Short answer

When designing historical experiences, clearly demarcate factual elements from fictional ones to maintain user trust and educational integrity.

Field: Classic Design
Source: Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University) (2013)
Method: Hermeneutic content analysis
Evidence: Moderate effect

Digital games and their novelizations, while offering immersive historical settings, often prioritize narrative and gameplay over strict factual accuracy, requiring users to critically discern between historical representation and artistic license. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2013 study published in Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University). Using Hermeneutic content analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing historical experiences, clearly demarcate factual elements from fictional ones to maintain user trust and educational integrity.

Study

Classic DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Historical Accuracy in Digital Narratives: A Balancing Act Between Education and Entertainment

Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University) · 2013

Key Findings

01Both the game and the novel take artistic liberties with historical accuracy, altering facts, adding fictional elements, and focusing on spectacular events.
02The game's interactive nature and mechanics influence its historical portrayal, sometimes leading to skewed representations.
03The novel offers a more linear and detailed description of objects and settings.
04Users require prior historical knowledge to effectively distinguish between documentary and fictional elements within these semi-fictionalized accounts.

Application

Design takeaway

When designing historical experiences, clearly demarcate factual elements from fictional ones to maintain user trust and educational integrity.

How to apply

When developing educational games or interactive historical exhibits, include disclaimers or contextual information that highlights artistic liberties taken with historical events or settings.

Project actions

01When using historical sources for your design project, critically evaluate their accuracy and acknowledge any fictional elements.
02Consider how your design choices might influence the user's perception of historical events or facts.

Method & Evidence

AimTo analyze the historical accuracy and differing portrayals of historical settings in the video game Assassin's Creed II and its novelization, Assassin's Creed Renaissance, to understand their potential as educational tools.

MethodHermeneutic content analysis

ProcedureThe study involved a detailed analysis of the video game Assassin's Creed II and the novel Assassin's Creed Renaissance, examining their representation of historical facts, locations, and characters, and comparing how these elements are presented in each medium and how game mechanics influence the historical portrayal.

ContextDigital games and literature as historical teaching aids.

Variables

IVMedium of historical representation (video game vs. novel)

DVHistorical accuracy and portrayal of historical settings

CVSpecific historical period and location (Renaissance Florence)

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a comparative analysis of two different media formats.
+Addresses the practical implications of using digital media for education.

Limitations

It can be difficult to definitively prove the 'intent' behind a designer's choices regarding historical accuracy. User interpretation can also vary widely.

Reliability & validity

Reliability could be improved through inter-rater analysis of the content interpretation. Validity is supported by the hermeneutic approach, which aims for deep understanding of meaning within the texts.

Think critically

To what extent should designers prioritize historical accuracy over narrative engagement when creating educational experiences based on real historical events?

Design Principles

"Transparency in representation: Clearly communicate the degree of historical accuracy and the presence of fictional elements in a design."

Designers creating historical simulations or educational games must understand the inherent tension between historical fidelity and engaging user experiences. This insight highlights the need for transparency regarding the fictional elements within a design to avoid misinforming users.

What This Means for Your Design

Games and books about history aren't always 100% true. They change things to make the story more exciting, so you need to know some history already to know what's real and what's made up.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the challenges of representing historical accuracy in your design project, particularly if you are using historical inspiration.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the inherent tension in using semi-fictionalized historical media for educational purposes. As demonstrated by Svensson (2013) in their analysis of Assassin's Creed II and its novelization, such works often prioritize narrative engagement over strict historical accuracy, introducing fictional characters, altering events, and omitting less spectacular facts. This necessitates that users possess a degree of prior knowledge to critically discern between factual representation and artistic license, a crucial consideration for any design project aiming to engage with historical themes.

Source

Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University)

Semi-fictionalized History as Teaching Aids. Opportunities for learning history in Assassin’s Creed II as a digital game and novel

journal · 2013

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about historical accuracy in digital narratives: a balancing act between education and entertainment?: When designing historical experiences, clearly demarcate factual elements from fictional ones to maintain user trust and educational integrity. Evidence: Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University) (2013).
Why does "Historical Accuracy in Digital Narratives: A Balancing Act Between Education and Entertainment" matter for design?: Designers creating historical simulations or educational games must understand the inherent tension between historical fidelity and engaging user experiences. This insight highlights the need for transparency regarding the fictional elements within a design to avoid misinforming users.
How can designers apply this research?: When designing historical experiences, clearly demarcate factual elements from fictional ones to maintain user trust and educational integrity.
What were the main findings?: Both the game and the novel take artistic liberties with historical accuracy, altering facts, adding fictional elements, and focusing on spectacular events.. The game's interactive nature and mechanics influence its historical portrayal, sometimes leading to skewed representations.. The novel offers a more linear and detailed description of objects and settings.. Users require prior historical knowledge to effectively distinguish between documentary and fictional elements within these semi-fictionalized accounts.
What research method was used?: Hermeneutic content analysis.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2013 journal from Gothenburg University Publications Electronic Archive (Gothenburg University).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing educational games or interactive historical exhibits, include disclaimers or contextual information that highlights artistic liberties taken with historical events or settings.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings are specific to the analyzed game and novel; generalizability to all historical digital media may vary. The reliance on user's prior knowledge as a critical factor is also a limitation for broad educational application.