Language learning tools

[soc_puppet]

I figured out what I really want for learning languages a short while ago: Duolingo meets Animal Crossing/Stardew Valley/Littlewood/any other town-city-farm building game.

We start out the game (and thus the language) with introductions and pronouns and names and such, in dialogue where you can click the words for translations, just like in Duolingo. We slowly build up vocabulary with things that you're adding to the town or your character's house, with interactions with other characters to find things or buy things or build things, with weather reports and visitors to the town/area/whatever, all sorts of things like that. And very slowly, as you build your character's life, you build your language skills.

I would pay legit money for a game like that.

(Slime Forest Adventure is good, but not quite what I'm thinking of.)

Edit: Not a perfect match either, but The Expression | Amrilato seems a lot closer than drilling vocab by battling slimes. And it's for Esperanto, too! And yuri! I'll probably look into buying it once I finish the Duolingo Esperanto course. Or maybe sooner...

Comments

[izzet_bedtime_yet]

I would also invest in such a tool. I've played computer games in languages I only kind of understood to build my skills, but having the translation mouseover and the game being designed to teach the language would be so much better.

[soc_puppet]

SO much yes. I need another hobby like I need an extra hole in my head or I'd contemplate trying to at least do the code for some of it, or something, but, well. AnimeIowa staffing, actual facts job, running Queerly Beloved (which I need to add some more stuff to), plus anything else that comes up from time to time. I might be able to help with art or a basic script, but even that might be a bit too much on my time...

[redsixwing]

Yes please. The minigames can be grammar exercises, because you won't get far on vocab alone.

[soc_puppet]

An excellent suggestion. There's definitely some verbs that can be built into standard gameplay (to plant, to buy, to trade, to build, to welcome, to decorate, etc), but minigame grammar exercises would be very useful, especially for stuff that doesn't come up very often organically.

Someone make this for me!