Those bastards. Next year, I'm not sending my transfer application to the University of Virginia, anymore.
College Professor Requires Students to Study Portal
- Thread starter Tom Goldman
- Start date
In the context of "fundamental questions of humanity blah blah blah", i assume it means things you don't just tell to strangers, or even to anyone. Like, for example, the details of your sexual life and such. Or your plans of "borrowing" an AC-130 and some napalm to burn down the Activision headquarters. Or that you are secretly an alien invader planning to capture Earth's underwater mineral deposits.MrPop said:
Or maybe i've got it all wrong.
I dunno - generally if you have to study something, you end up hating it. I had to study the Matrix, and also the soundtracks to Batman (1989) and Goldfinger - can't watch any of them any more. Reckon Portal would be the same.
In my high school modeling/sim class our teacher had us play America's Army to learn about the real life applications of it, and we played Unreal Tournament and used the Unreal engine to make simulations. Also he played with us in class.
EDIT: Now that I think of it, I'd bet he's trying to get the physics teacher to use portal by now.
EDIT: Now that I think of it, I'd bet he's trying to get the physics teacher to use portal by now.
I'm not the only one seeing the downside to this, am I? Requiring a student plays a game is not the same thing as requiring a student reads a book. Allow I could see this being a good thing, but require? Sorry to be a downer on this, but I'm not keen on the idea.
Oh boy, I'm happy I haven't had any teachers/professors like that yet. The class just below me had to play Hitman as part of their course, and now this guy's students have to play Portal. Unlucky sods. Video games are entertainment, and I would be so pissed off if I had to complete a video game. It's not like reading a book, or watching a movie, where you can at least read the words or sit through it, even if you don't get the point of it. But if a part of a game gives you trouble, you're screwed, and here there isn't the option of just not doing it. Integrating video games into education is a horrible idea.
The only thing left is that they teach us about time travel through Doctor Who, and I'll be happy. 
While that's of course true[footnote]I even got attacked before for making that point, but that's another matter[/footnote], I'd say Portal would definitely be the first fps game I'd give someone to start with. It's puzzle focus means frustration by death isn't anywhere near as much a factor as usual, puzzles require you more to figure them out than be technically difficult, and the humour and writing would interest non-gamers. It's how I got my girlfriend into games in general, when in the previous week she rolled her eyes after I pulled an all nighter finishing it.Scout Tactical said:
Sure you could give them an easier start, but can you think of a simple game with a good story?
I suppose there's indie games, but they don't really tend to have too much scope.
I would be very curious to read some of the critical analysis that comes out of this course, especially if thematically Portal is being likened to "Presentation of Self in Everyday Life".
I do agree with people's sentiments about learning to hate that which you must scrutinize with a critical eye. I'm very glad my college English professors made really weird choices in the books we would read, so I never risked hating any of the books I like.
I do agree with people's sentiments about learning to hate that which you must scrutinize with a critical eye. I'm very glad my college English professors made really weird choices in the books we would read, so I never risked hating any of the books I like.
