English for Wizards

Win friends and conquer people

By John Moore

世界中でファンが多い Civilization

"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