In the world of Language Land, the wise ones will teach you that, however much you may know about your target language, there is always much more that you don’t. Always. And what you don’t know, could mean your downfall and the downfall of your people.
My name is Matthew Boyle. I design fantasy games for language learners to take them deeper into the wild of their own personal language learning journey, to point out what they don’t know yet, and to help prepare them before it is too late. Today, I want to tell you about my latest game, Heading Into Language Land (2023), and the inhabitants and places therein. And if what I have to say resonates with you, I sincerely hope you’ll join us on this incredible adventure!
Heading Into Language Land: The Characters
First, let me describe some of the characters in this world I have created. Maybe you’ll find your own study preferences and practices reflected in theirs.
Let’s start with some of the good guys. The wordwizards are rather bookish, introverted, and need to practice their languages more in the real world. The wordsmiths are very practically-minded, and do little to think outside of the box or to have some fun with their language learning. The Embertellans are extremely disciplined, conforming to their habits and systems day in and day out. The Langaians love to learn languages naturally and organically through play and socialization.
But maybe you can see yourself reflected in the baddies as well? The gablins can’t stop socializing and gossiping, oftentimes to their own detriment. The trolls, quite frankly, bully others to make their insecure selves feel better. The wordwraiths learn languages in a vain attempt to satisfy their insatiable ego.
Whether you can see yourself as reflected in any of these groups or not, I have to let you know of a super cool opportunity: I can design a character and card for you that you can use in the game! That character and that card will become your alter ego, helping you to visualize yourself at a higher level than you are now, and motivating you to get there!
Heading Into Language Land: The Places
In the first edition of Heading Into Language Land, we really only get to see a big chunk of “Southern Language Land”. And on the tip of the south coast, there is Wordhaven, a village of wordwizards. Now, over the ages, those wordwizards have gone on missions, spread their teachings, taken up residences in other cities, and formed different sects. Thus, different types of wordwizards with different types of language powers have evolved, but at their core, they remain committed to their studies and book learning.
Quite a fearful thing can be observed, though, right on the doorstep of Wordhaven, and that is the swamp called Og. It is a very negative place and, basically, it is the “shadow self” or “shadow side” of Wordhaven. Because those of Wordhaven are a bit uppity, they have sown the seeds of their own potential destruction right in their own backyard. One of the themes in the stories I’m writing to support the Heading Into Language Land game will show that sometimes the evil we seek to confront in the world actually lies within us or was created by us.
Then there’s Froward Forest, which is kind of like Alice’s Wonderland, where everything is upside down and backwards. Things don’t make logical sense. But they’re very mind-opening and inspiring for the same reason. What kind of game or world would be complete without such a place? In Froward, the main character of the story, an earthcaller wordwizard named Metamet, finally meets up with a master wordwizard and timekeeper named Timagin, who informs him that a war is soon to breakout and that he ought to rise to face that challenge.
Beyond these three places, there are plains, canyons, and kingdoms, but you’ll have to read the full story yourself to discover more. I don’t want to ruin the surprise by giving everything away. Great news, though! With your purchase of the Heading Into Language Land game, whether it be the online, print-and-play, or real deck version, you will receive the full rulebook, storybook, and study guide to support you on your new and enchanting language learning adventure!
Fantasy Games For Language Learners: A Conclusion
Fantasy-themed games work wonders for language learners, because speaking foreign languages is just like speaking a spell or summoning a superpower. When you learn another language and travel the world, meeting new people and seeing new places, it’s just like being transported into a fictional universe. My aim is to capture that feeling in a deck of cards, making it more tangible, concrete, and practicable. And when you play with others, be it in person, or virtually in one of our online gaming sessions, you will experience exponential results driven by the support and accountability which comes from our community, our tribe.
Heading Into Language Land could very well be my best game yet, but it might not be the best choice for everyone. It really depends on your motivations and what style of gameplay you like. I welcome you to read this blog article which gives an overview of all of my games.
Get In Touch
If you’re interested in learning more about this game or what I do, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can leave a comment on this post, on one of my YouTube videos, or email me directly at [email protected]!
