Online Chinese Games

[heifeng]

Are there any (fun) online Chinese learning games? My friend use to have a game on this computer that was like tetris but with a character on each block. You had to input the pinyin so that the block would disappear before it hit the bottom. Of course if too many blocks stacked up you lost...anyway that game use to be somewhat fun..

So any similar games or interesting ones?

[Weronika]

And do you know which was that game? (tetris)

[heifeng]

It was just on his Chinese version of windows (8 yrs ago!!) so I don't really remember what it was called, but I haven't really ran into anything similar....I figure there must be some interesting games...that one was ok, it was definitely funner than flash cards...

[trevelyan]

Hadn't run into that, but whipped this up for the new textbook site:

http://textbook.adsotrans.com/?q=node/14&db=189

The games uses the vocab list attached to the selection from Dream of the Red Chamber (don't forget to enter tones). The game pulls its vocabulary dynamically from a backend database and so can be used with any vocabulary list on the site, including user-created ones. Access games by creating or viewing a vocabulary list, scrolling down to the bottom and clicking on "Flashcards", "Tetris" or "Smash".

I'm actually fond of smash for learning new words, but it doesn't make much sense for people still learning single characters rather than compound words.

[Kathy]

Hi,

I am working with a group of folks from all over, including China and Taiwan, to develop web-based Chinese-teaching material, including games.

Tell me what you are interested in. You can use examples of similar games or activities you have seen (please give location), or an explanation of what you would like the game(s) to help you learn to do or to become more familiar with. Our group can discuss your ideas at this Saturday's meeting.

We have recently finished recording 10 T'ang Dynasty poems (the real easy ones), and have the mp3 recordings finished, as well as simplified and traditional character texts with pinyin and tone markers, character worksheets, and etymology worksheets. We should also have our first short video of the first poem finished this evening. We are very interested in hearing what people want and think will be the most helpful, efficient, and enjoyable materials to use.

Thanks,

Kathy Felts

www.eslwebcamforkids.com/forum/

PS. I wonder if I have seen a later incarnation of that game online recently. I think I know the game you are talking about. Maybe by a Chinese-American group? I will look through my browser history and see if I can find it this weekend. I will also make a list of kids games that are online in Chinese speaking countries for kids to play. Some of them are pretty good.

[Weronika]

trevelyan thank you!

[wichita]

Last Christmas I purchased some Mandarin software (the exact name and manufacturer escapes me at the moment ) which included a Flash game called Blackbelt Chinese. It was a mahjong game with chinese characters and cartoon defintions on the tiles. The object was simple, match the character tile with the appropriate corresponding cartoon. When a match was made, a voice would say the word in chinese. I found it to be an effective way to reinforce vocabulary reading and listening skills simultaneously. I would love to see similar games developed further.

Another source of practice for me is an online roleplaying game that I am involved in developing. Basically, the theme of the game is a society simulator. The game is in a virtual world with no programmed history or culture. All characters in the game are controlled by players (no artificial intelligence is programmed) who can carry on conversations, assist each other to construct tools, buildings, vehicles, farm food, trade between towns...and basically create new societies, complete with technology, political systems, and culural elements that are limited primarly by the players' imaginations.

It is possible to play in several languages, including Chinese (primarily in Mandarin, though there should be nothing mechanical to stop a Cantonese population from springing up as well ). It can be a very good source of language practice, covering a range of topics from "do you have some food" to detailed political intrigue. The Chinese area of the game is young and just starting out, so conversations can be limited. We would be very interested in having a more fluent players to help boost the level of conversation.

http://www.cantr.net

http://www.cantr.net (中文 translation)

[大为香港里]

Hello

I'm new here ! The tetris game seems fun but i can't manage to play it as i need to enter the pinyin with tones and not number ! How can we enter the pinyin with tones?

[trevelyan]

Arg... that was a problem created with the shift to the new site. Fixed now. Just enter the tones as numbers following the syllables, ie. pin1yin1, pai4qian3, etc.

[johnmck]

Trevelyan,

When I go to your site I get the error message,

"user warning: Table 'newportal._64' doesn't exist query: SELECT * from _64 in /home/newportal/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 167."

Do you have any idea what I am doing wrong?

[trevelyan]

johnmck,

This means you are trying to play the game without a vocabulary list. The culprit is the site upgrade, and the fact you clicked through using an outdated link. For Hong Luomeng you'll want this link:

http://textbook.adsotrans.com/?q=node/14&db=189

The various games can be played with any vocabulary list on the site. Or ones you create yourself by creating an account and then clicking on words to create.

[johnmck]

Thanks, it works fine now

[heifeng]

I think we need some chengyu games with pinyin and characters on tiles like scrabble, then then we can play it somewhat similar to hangman, so if you screw up too many chengyu, you lose.

Someone want to program one? Sorry, I only know (...correction, knew) fortran....I'm no help, I can only say what I would like to play...right now infact

[onebir]

I can't get pinyin tetris to work (http://textbook.adsotrans.com/?q=node/14&db=189) - when I click the vocab list link, it says the list is empty...