Richard Cole
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richardcole.bsky.social
Richard Cole
@richardcole.bsky.social
Lecturer in Digital Futures at the University of Bristol (Bristol Digital Futures Institute) and co-director of the #BristolDigitalGameLab
You can catch the sound bite below where I talk about being involved in the design and development of simulations, how students respond to their use as pedagogical tools, and how they ask new questions in the process. bristoldigitalgamelab.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2025/09/10/t...
Teaching Ancient History with Games and VR
In the following sound bite, recorded with Dr Sarah Jones as part of a series for the Humanities Learning and Teaching Network, Dr Richard Cole talks about his experiences using virtual reality and vi...
bristoldigitalgamelab.blogs.bristol.ac.uk
September 10, 2025 at 12:57 PM
By taking a 360-degree look at immersivity in historical games and VR, from production to reception, the chapter demonstrates how ‘virtual antiquity’ is engaged in developing a historical literacy. www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph-de...
Experiencing Immersion in Antiquity and Modernity
www.bloomsburycollections.com
August 7, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Immersivity in ‘Virtual Antiquity’ - this chapter for
@emmacole.bsky.social's ground-breaking book Experiencing Immersion in Antiquity and Modernity was inspired on the one hand by my work on Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and the other by the research I conducted for the Virtual Reality Oracle project.
August 7, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Our eight-week active play experiment revealed four play interests for historical games: ludic, prosthetic, narrative, and referential. Our findings help to temper claims about the role of history in historical games, which in this study was more directive than front and centre of the experience.
August 7, 2025 at 8:40 AM
"‘As you write your Odyssey…’: An empirical study of Classics students’ play interests and ergodic characterization in historical video games" - this joint article with @alexvandewalle.bsky.social for the journal Convergence was an absolute pleasure to work on. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
August 7, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Immersivity in ‘Virtual Antiquity’ - this chapter for @emmacole.bsky.social's ground-breaking book Experiencing Immersion in Antiquity and Modernity was inspired on the one hand by my work on Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and the other by the research I conducted for the Virtual Reality Oracle project.
August 7, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Our eight-week active play experiment revealed four play interests for historical games: ludic, prosthetic, narrative, and referential. Our findings help to temper claims about the role of history in historical games, which in this study was more directive than front and centre of the experience.
August 7, 2025 at 8:36 AM
"‘As you write your Odyssey…’: An empirical study of Classics students’ play interests and ergodic characterization in historical video games" - this joint publication with @alexvandewalle.bsky.social for the journal Convergence was an absolute pleasure to work on. doi.org/10.1177/1354...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
doi.org
August 7, 2025 at 8:36 AM
All participants will receive a £20 Love2Shop voucher for completing the study, which will take no more than 1 hour. Participants must be able to attend the Museum in person on Monday 28 July.

Find out more and register your interest: forms.office.com/e/bxL5ihres2
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
July 25, 2025 at 10:39 AM
You will be testing a prototype of an interactive, quest-based experience that involves conversing with a range of AI-powered characters inspired by ancient Egypt to explore the Egyptian Gallery.
July 25, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Thanks so much, Alex! Here's to the next chapter in our collaborations!
March 19, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Thanks, Nick! Much appreciated.
March 19, 2025 at 8:51 AM