Presentation Schedule
Sinographic Play: Semantics, Aesthetics, and Pedagogy in Character-Based Games (106234)
Session Chair: Elena Carolina Li
Monday, 11 May 2026 11:50
Session: Session 2
Room: Room G404 (4F)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
This study examines Chinese character-based games, where characters replace all or most visual elements. Players develop both semantic and non-semantic cognition of the text, engaging with characters as both meaningful signs and visual forms. Their decision-making is influenced not only by strategic goals of winning but also by the aesthetic presentation of the characters, such as their stroke structures and compositions. Some games use radicals for enemies to evoke themes, others leverage meanings for puzzles. These mechanics entertain while educating, promoting interactive language learning, radical mastery, and cultural insight through play. The paper explores game mechanics' practical role alongside textual aesthetics, showing how Chinese characters' logographic and visual traits enable multifaceted player comprehension. It provides innovative insights for game design across digital media, humanities, and pedagogy.
The work described in this paper was substantially supported by a grant from the Start-up Research Grant of The Education University of Hong Kong.
Authors:
Yue-Jin Ho, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About the Presenter(s)
Dr Yue-Jin Ho is currently an Assistant Professor at The Education University of Hong Kong
See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule
Conference Comments & Feedback
Place a comment using your LinkedIn profileShare this Presentation
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress