OK, Now I get Games as Simulations

You know, for the longest time I didn't get folks who talked about using PC games as teaching simulations.  I mean, what could you learn running around shooting stuff.

Well, that was my bad.  I admit, I've never played any of these games, but this week I saw a story that created that "ah ha!" moment for me.

Folks playing World of Warcraft found themselves faced with a deadly plague unleashed accidently by some very high level players who survived an encounter with a particularily nasty foe.

In of itself this wasn't very interesting to me except for two things.  First, the World of Warcraft programmers had never intended for the plague to get out of the dungeon in which the players confronted it.  Second, once the plague was out, it didn't just infect other players but also the simulated town folks.

Gamemasters were forced to use some of the same tactics for controling outbreaks that we see the CDC use.  If games are getting sophisticated enough that even their creators and controllers can't predict the consequences of actions, I totally get know their value as teaching tools.