FYS 1274 - The Middle Ages through Video Games

Credits: 4
In this course, students will explore several periods of the medieval past by playing and critiquing video games from various popular series. Students examine not only key historical events of the period—such as the Zanj Rebellion and the Third Crusade—but also its art and architecture, the organization of cities, cross-cultural trade, and religion. As a final project for the course, students will propose their own historical video game. Students will consider how the Middle Ages is portrayed—and often misrepresented—in mainstream culture and how the choices of the game makers impact how players view the past.
McDaniel Plan: First-Year Seminar