Verdun: 1914-1918 is my first MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game). It is also my in the FPS (first person shooter) genre. It was released by BlackMill Games and M2H Studios in April 2015 and depicts the tragic First World War battle in 1916 where upwards of 162 000 men were killed. The game immerses players in the futility of trench warfare experienced by infantry soldiers on both sides of the conflict in remarkably realistic detail. I have taught the The Great War for almost 30 years now and having the ability to move through trenches, forests and no-man’s land pocked with water-filled craters in this game far surpasses any book or video for understanding the landscape of this war.
Players participate in one of four roles within a squad: non-commissioned officer (NCO), rifleman, bomber, sniper or assault troop. The detail in the soldiers uniforms and equipment is also impressive, including the advantages and disadvantages of the country-specific weapons and claustrophobic gas masks. Everything from the language being spoken, to the weather, to the sounds of specific ordinances exploding are accurately depicted. Death is particularly effective. The player sees themselves from the perspective of their soul rising up and away from their dead body as the screen fades to black and white. It is very eerie.
Most of my initial involvement in the games has been watching my squad continue the fight after I have been quickly killed. I learned from them in the process, which is an interesting modelling dynamic of the game. My ability to coordinate my movement and gaze was difficult - firing a weapon while doing so was near impossible. The mini-map that located my position in relation to my squad and enemy line, contributed to my sense of helplessness. It was predictably overwhelming but the game trains you in the process. After my initial sessions I watched live game play on Twitch and videos of expert players on Youtube.
An interesting learning activity would be to have students identify what is accurate and inaccurate between the game and their knowledge of the real conditions. For example, a maximum of 16 players representing both sides of the conflict can play at once. The sense of a wave of soldiers “going over the top” is missing. Also, the battlefields show no damage after shelling, and soldiers can run unrealistically quickly through water-pooled craters. Just the same, it was easy to suspend my disbelief belief because of the over all immersiveness and realism in the rest of the game.
Most of my initial involvement in the games has been watching my squad continue the fight after I have been quickly killed. I learned from them in the process, which is an interesting modelling dynamic of the game. My ability to coordinate my movement and gaze was difficult - firing a weapon while doing so was near impossible. The mini-map that located my position in relation to my squad and enemy line, contributed to my sense of helplessness. It was predictably overwhelming but the game trains you in the process. After my initial sessions I watched live game play on Twitch and videos of expert players on Youtube.
An interesting learning activity would be to have students identify what is accurate and inaccurate between the game and their knowledge of the real conditions. For example, a maximum of 16 players representing both sides of the conflict can play at once. The sense of a wave of soldiers “going over the top” is missing. Also, the battlefields show no damage after shelling, and soldiers can run unrealistically quickly through water-pooled craters. Just the same, it was easy to suspend my disbelief belief because of the over all immersiveness and realism in the rest of the game.
How complex are the rules?
My friend who played along with me on my first session assures me that Verdun is a fairly straight forward FPS game. The only rule - outside of surviving as long as possible - is that players must stay in-bounds, which is identified in the mini-map in red. You have one minute to leave this zone before you will be shot in the back as a deserter, even if you are pursuing the enemy. What emotions are generated by the game? Verdun delivers the hopelessness that soldiers must have felt in the First World War. There is an inevitable sense that death is near at any moment once a battle or raid is underway. The exhilaration of defending your trench or capturing that of your enemy is overshadowed by the inevitability that victory is temporary. This is reinforced through the repeated advances and retreats evident over long period of play that I watched on Youtube. What sort of strategies are possible? It was clear to me, even as a newbie that this game had many tactical possibilities. Knowledge of the type of weapons being used against your squad, including their diminishing accuracy against moving targets over distance, allows you to either increase or decrease you level or risk. |
What is the level of immersiveness?
The authenticity of this game is its strength. By all reports, other FPS games have more options, but the fact that the battles depicted in Verdun are based on real life events within the last century, and the attention to detail, may create another layer of immersion. Titanic, the movie and the TV series, Madman use similar period accuracies to place the viewer in another era and situation. How are meaningful decision made? A combination of fast reaction time on the main screen, calculated action on the mini-map and enemy predictability based on previous game play all affect player decisions. I would imagine that as players gain more experience they begin to understand the capabilities and limitation of their weapons and their success moving through different settings. How are meaningful decisions rewarded? Evidently, one of the priorities of the game designers is to have players realize the tactical benefits and improved survival chances for squads that stick together. Your side receives improved weapons (and updated uniforms) when success is achieved collaboratively. This is accomplished by staying within the support radius of the NCO and covering your squad. |
Take-Aways
- the high realism and authentic settings experienced in Verdun could supplement place-based games in pre or post-activities
- it is important to differentiate between historical accuracy and production enhancement with students when presenting media like games, especially as the authenticity and immersivenesss of the player experience increases (e.g. future VR).
- learn game play and strategy by watching others play. This is particularly effective when they are people you know.