Over the course of this week we made more finalized plans on the structure of our game overall. We discussed visual inspiration, potential storyline plots, and various alterations to the game that could make the overall experience more interesting for the player.

GAME CONCEPT UPDATE

For the finalized structure we decided to split the game into two phases, a Practice phase and a Challenge phase. A new scenario will be presented, but beforehand, the player will be pulled aside and be given a Practice session for the scenario. The player will be rewarded/given positive feedback if they answer the practice questions correctly (through more fun interactions, like throwing apples, etc.), but if they don’t do well enough the Practice phase will start over, allowing repetition, but also a low stakes environment. When this is completed, the Challenge phase will begin, where the player engages in conversation with the real social scenario. There will be no rewards/points and the player cannot progress without choosing the correct answer.  

To help facilitate the learning of the player, along with adding a feedback outlet and reason for repetition, we have decided to implement a companion who will help guide the player’s avatar through their journey in the game. The companion is the one who pulls you aside for the Practice phase and assists in learning. It is also the one that gives feedback on your choices during both the Practice and Challenge phase. Hopefully, the introduction of a companion will cause the player to have more emotional investment in the game.

The UI is beginning to move forward to the final design. We have decided to keep a top-down view for environment navigation, but have made slight changes to the question phase with the implementation of more interactive elements.

THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED

Through our discussions this week, we’ve learned more about what we are expecting for the final product of this game, along with strategies for effective teaching in a gaming environment. A Practice phase will be added to facilitate learning-by-doing. In the Practice phase, players will be able to practice and learn target Chinese expressions and concepts (speaking appropriately in different contexts) through a lot of questions and positive/negative feedback. The Practice phase is also full of fun interactions so that players can learn in an engaging playful environment. After the Practice phase, the players actually get to use and apply what they have learned in the real social scenarios (Challenge phase) in a higher-stake environment.