A team of developer’s funded by Michigan State University and the Office of the Chinese Language Council International have come up with a browser-based MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) that teaches players how to speak Mandarin Chinese.
“By interacting in the Zon environment you will be exposed to Chinese language and cultural knowledge in a new and exciting way. Everything that you do in the game is another chance to learn new words, phrases and cultural info about China. Never before has learning Chinese been more fun. Once you log in to the Zon Environment server, your avatar will show up in the Beijing International Airport. The airport has everything you need to get acquainted with Zon. As you explore the airport, notice that all interaction is done by clicking on the different pieces of the world. You’ll find a large variety of interactive objects to explore in Zon. You can observe authentic conversation and examine the vocabulary and grammar with the language tools, engage in interactive conversations, solve puzzles, play trivia or just play the games at the arcade for fun.”
If intrigued sign up for the beta
Initiatives like this and social networks such as Live Mocha are proving that you can take some of the advantages of real time interactions and socialisation and deliver them via new and exciting online mediums.
