Thread: Am I the only one who has tried immersion through video games.

So I found a new passion a few months ago of language learning, in particular Russian (Obviously ) I also have another passion, video games. Long story short I combined them, I now play on Russian servers on a variety of games. I've made some Russian friends, I hear and see a ton of Russian and have the opportunity to talk with them, all the while having fun. There's downsides considering there is people who get mad I'm there and slang/cussing/grammar. But I've found its as close as I can get ATM to being surrounded by Russians. Anyone have any similar experiences? Also any Russians who want to add my steam Frito_master37

I think they are mad of you because you are lagging? :P I mean, its a big distance between Russia and USA

Yeah, immersing yourself in a situation when you're surrounded by illiterate adolescents whose messages are filled with all forms of obscenities, bad grammar, specific slang, poor vocabulary, and whole volumes of stupidity is a great way of learning a language...

Originally Posted by Ramil

Yeah, immersing yourself in a situation when you're surrounded by illiterate adolescents whose messages are filled with all forms of obscenities, bad grammar, specific slang, poor vocabulary, and whole volumes of stupidity is a great way of learning a language...

Good thing people in real life never have any of them qualities. ;P Obviously I wouldn't spend long interracting with them, but there are more mature people and it gives me a more interesting way to use it. I didn't by any means suggest this as replacement for learning. I just mix this in to practice while enjoying a video game.


Its far but my ping is never really above 150 200. Which is worse then I had on DSL on us servers. Tho I get 45 to 150 in USA severs

Why just Russian server? Download Russian client

Which game you play? I once tried a similar way. Found a russian game which is played online (I forgot it's name ). It was about a dream world and there were different characters. The game was all in russian. But there was alot of language about dream world so it was so difficult. That is why i quit playing it I still have a note book about that game. When I go home I will check it's name from the notebook and tell it to you. Maybe you will like it.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Yeah, immersing yourself in a situation when you're surrounded by illiterate adolescents whose messages are filled with all forms of obscenities, bad grammar, specific slang, poor vocabulary, and whole volumes of stupidity is a great way of learning a language...

Yes, listen to Uncle Ramil, children!

oxford_russian_grammar_verb.gif

Seriously, kids today, lol. "I'm going to learn a language through playing video games".

(of course, you might play some war simulation and learn a bunch of military terms in Russian. After that you might get a job for the NSA, huh? )

Originally Posted by Hanna

Yes, listen to Uncle Ramil, children!

oxford_russian_grammar_verb.gif

Seriously, kids today, lol. "I'm going to learn a language through playing video games".

(of course, you might play some war simulation and learn a bunch of military terms in Russian. After that you might get a job for the NSA, huh? )

Not a kid and its been awhile since I've been one. Way to paraphrase what I said into nonsense did you not even read what I typed? You should probably do that.
I have alot of freetime, which I spend with proper books and this site and study all the little boring grammar rules. BUT! Let me bold this for ya. I have a hobby of playing games, so I decided play some rpgs in russian. I get to have the fun of a game with at least seeing some stuff I've learned in action. ALL IN GAME text is in proper Russian(You seem to think I meant playing a game with a few russian words in it.), quite a few people who are prolly older then you since you seem to be obsessed with children and age and it gives me a tiny bit of immersion. I'm hearing people talk in Russian and seeing it being used and I know the games English version enough to have a tiny bit of context. I didn't say I was gonna learn RUSSIAN from a game or even anything that much of value just said immersion. (On a side note: God forbid I see a little bit of slang because of course all Russian text besides video games never include this.)
Also just to note, I don't think learning Russian is an easy task or a short one. I expect years of learning with hours spent a day to even get to any kind of level.
Heck if I remember right, most people say to listen/read/watch Russian music/movies/tv/news/books/ while learning to break up learning.
Even made a few Russian friends with English skills nearly into college English levels, but of course everyone is a kid, illiterate and stupid.
I just wanted to explain myself a bit more since my first post seemed to give people the wrong idea.

Which game you play?

Depends but mainstreams stuff.
Mmos/Rpgs.
I'm playing metro 2033 and stalker again but in Russian.

I think they are mad of you because you are lagging? :P I mean, its a big distance between Russia and USA

Haha. Maybe. I couldn't play if I was laggy though It would make me angry. All jokes aside I get 150ms in most online games give or take 50.

Why just Russian server? Download Russian client

Some games when you switch client language it only gives you access to servers with that language.

Hey, Fritomaster, so how's your progress?

Personally I don't see anything particularly horrible in learning a language through video games. Granted, it's not the most rational way, but if it's necessary to tip your toes in, or maintain interest in learning, or if it's just a way to relax between reading boring grammar books, well, why not?

Of course, you should realize clearly that video games have a very specific slang, and it's likely that part of your 'new' vocabulary would be absolutely useless in real life. And the proportion of slang/obscenities is about 20 to 1 comparing to everyday speech. I played once a game recommended to me by my friend's son, a 10 y/o boy (most players were about the same age). Gosh! These little kids were vicious. And foulmouthed. And mean, lol. If I'd used vocabulary from this game in real life people would think I'm deranged.

But as long as you realize that and use your newfound knowledge wisely, it should be ok. Don't get discouraged.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Hey, Fritomaster, so how's your progress?

Personally I don't see anything particularly horrible in learning a language through video games. Granted, it's not the most rational way, but if it's necessary to tip your toes in, or maintain interest in learning, or if it's just a way to relax between reading boring grammar books, well, why not?

Of course, you should realize clearly that video games have a very specific slang, and it's likely that part of your 'new' vocabulary would be absolutely useless in real life. And the proportion of slang/obscenities is about 20 to 1 comparing to everyday speech. I played once a game recommended to me by my friend's son, a 10 y/o boy (most players were about the same age). Gosh! These little kids were vicious. And foulmouthed. And mean, lol. If I'd used vocabulary from this game in real life people would think I'm deranged.

But as long as you realize that and use your newfound knowledge wisely, it should be ok. Don't get discouraged.

I'm using it to just be around more russian stuff and having fun. I consider it the same as watching a movie in russian. I don't really focus on learning stuff for it. Knowing how to describe a mutant or radioactive waste or something useless at this point.

I do agree with you though and yeah kids with videos makes me wonder where there parents are.

Thanks for the great response, I made the thread with intentions of seeing if anyone broke up REAL learning with things other then movies or more specifically games.

To be honest, in the past I used to spent a lot of time on video games. As I remember those were "Battlefield - 2" and "L4D 1-2" servers and that was when my first english practicing had happened before going to Europe for almost three years. So, the conclusion might be that if you like gaming then you actually can join some russian servers and develop your language skills.

But.......... (like Jeremy Clarkson from BBC Top Gear always says ) there are a couple of devastating problems.

1. While we played on the most popular russian server we almost never tolerated foreigners, because the ability to communicate perfectly was important. We normally were making exceptions for some players from Poland, who understood russian a little bit.

2. These days I don`t play any games, but still do watch some famous gaming youtube channels like "Seananners" (Adam Montoya). The trouble is that in-gaming conversations are only good for short type of expressions. "Get over here", "run away", "burn in hell" - pretty soon you`ll start to understand these sayings perfectly. But your vocabulary won`t be rich.

So, like in fitness, you should not only develop your arms, but legs too, not only the power, but stamina as well - same idea is in languages. Try to read some intellectual novels. Watch classical movies. Write letters. Talk on camera or via skype.

If you only play games - you may sink in illusion that you are already fluent and stuck in development...

P.S. I highly recommend you to watch on a day-to-day basis the following russian walkthrough channels. Different games, updates every week. And the authors are older than 20 y.o., so normal sence of humor and common useful thoughts are guranteed.
PomodorkaZR - YouTube
RusGameTactics - YouTube

upd For those, who are fond of chess like I am http://www.youtube.com/user/Super300476 - extremely funny commentaries from Alexander Gelman (FIDE Master).

Learning Russian via computer games is only my favorite hobby!!! Even made a topic here about it. However never online - mostly because what Ramil posted (well put!), nevertheless I'm sure it's helpful to your Russian-- just like any experience where you immerse yourself in yur target language, but personally I wouldn't enjoy hearing Russian adolescents babble in my ear, despite the fact it's my target language.

If you're looking at offline games I personally highly recommend the following (which I played through)...some even come with the option to keep Russian audio with English subs:

FPS Games:

Metro 2033
Metro Last Light
Deus-Ex: Human Revolution (<- third person shooter)

RPG Games:

Skyrim
Witcher 2
Diablo 3
Assassin Creed 4 (<-- I'm currently playing it! )

Point and Click Adventure Games:

The Book of Unwritten Tales
The Whispered World
Secret Files 1
Secret Files 2

There are many others of course, but those are my favorites. Voice acting is well-done in each of them, don't worry. Especially in the Witcher 2.

PS. If you want more recommendations let me know, I have a couple more I can think of.

Originally Posted by Valda

Learning Russian via computer games is only my favorite hobby!!! Even made a topic here about it. However never online - mostly because what Ramil posted (well put!), nevertheless I'm sure it's helpful to your Russian-- just like any experience where you immerse yourself in yur target language, but personally I wouldn't enjoy hearing Russian adolescents babble in my ear, despite the fact it's my target language.

If you're looking at offline games I personally highly recommend the following (which I played through)...some even come with the option to keep Russian audio with English subs:

FPS Games:

Metro 2033
Metro Last Light
Deus-Ex: Human Revolution (<- third person shooter)

RPG Games:

Skyrim
Witcher 2
Diablo 3
Assassin Creed 4 (<-- I'm currently playing it! )

Point and Click Adventure Games:

The Book of Unwritten Tales
The Whispered World
Secret Files 1
Secret Files 2

There are many others of course, but those are my favorites. Voice acting is well-done in each of them, don't worry. Especially in the Witcher 2.

PS. If you want more recommendations let me know, I have a couple more I can think of.

Its not so bad. I'd normally have text talked with anyone before I played a game with voice chat so its not bad.

Unless it requires a group of people then you get that problem but I have that problem in any US game I play so I'm used to it and I was a kid once so... (Though never acted like that lol.)

I'll have to checkout the witcher.

Weirdly I was working on a point and click game for fun and I needed a subject and I had read about chernobyl so I used that and that was what originally sparked my interest in that area and eventually lead to me finding out more about russia and then I wanted to learn the language. Tho there was a 2 or 3 year gap I think.







Ingame

Nice! Are you using Adventure Game Studio to make it?

Looks really well-invested. Are you doing with a team?

What language is the game in, btw?

As far as Witcher 2 - It's the best game ever IMO (if you're into RPG's). I hope you have a strong computer though.

Originally Posted by Valda

Nice! Are you using Adventure Game Studio to make it?

Looks really well-invested. Are you doing with a team?

What language is the game in, btw?

As far as Witcher 2 - It's the best game ever IMO (if you're into RPG's). I hope you have a strong computer though.

Yeah I was cause I can't be bothered to learn to program. I know a bit but I'm a art guy.

But yeah it was just me working on it, I haven't done anything on it forever just been busy. Not sure when I'll work on it again.

I love RPGS but I sold my computer last night, I needed extra money cause car problems so I can't play it now.
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Oh, man, that is a magnificient time-waster called "Rust".
I`m so jealous to those guys who invented the game - they already sold 1 million copies+ (12 US Dollars each through "Steam") and the game itself hasn`t even been released yet - you play some raw alfa-version with regular updates.



Survival RPG with lots of in-game conversations. Reminds "DayZ" a lot.

Make a fire! Do crafting. Cook some food. Build a castle! Defend yourself from enemies! Do barbarian raids on "friends"

P.S. New video every Thursday.

Originally Posted by Serge_spb

Oh, man, that is a magnificient time-waster called "Rust".
I`m so jealous to those guys who invented the game - they already sold 1 million copies+ (12 US Dollars each through "Steam") and the game itself hasn`t even been released yet - you play some raw alfa-version with regular updates.



Survival RPG with lots of in-game conversations. Reminds "DayZ" a lot.

Make a fire! Do crafting. Cook some food. Build a castle! Defend yourself from enemies! Do barbarian raids on "friends"

P.S. New video every Thursday.

Oh yeah. Already have it. I think its made by garry newman, of gmod/facewound/facepunch fame. Though he is a programmer not sure about the rest of the dev team.