Date of Award

6-10-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2025

Department

Computer Science and Engineering

First Advisor

Oana Ignat

Abstract

In the field of video games, developers work to immerse players in a variety of ways. In one genre of video games, 2D exploration, or Metroidvania as its colloquially known, developers try to immerse players by letting them explore large worlds with the hope to overcome isolation. Often these worlds are sparse or dead worlds where the player is alone, but by exploring more of the world familiarity with the space is achieved and this isolation can be overcome. We hope to innovate in this genre by utilizing a new way to simulate and overcome this isolation, through language learning. The hope is to create a world that seems alien at first, as the in-game NPCs (non-player character) speak a fictional language, but opens to the player as they learn this new language.

We achieved this innovation using parsing tools and natural language processing to create a translator that can translate English dialogue into our fictional language at different learning levels. This allows the player to interact with the NPCs and the game at varying language levels, where the game shows words the player has learned at that level in English, with the unlearnt words still displayed in the fictional language. This allows the player to interact with the game and simulate the feeling of learning a new language and culture to overcome the feeling of isolation through knowledge and understanding.

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