Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
@gamingthepast.bsky.social
PhD Ancient History; Gaming the Past (2022), Musings, research, & pedagogies of history, education, games, game design & intersections; High school history teacher; Game Designer; fan of Buddhist compassion; jmc.hst@gmail.com
https://gamingthepast.net
https://gamingthepast.net
Pinned
A standing invitation to serve as my pinned tweet. Ask me anything about historical games and I'll do my very best to answer thoughtfully.
- critiquing them
- designing them
- analyzing them
- using them in history education
- learning from them
- enjoying them
Let me know what you're thinking.
- critiquing them
- designing them
- analyzing them
- using them in history education
- learning from them
- enjoying them
Let me know what you're thinking.
Grading the Honors 10s Modern World History Choice-based history texts. Amazing stuff, that we will release at some point in the new calendar year. In the meantime, don't forget to check out these history student exemplars from previous years.
gamingthepast.net/simulation-d...
gamingthepast.net/simulation-d...
Student-Designed Histories
CCDS History Students Interactive Histories For the years up to 2023 these interactive histories were mostly (except for the 2019 entry) designed by my ninth-graders in Ancient World History at Cin…
gamingthepast.net
November 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Grading the Honors 10s Modern World History Choice-based history texts. Amazing stuff, that we will release at some point in the new calendar year. In the meantime, don't forget to check out these history student exemplars from previous years.
gamingthepast.net/simulation-d...
gamingthepast.net/simulation-d...
Getting opportunities to pitch HPS for modeling content outside of history as games (anything modeled w/ a gameworld). I'd like to settle on a workable term when it's not strictly a "Historical" Problem Space.
Anyone have thoughts on Agential Problem Space? I think it may work really well.
Anyone have thoughts on Agential Problem Space? I think it may work really well.
November 19, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Getting opportunities to pitch HPS for modeling content outside of history as games (anything modeled w/ a gameworld). I'd like to settle on a workable term when it's not strictly a "Historical" Problem Space.
Anyone have thoughts on Agential Problem Space? I think it may work really well.
Anyone have thoughts on Agential Problem Space? I think it may work really well.
Hi friends! I had a great discussion w/ 2 new academic history game designers abt modeling complex research realities in game form (use HPS framework of course!!!), & a new digital colleague sent me a new syllabus for an edgy history game course.
LOVE to help w/ these endeavors 1/
#gamingthepast
🗃️
LOVE to help w/ these endeavors 1/
#gamingthepast
🗃️
November 19, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Hi friends! I had a great discussion w/ 2 new academic history game designers abt modeling complex research realities in game form (use HPS framework of course!!!), & a new digital colleague sent me a new syllabus for an edgy history game course.
LOVE to help w/ these endeavors 1/
#gamingthepast
🗃️
LOVE to help w/ these endeavors 1/
#gamingthepast
🗃️
Finally!!! When you really think the HPS framework is key to analyzing historical games (and designing academic games), you get very excited by citational landmarks
November 18, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Finally!!! When you really think the HPS framework is key to analyzing historical games (and designing academic games), you get very excited by citational landmarks
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
Seeing as I'm now unable to stop thinking about another project I want to make in this form & style, y'all might as well go play the hour-and-a-bit-long sapphic vampire thriller interactive fiction I made.
Play it in any browser! Or just boost it.
Play it in any browser! Or just boost it.
"So, About Last Night..." by Elissa Black
An interactive vampire hangover story.
expectproblems.itch.io
November 17, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Seeing as I'm now unable to stop thinking about another project I want to make in this form & style, y'all might as well go play the hour-and-a-bit-long sapphic vampire thriller interactive fiction I made.
Play it in any browser! Or just boost it.
Play it in any browser! Or just boost it.
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
Hero's Adventure is 50% OFF: store.steampowered.com/app/1948980/...
One of the best RPGs I ever played, got over 130 hours in it. It's an open-world martial arts RPG with unparallel levels of freedom - join or destroy any faction, siege / save towns, become emperor, hunt secret arts, marry, etc...
One of the best RPGs I ever played, got over 130 hours in it. It's an open-world martial arts RPG with unparallel levels of freedom - join or destroy any faction, siege / save towns, become emperor, hunt secret arts, marry, etc...
November 16, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Hero's Adventure is 50% OFF: store.steampowered.com/app/1948980/...
One of the best RPGs I ever played, got over 130 hours in it. It's an open-world martial arts RPG with unparallel levels of freedom - join or destroy any faction, siege / save towns, become emperor, hunt secret arts, marry, etc...
One of the best RPGs I ever played, got over 130 hours in it. It's an open-world martial arts RPG with unparallel levels of freedom - join or destroy any faction, siege / save towns, become emperor, hunt secret arts, marry, etc...
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
"metrics are a design tool to move player agents to care about aspects of the problem space historical agents would have cared about."
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
November 15, 2025 at 12:13 PM
"metrics are a design tool to move player agents to care about aspects of the problem space historical agents would have cared about."
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
Just a reminder that this call is open if the overlap of history, fiction and games is your thing!
We're happy to announce the call for contributions for our new HGN theme: Fictions! Following a successful event last month, this theme explores the relationship between history and fiction in games, and how they shape each other.
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
Call for Contributions - Fictions | Historical Games Network
Our theme of Fictions started with a HGN | IWM panel at the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Curious Festival. You can read more about the event on the Historical Games Network blog and you can watch the ...
www.historicalgames.net
November 15, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Just a reminder that this call is open if the overlap of history, fiction and games is your thing!
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
Here are some fantastic educational card decks to explore:
ANALOG inspiration: www.analoginspiration.ai
TALON Card Deck: taloncloud.ca/TLN-Card-Deck
Active Learning: activelearning.assett.buffscreate.net
Alignment: www.recombinanteducation.com/cards/
Start playing!
ANALOG inspiration: www.analoginspiration.ai
TALON Card Deck: taloncloud.ca/TLN-Card-Deck
Active Learning: activelearning.assett.buffscreate.net
Alignment: www.recombinanteducation.com/cards/
Start playing!
November 15, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Here are some fantastic educational card decks to explore:
ANALOG inspiration: www.analoginspiration.ai
TALON Card Deck: taloncloud.ca/TLN-Card-Deck
Active Learning: activelearning.assett.buffscreate.net
Alignment: www.recombinanteducation.com/cards/
Start playing!
ANALOG inspiration: www.analoginspiration.ai
TALON Card Deck: taloncloud.ca/TLN-Card-Deck
Active Learning: activelearning.assett.buffscreate.net
Alignment: www.recombinanteducation.com/cards/
Start playing!
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
We're happy to announce the call for contributions for our new HGN theme: Fictions! Following a successful event last month, this theme explores the relationship between history and fiction in games, and how they shape each other.
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
Call for Contributions - Fictions | Historical Games Network
Our theme of Fictions started with a HGN | IWM panel at the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Curious Festival. You can read more about the event on the Historical Games Network blog and you can watch the ...
www.historicalgames.net
October 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
We're happy to announce the call for contributions for our new HGN theme: Fictions! Following a successful event last month, this theme explores the relationship between history and fiction in games, and how they shape each other.
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
www.historicalgames.net/call-for-con...
#gamestudies #gamingthepast
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
This week on the blog: Hoplites! We're taking a crack at explaining the long-running debate over the nature and significance of the ancient Greek heavy infantryman, the hoplite, and the phalanx in which he (mostly) fought.
acoup.blog/2025/11/14/c...
acoup.blog/2025/11/14/c...
Collections: Hoplite Wars, Part I: The Othismos over Othismos
This week (and next) we’re looking at hoplites, the heavy infantry of the ancient Greek poleis in the (early? mid? late?) Archaic and Classical periods, into the Hellenistic. In particular, I…
acoup.blog
November 15, 2025 at 3:09 PM
This week on the blog: Hoplites! We're taking a crack at explaining the long-running debate over the nature and significance of the ancient Greek heavy infantryman, the hoplite, and the phalanx in which he (mostly) fought.
acoup.blog/2025/11/14/c...
acoup.blog/2025/11/14/c...
"metrics are a design tool to move player agents to care about aspects of the problem space historical agents would have cared about."
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
November 15, 2025 at 12:13 PM
"metrics are a design tool to move player agents to care about aspects of the problem space historical agents would have cared about."
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
@vinicius-marino.bsky.social thought this a quotable in my DHG draft. I'm like it too. Anyone interested in #gamingthepast want to know more?
(back to editing)
Aww this reminds me of my mid-late 90s glory days when I was immersed in this for my dissertation. Can't wait to finish my chores so I can read this @democracyprof.bsky.social. I confidently predict Bret will be an engaging and insightful read on this as usual. 1/
#AncientBluesky
#AncientBluesky
Collections: Hoplite Wars, Part I: The Othismos over Othismos
This week (and next) we’re looking at hoplites, the heavy infantry of the ancient Greek poleis in the (early? mid? late?) Archaic and Classical periods, into the Hellenistic. In particular, I…
acoup.blog
November 15, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Aww this reminds me of my mid-late 90s glory days when I was immersed in this for my dissertation. Can't wait to finish my chores so I can read this @democracyprof.bsky.social. I confidently predict Bret will be an engaging and insightful read on this as usual. 1/
#AncientBluesky
#AncientBluesky
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
Africa and The Mercator Map | Encyclopaedia Britannica
"The African Union has endorsed a campaign calling for the use of a world map that reflects countries' true sizes. Why doesn't our current world map do that?"
www.youtube.com/shorts/OAG1z...
#cartography #culture #africa
"The African Union has endorsed a campaign calling for the use of a world map that reflects countries' true sizes. Why doesn't our current world map do that?"
www.youtube.com/shorts/OAG1z...
#cartography #culture #africa
November 12, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Africa and The Mercator Map | Encyclopaedia Britannica
"The African Union has endorsed a campaign calling for the use of a world map that reflects countries' true sizes. Why doesn't our current world map do that?"
www.youtube.com/shorts/OAG1z...
#cartography #culture #africa
"The African Union has endorsed a campaign calling for the use of a world map that reflects countries' true sizes. Why doesn't our current world map do that?"
www.youtube.com/shorts/OAG1z...
#cartography #culture #africa
Read June Audirac Kushida 's terrific thesis on designing history w/ Twine; made me want to share (again) my incomplete-but-playable experiment of writing history in Twine I developed in 2018 & wrote abt in Epoiesen. Path of Honors
#AncientBluesky 🗃️
Article
epoiesen.carleton.ca/2018/01/21/p...
#AncientBluesky 🗃️
Article
epoiesen.carleton.ca/2018/01/21/p...
A POH 0.0.15 HARLOWE
gamingthepast.github.io
November 12, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Read June Audirac Kushida 's terrific thesis on designing history w/ Twine; made me want to share (again) my incomplete-but-playable experiment of writing history in Twine I developed in 2018 & wrote abt in Epoiesen. Path of Honors
#AncientBluesky 🗃️
Article
epoiesen.carleton.ca/2018/01/21/p...
#AncientBluesky 🗃️
Article
epoiesen.carleton.ca/2018/01/21/p...
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
Just started Disco Elysium for my Android Tablet after bouncing hard off the PC version a few years ago. Two thoughts, one as a gamer, the other as a #gamingthepast person 🧵
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
Disco Elysium - Apps on Google Play
The award-winning detective RPG brings its story-rich adventure to mobile.
play.google.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Just started Disco Elysium for my Android Tablet after bouncing hard off the PC version a few years ago. Two thoughts, one as a gamer, the other as a #gamingthepast person 🧵
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
So much for being a military historian. I got my blue right flank crushed through incompetent command!
Another Monday, another Ancients fight for True Command!
November 10, 2025 at 9:59 PM
So much for being a military historian. I got my blue right flank crushed through incompetent command!
I'm hoping to lead the kids to think about 7 Wonders: Architects as more of a representation (showing in aesthetics) the ancient civs and Roll through the Age: The Bronze Age more an simulation (a system and how the parts work together) 2/
November 12, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Here it is, the epitome of a purposeful play moment as one of my ninth grader's hands takes notes about 7 Wonders Architects as they play, in preparation for an essay comparing and contrasting 7 Wonders: Architects and Roll through the Ages: The Bronze Age as models of ancient civilizations.
November 12, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Here it is, the epitome of a purposeful play moment as one of my ninth grader's hands takes notes about 7 Wonders Architects as they play, in preparation for an essay comparing and contrasting 7 Wonders: Architects and Roll through the Ages: The Bronze Age as models of ancient civilizations.
November 11, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Here it is, the epitome of a purposeful play moment as one of my ninth grader's hands takes notes about 7 Wonders Architects as they play, in preparation for an essay comparing and contrasting 7 Wonders: Architects and Roll through the Ages: The Bronze Age as models of ancient civilizations.
So much for being a military historian. I got my blue right flank crushed through incompetent command!
Another Monday, another Ancients fight for True Command!
November 10, 2025 at 9:59 PM
So much for being a military historian. I got my blue right flank crushed through incompetent command!
I feel seen! Let's go, _Designing Historical Games for the Class: A Practical Guide for Educators_ !! 2.5 months till the manuscript is due!!!
November 9, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I feel seen! Let's go, _Designing Historical Games for the Class: A Practical Guide for Educators_ !! 2.5 months till the manuscript is due!!!
Just started Disco Elysium for my Android Tablet after bouncing hard off the PC version a few years ago. Two thoughts, one as a gamer, the other as a #gamingthepast person 🧵
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
Disco Elysium - Apps on Google Play
The award-winning detective RPG brings its story-rich adventure to mobile.
play.google.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Just started Disco Elysium for my Android Tablet after bouncing hard off the PC version a few years ago. Two thoughts, one as a gamer, the other as a #gamingthepast person 🧵
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
1st I wish most adventure games (heirs of the point & click genre) had a mobile version like this! /1
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
I got a really nice review of Gaming the Past Second Edition in the Revue des sciences de l’éducation 50(2) 2024 that my editor just sent. First longer review I've seen. Very happy!
www.erudit.org/en/journals/...
www.erudit.org/en/journals/...
McCall, J. (2023). Gaming the past: Using video games to teach secondary history (2e édition). Routledge – Revue des sciences de l’éducation
An article from Revue des sciences de l’éducation, on Érudit.
www.erudit.org
November 3, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I got a really nice review of Gaming the Past Second Edition in the Revue des sciences de l’éducation 50(2) 2024 that my editor just sent. First longer review I've seen. Very happy!
www.erudit.org/en/journals/...
www.erudit.org/en/journals/...
Reposted by Jeremiah McCall (he/him)
It’s not too late to pre-order my new comic The Rats of Ironwood.
REPOSTS appreciated 🤜
Visit www.dereklaufman.com/shop to order a copy.
Thanks for supporting indie comics!
REPOSTS appreciated 🤜
Visit www.dereklaufman.com/shop to order a copy.
Thanks for supporting indie comics!
November 8, 2025 at 1:27 PM
It’s not too late to pre-order my new comic The Rats of Ironwood.
REPOSTS appreciated 🤜
Visit www.dereklaufman.com/shop to order a copy.
Thanks for supporting indie comics!
REPOSTS appreciated 🤜
Visit www.dereklaufman.com/shop to order a copy.
Thanks for supporting indie comics!