History and gaming converge with archaeologist David Brinkman’s book and online video game about history in Cayce, where gamers can travel through time visiting spots like Fort Granby, Saxe Gotha town lots and St. John Church. Everything is located within one square mile by the Congaree River.

Brinkman discussed the 3-D history book and video game he wrote and created, named "12,000 Years in One Square Mile," at a recent meeting of the Godfrey Dreher Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. At the meeting, Brinkman said there are 3 billion gamers worldwide and 1.83 billion PC gamers.

Released in August 2025, the game and book are available now.
Brinkman said he wants to bring history and gaming together for an educational experience people may not otherwise receive. The goal is to draw in the younger generation, he said.

“You’re in a time craft,” Brinkman said, explaining the game. Gamers collect DNA targets from animals and humans as they travel as far back as the earliest Native American cultures to the battles of the American Revolution and Civil War. As the title implies, all of the traveling is done within one square mile, where local gamers may recognize some of the historical buildings.

They can also go in the buildings and explore in addition to collecting DNA. There are also pieces they can read. Gamers are able to move through the game quickly or take their time learning about local history.

“Cayce has a lot of history in such a small area,” Brinkman said.
People may also visit the Cayce Historical Museum, where 12,000-year history tours are available. Tour dates are on the museum’s website.

When playing the game, Artificial Intelligence-created music arranged by Brinkman also plays as the soundtrack, bringing the game to life. Music styles range from pop and country to rock and rap.

The free game is available through Steam, which Brinkman says is popular among gamers. The book can be found on Amazon or by contacting Brinkman via his website at www.historysoft.com/12000/.

Game features include more than two hours of narrated historical storytelling, recreated architecture, 3-D anaglyph mode, and achievements and objectives. As for the book, it journeys through the years with more than 80 anaglyph 3-D images, historical facts and archaeological findings and visual reconstructions.

In addition to featuring buildings and landscapes based on actual historical findings, there are also historical figures in the game.

Players can interact with George Washington, Wade Hampton, Thomas Taylor, Peter and Elizabeth Mercier, with their daughter Margaret, and Alexander Geiger.

Brinkman’s website has a demo of the game and more historical facts. Brinkman will also talk to the Archaeological Society of South Carolina on Oct. 11 at the Cayce Historical Museum for the Archaeology Fall Field Day. This is a free event from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. More information on the event is available at experiencecolumbiasc.com.