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文明を築く壮大なゲーム
最近ピーターがはまっているコンピューターゲームはその名も「文明」。紀元前4000年に存在する国の支配者になって、文明を築いていくというもの。少し複雑なゲームですが、英語の勉強にはもってこいです。
Win friends and conquer people
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世界中でファンが多い Civilization
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"The Babylonians built the Pyramids, and now the Egyptians are building the Great Wall," Peter said. My son knows that, in reality, the Chinese built the Great Wall; but this is not reality. He's doing a computer reenactment of world history, a game called Civilization (www.civ3.com).
Strict parents and teachers might complain that kids already watch too much TV, so they don't need addictive computer games, too. But an addiction to Civilization can also be turned into a way of learning English, as long as you only have the English version of this game. That's because you need to read a lot to play it.
Here's how it works: You start in 4000BC as the ruler of some small nation. You build cities, temples, roads and armies. Soon you meet neighboring cultures that you can trade with or fight with. Your nation grows through the industrial age into modern times.
It can get very complex, so six royal ministers give you constant advice — all in English. One day, for example, President Lincoln of the Americans offers to exchange maps. Our trade adviser suggests we also buy some of his wines, to make our people happy. And our military adviser points out, "The Americans fear our swordsmen!" What to do? Read the strategy guide, again all in English.
It can take up to 10 hours to actually finish a game. If you get lonely sitting at your computer for so long, you can also go online and meet other gamers. Try the Civilization Fanatics Center (www.civfanatics.com). The menu at the top offers forums and chat, which let you practice your English with other gamers all over the world.
On Amazon.com, you can buy this software for about 30 dollars (¥3,510), but there are cheaper ways, if you only want to try out this game. Download.com (http://download.com) offers a version that you can play free for one hour. Or you can play online at Yahoo Games on Demand, where you pay about 5 dollars (¥585) to play for three days (http://gamesondemand.yahoo.com). You need to install the Yahoo Game Launcher first.
There are several ways to win in Civilization, not just by fighting wars. You can become Secretary General of the United Nations, or you can also win by building a great culture. This non-violent aspect is perhaps why Civilization appeals to girls, too, unlike most computer games. But don't tell that to Peter. "I wiped out the Romans," he said. "They deserved it."
Shukan ST: June 6, 2003
(C) All rights reserved
- Babylonians
- バビロニア人
- Pyramids
- ピラミッド
- Egyptians
- エジプト人
- Great Wall
- 万里の長城
- reenactment
- 再現
- Civilization
- 文明
- Strict
- 厳しい
- complain
- 文句を言う
- addictive
- 中毒になる
- Here's how it works
- こういう仕組みです
- BC(=Before Christ)
- 紀元前
- ruler
- 支配者
- nation
- 国家
- temples
- 神殿
- neighboring
- 隣国の
- trade with
- 交易する
- industrial
- 産業の
- complex
- 複雑な
- ministers
- 大臣
- constant
- ひっきりなしの
- military
- 軍事の
- points out
- 指摘する
- swordsmen
- 剣士
- strategy
- 戦略の
- Fanatics
- 熱狂的なファン
- forums
- フォーラム
- chat
- チャット
- Amazon.com
- オンライン書店アマゾン・コム
- Launcher
- アプリケーションを起動させるためのソフト
- Secretary General of the United Nations
- 国連事務総長
- non-violent aspect
- 非暴力的な側面
- appeals to 〜
- 〜にうける
- wiped out 〜
- 〜を全滅させた
- They deserved it
- あいつらには当然の報いだ