting products, but they never caught on very well. Girls generally love the adventure and puzzle games. Myst and others like them do well with the female audience. When women play your game, you can be sure it will be a hit!
Neil BW: Nintendo and Sega are making an effort to reach more girls. Super Mario 64 is very popular with girls and boys. Ditto, Sega Nights. I think that disparity will shrink.
PaulE BW: Aside from the dismal results with American Laser's "MacKenzie and Company," PC companies are trying, too.
IMWILD BIL: Pac Man, Centipede, and Tetris were all great games that women loved -- and made famous because of female acceptance.
PaulE BW: I think Hasbro has the right track going with its Hasbro Interactive division and bringing all the old board games to the PC. When you think of Monopoly, you don't think, "This is a game for boys only or girls only." You think, "Hey, here's a FUN game. Let's PLAY." And I think THAT is the key for PC game makers. Make games FUN for EVERYONE!
IMWILD BIL: Hasbro Interactive has one of my former VPs, who believes that everyone loves many of the old board games. However, most of the board games were played by boys!
JackBW: Returning to the makeup of the game industry, JBennett69 asks the next question.
Question: Then, can all of the smaller players compete, or do you see the industry consolidating?
IMWILD BIL: The industry will always consolidate -- there are new companies every day. There is only so much distribution to go around. Marketing is very expensive. It is easy to program your first game. The problem is getting on the shelf and to consumers. I-Magic has just released six titles so far and has worked very hard to get worldwide shelf space, and it has been successful, but very expensive and out of the reach of most small companies!
JackBW: One tailored for you, Bill, from McClinsey. And maybe Neil and Paul, too.
Question: Whats your fave game?
IMWILD BIL: My favorite game is probably the one I am currently testing. I keep going back to M1 Tank Platoon from MicroProse or Pirates from MicroProse. Right now I am testing M1A2 ABRAMS from I-Magic, and I am hooked!
PaulE BW: Favorite game? Only ONE? That's a toughie. I'm currently playing Interplay/BioWare's Shattered Steel -- big fighting robot simulator where you blow up a lot of evil space aliens robots. But my ALL-time favorite has GOT to be Interactive Magic's Apache. (I've always been a flight sim, pilot wannabe.) I-Magic's the only flight sim that doesn't require me to upgrade my old 486!
IMWILD BIL: Wait till you see our new iF-22 Air Superiority Fighter game! It has real terrain, great graphics, a great flight model, and planning modes the Pentagon would die for!
JackBW: Neil, you have a vote? Or your son?
Neil BW: My son likes Mario. I don't have a favorite.
JackBW: To wrap up tonight, Neil Gross has been agitating to recommend some reading on video games. Neil, what say?
Neil BW: There's some good stuff for concerned parents. I recommend Seymour Papert's "The Connected Family." And a bit more technical, on the psychology side, a book called "Interacting With Video" by Patricia M. Greenfield and Rodney R. Cocking, in a series called Advances in Applied Developmental Psychology.
JackBW: That's it for tonight's conference. Thanks so much for being with us, "Wild Bill" Stealey of Interactive Magic.
IMWILD BIL: Thanks for having me on!
PaulE BW: Thanks, Jack. Thanks, Wild Bill (CHECK SIX!!!).
IMWILD BIL: Remember to "Check Six." I will be right behind you!
PaulE BW: Goodnight.
JackBW: And thanks, Neil Gross and Paul Eng, authors of the BW Cover Story on video games and how they can help kids learn. Transcripts of this and all BW Online conferences and chats are available soon after the event. Look under Talk & Conferences on the BW Online opening screen. Thanks again to all, and goodnight!
Copyright 1996 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
