Third Time's a Time: The Japanese Language Journey

Back again taking another look at the potential of a serious game developed around Japanese Language Learning, I've come to find myself at a change in perspective. Initially I wished to find a way to make learning the Japanese language less mandatory in social activities, while still involving the elements of social activities and game play. After attempting to find activities that could appear to that method I found that it would prove to be too difficult to come up with a completely asynchronous, social game system, while still being motivating and appealing. Suggestions based on getting more social matters into consideration lead to the idea of including activities from public events, designed to present players with opportunities to expose themselves to authentic Japanese language, culture, and exposure. With that in mind, the only logical chose would be to embrace the social potential of the system and take advantage of the location we live in.

Bouken Da!: A Japanese Language Journey (Actual name still under consideration), would be an attempt at creating a system where cultural and language expanding events can be coordinated and rewarded through an online social structure. With the name meaning "It's an Adventure!", Bouken Da!: A Japanese Language Journey (or Bouken for short) could use the concept of adventure to bring life into the difficult task of learning the Japanese language (and secondarily the culture). By incorporating concepts of both old and modern Japan, Bouken can be presented through both internet and real life activities spanning a broad range of topics.

Let's start off with the idea of the Internet. The Internet is an amazing resource in the modern era, and with it, Japanese learning has never been faster. Online dictionaries, translation sites, and the ability to consult with others at almost any time make learning Japanese far easier than it has been in the past. However, even with all the resources available, sometimes one needs a little help finding a place to start. Bouken can start the journey by providing a game system resembling a role-playing game. Given situations and tools, students can be tasked into presented situations from a variety of different concepts. Adventures could vary from everyday interactions like introduction conversations, to game scenarios like guiding a blind man through a maze of fire.

Japanese language provides three venues to explore, with vocabulary, grammar, and the written characters providing different ways that one could interact in situations. Given the visual nature of Japanese, character learning can go beyond simple memorization to relate the concepts to adventures of their own. The origin or ways that one could remember a character can be given quests or building. For variety some chosen characters or word could also be used in a fantasy setting to provide context and test knowledge (For example: The game Okami was able to expose gamers to Japanese Kanji characters through its use of them whenever magic was implemented in the game).

To provide immersion  scenario games could present a user with the need to collect items, as they learn direction based on visual cues. These activities would provide unique experiences while still giving memorization practice like that of flashcards. Answering the questions in a multiple choice feedback method would help with recall, while giving users the benefit of instant feedback. Type of activities would include reflecting (going from one language to the equivalent concept in the other), interpreting (understanding actions without using English), and projecting (creating or attempting actions on one's own).

Bringing the journey to the outside world, users could be presented with real world adventures. Taking place in the real world and based after real events in the area, users can expand their knowledge through trying out things on their own. Hawaii being a cultural melting pot has many Japanese related activities throughout the year. For the classical Japanese Culture events exist like the Honolulu Festival in March, Children's Day Celebrations in May, Obon in July, The Okinawan Festival in September, and Mochi pounding in December. Opportunities to experience modern Japanese culture also exist through events like KawaiiKon, one of Hawaii's biggest Anime Conventions, which happens in spring, or see a modern Japanese movie presented at the Hawaii International Film Festival. Other potential events arise all the time, like the occasional celebrations for the Hawaii popular Japanese shows like Kikaida and Kamen Rider V3. The potential for these events to provide exposure to new concepts and ideas is great, and not only allow users to experience culture and language, but to also socialize with each other. Knowing these events exist lead to the potential to grow off them and eventually get support from the events themselves in some way. Right now in needing to focus the ideas, this will have the least emphasis as scheduling and event specifics will vary greatly by event and year.

Wanting to allow growth using one own interest Bouken would also allow for earning the chance to explore one's own activities. Interest in Japanese language and culture come from many different places, and the ability to explore that internet presents a chance for self-motivation and reward. User's would be allowed event instances during times when events are scarce to try their hands at something that interests them. Depending on difficulty, they could try to present a translation to a song, poem, or story from one language into the other, and gain feedback on choice of vocabulary and grammar for the nuisances of the piece. By supporting the source of their interest, Bouken can increase their motivation universally.

Bouken presents the possibility to continue expanding into several levels of language learning and practice. Beginning users will get use to seeing and hearing the language, both through internet lessons and attending events, while more advanced users could begin tackling real situations involving translations of websites, and guiding beginning users at events. Creating guides and assisting in learning could be used as a way to create a cycle of group while tapping into the crowd funding potential. This could also lead to groups creating their own events or challenges, such as playing Picture-shiritori (A variation of the Japanese game Shiritori where the end of one word is the beginning of the next, but with the need of a picture of said item to work).

Like many other serious games, Bouken would use a point system to support and display progress through lessons. To provide the sense of growth and as a tie-in to the meaning of the name, users would game experience points like an RPG and gain levels while charting their growth in the internet lessons, and their social exposure for events. Again making use of the visual nature of Japanese as a language, the badge or achievement system can also be tied into the Japanese Kanji character system, rewarding behavior with appropriate and related characters. For example, passing a scenario involving the beach may present them with the Kanji for beach, or attending a movie screening may give them a Kanji related to the story they saw. Building off the concept of learning, these badges earned could also be teaching them about the Kanji they earned, as well as allowing them to learn interesting and new combinations along the way.

Scenarios would be unlocked progressively in each area to related concepts, for example, a "level" will have one for vocab, grammar, Kanji, about something like say giving directions, and on completing them, unlock the next scenario about buying things. This could lead to an activity such as mapping out your day or something to that effect, allowing a good range of see and copy with expressing your own ideas. The scenario and narrative themselves would probably play out like a powerpoint or old fashion videogame, with images and scenes fueled by the users imagination.

The potential for growth is still great, and there are many things that still need to be locked down if one would want to make a project out of it. The system of providing a story with elements of the language would be difficult, and working on events presents a challenge in itself, as one would need to find ways to not just validate their attending an event, but facilitate their learning while at the event. If one were to include multiple difficulties, it would present even more challenges.

Developing this has gone far beyond my initial expectations and creating the system feels like it could go beyond what I'm capable of on my own. Plans for now, going forward into actually developing this project would be to focus in the areas that I could provide, with both my knowledge of the language, and my idea for the system. This would include, a variety of scenarios types testing vocabulary, grammar, and Kanji with reflective, interpretive, and possibly creative methods. Event activities could be constructed based on upcoming activities but would be focused on freely gained learning aspect, with credit being awarded for attendance and proof of learning. A sample event for an activity like Picture-shiritori would be a nice basis for planned activities not based on an event. This could provide a good sample base for the system and help it grow, should I want to continue with the idea.