MEMORANDUM
Date:
January 12, 2006
To:
Iowa State University Research Faculty
CC:
Karen Piconi, English 314 Professor
From:
Bryon Nicholson
Re:
Communication Research Proposal Memorandum
As per request, this memo will detail the unique and profitable aspects of communication
systems in an online game society namely Final Fantasy XI. This research will help in
the understanding of how different languages and cultures combine and adapt, and how
communication and languages change in every day life through the analysis of how
people of different cultures and languages communicate.
SUMMARY OF FINAL FANTASY XI
Final Fantasy XI is an online game based on cooperative play between many different
people in an online community. These people must have absolute cooperation between
no less than six people at a time to complete any objectives in the game. This is an
extremely difficult objective, when paired with the fact that the game is played by both
native Japanese, American, and European players all playing together at the same times.
FINAL FANTASY XI COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Players in Final Fantasy XI communicate using a small auto-translation function built
into the game, that translates small words and phrases into from any language, to their
native language. This database contains only approximately three thousand words and
phrases for the players to use. This database contains general greeting information, but
the bulk of the words used are for in-game terms, such as abilities or locations.
In addition to the auto-translation function. There are a small number of people existing
on the game who are multi-lingual, and can translate small amounts of information
between players. However these players are few and far between, and are not a factor in
major communication, however they they lend a hand in explaining acronyms and other
non-translatable words so that all people in the game eventually will learn their meanings.
The final way of communication in the game is very unique. Being that many Japanese
players completely lack any way to communicate, but have a wealth of symbols in their
language, there are times when they will draw pictures with their symbols to show what
they are doing. This could be seen as a substitution for the lack of body language in the
communication between players.
COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS AND LEARNING
Communication in Final Fantasy XI flows quite smoothly. Rarely is there an instance
where the communication in the game is not understood, or cannot be deciphered. This is
partially due to the fact that members of the game have learned some vocabulary and
grammer rules of the other languages. Sometimes these are acronyms, and at other times,
they are entire words.
Learning how to communicate in the world of Final Fantasy XI takes time. Although the
auto-translate program is not complicated, it could take a month of study to learn the
acronyms and pictures displayed outside of the translator. The average amount of time
spent learning how to communicate in the game is approximately a week before basic
communications between languages are possible.
REASONS FOR STUDYING FINAL FANTASY XI
With two different cultures and languages meeting in an envoirnment where every
conversation is easily documentable, and recordable. This results in research possibilities
in the fields of:




The study of how languages form
The creation of new languages by observing a unique envoirnment
The study of how completely different cultures learn to communicate
By observing how English speakers learn the Japanese language, insight could be
found into teaching of the very difficult language
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact the author, Bryon
Nicholson at any time by e-mail Banicholson@gmail.com or by phone at 515-480-3941