Two more new Archaeogames
As I reported, the DiKopA network held a second Archaeogaming Hackathon in Darmstadt last February and we now have the results online. The two groups produced two unique Archaeogames based on the RPG Maker MV software, and you can play both of them directly in your browser. But before you head over there, let me explain.
The hackathon
The hackathon was organised by the German academic network “Digitale Kompetenzen in der Archäologie” (short: DiKopA). Kevin Körner and I were the tutors and led the students through the three days that we met at the Technical University of Darmstadt. We split the students into groups before the event and made sure they had everything they needed during the three days of hard work in Darmstadt.
This was also our second hackathon, as the first one was in Cologne. So we had already done this before. But you know how it is, unexpected things can always happen. Like, we had to leave the building twice because of false fire alarms. Apart from that, though, everything went smoothly, and both teams produced two fantastic (and brief) archaeology-themed Archaeogames.
Bronze Age Story
In the first of two Archaeogames, “A Bronze Age Story”, you take on the role of a student who falls into a daydream during a lecture and suddenly finds himself in a Bronze Age world. There, you get to experience the environment of a Bronze Age village and little stories about its inhabitants. The main task of the game is to build a megaron, which is a large, imposing building. To do this, you have to find raw materials and complete different tasks.
The students really liked the collaborative and creative aspects of the hackathon. They also liked working in teams with different people, where different archaeological backgrounds led to fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. The group found it both challenging and rewarding to develop a Bronze Age-themed game from scratch within this timeframe. They found it really exciting to see how initial sketches turned into a fully playable game, thanks to teamwork, brainstorming, and the support of the mentors. The best bit was getting quests, dialogues and educational elements into the RPG Maker engine. They really enjoyed the experience, the exchange of ideas, and even the shared coffee breaks, so the event was both productive and enjoyable.
That Belongs in a Museum!
So, during the dig, Prof van Schlammmann gives you the job of collecting the finds, getting them ready and putting them on display in the museum. If you do well, you might even raise enough money to fund another dig! At the Lucianae forum, you’ll find different types of ancient currency. But while you’re working late into the night to identify and date them, you fall asleep and wake up in the Roman Colonia Lucianae around 250 BC. Then out of the blue, Lucius Licinius Senex turns up and says you owe him a didrachma. You head out with a bunch of grapes to find a didrachma and settle your debt. On your way, you find archaeological finds and travel through the history of Roman Republican coinage.
The students loved the way the game brought history and numismatics to life. They really liked the careful planning, from brainstorming themes to designing a narrative that linked excavation, coin finds and ancient daily life. They were really impressed by the teamwork and how they’d turned all that history into a fun interactive experience. The project has deepened their understanding of both numismatics and game design, and they hope that players will be inspired to engage with the past in new ways, as a result of their enthusiasm for archaeology and history.
