Game!!

Hey it has been a long time since I posted any game in my blog, so I've decided to revive it a little.

Do you still remember this question that I gave more than 2 years ago? (time really flies...)

怪我
A) Failure
B) Injury
C) Scandal
D) Quarrel

Basically you're supposed to guess (or rather deduce intelligently) what the Chinese characters mean in Japanese.

The same characters can have very different meanings in Chinese and Japanese, to the extent that they may sound absurd and funny haha.

Ready to challenge your linguistic skills?

*The literal meanings in Chinese are indicated in parenthesis, which are obviously not the answers.

大変 ("big change")
a) Difficult
b) Shocking
c) Strange
d) Depressing

大家 ("everyone")
a) Landlord
b) Mayor
c) Estate Agent
d) Parliament Member

物語 ("thing language"?!)
a) Story
b) Secret
c) Talk
d) Feelings

面白 ("face white")
a) Funny
b) Scary
c) Boring
d) Weird

毛布 ("fur cloth")
a) Blanket
b) Carpet
c) Floor Mat
d) Scarf

Tag your answers! Haha.

Whirlpool of Gaming

Let's begin my topic with an introduction video. This may be an issue plaguing the teenagers or even young adults in the modern times when entertainment technology reigns.




I can't remember when it all started. Lower primary perhaps. Thanks to my bro, once an avid gamer, I managed to have my first experience with console games. It began with the then-popular 'Sega' series of consoles, along with classic titles like 'Sonic the Hedgehog' and 'Streets of Rage'. These games form an important part of my memories during that period.



It wasn't until later (around upper primary) when I was introduced PC real-time strategy games like 'Age of Empires'. Such games mainly involve building up a village or city, producing food for subsistence and ultimately train strong armies to conquer the opponents. These kind of games usually require a great deal of management skill to develop the town rapidly and smoothly.



Despite the variety of PC games available in the market, I was still attracted to playing console games (or videogames - those you play using the TV) I especially enjoyed playing RPGs, which provide a unique style of role-playing adventure that PC games cannot deliver.

I started playing console RPGs more intensively during secondary school days. Spent most of my after-school hours and school holidays immersing myself in RPGs. Other than CCA practice sessions, there wasn't much outings to go for anyway. Or rather, I preferred to stay at home playing games than to go out with friends. That explains my antisocial-ness and lack of enthusiasm in participating in social activities.

Playing RPG provides a unique experience that cannot be reproduced by watching dramas and movies. Instead of looking from a third person view, you take on the role of the main character and follow through the plot. Thus this makes the player more absorbed into the story, and able to feel more about the characters. Good plots can also have touching, tear-jerking moments as well.

I often feel that the storyline of RPG is much better than dramas and movies, probably due the fantasy element and surreal world. There is more freedom to infuse creativity and imagination into the virtual RPG environment; whereas real-life fiction is limited by the realistic settings of society, which often gives the 'where got such thing one?' kind of feeling to viewers if certain outcomes don't match common reality.



RPG also gives me a sense of self-achievement, when I managed to defeat a difficult boss, collect rare items, or discover hidden secrets etc. Unfortunately there is nobody I could share this feeling with, and such sense of satisfaction usually diminishes quickly after some time.

I started playing MMORPG much later - after JC days. My first should be Maplestory I think. I admit I became addicted after a while, spending lots of time and even staying up overnight to level up my character. Eventually I quitted after a few months, and all my efforts were wasted. As I had a lot of time during NS, I started on another new MMORPG and played intensively. Well, the same cycle happened. Quitted and wasted. Started, addicted, quitted and wasted. It's only after you quit then you'll start to wonder why you spent so much time on such useless achievements.

Luckily I didn't start on World of Warcraft, although I was almost tempted to. Otherwise I would have 'wasted' more time.

Gaming is not entirely bad I think. I acquired quite a lot of language skills and vocabulary through RPG. It also acts as a medium of socialization and bonding between friends, in the case of a multiplayer game. I remember being heavily addicted to 'Dota' during JC2, but fortunately it didn't affect my schoolwork and grades much, though I procrastinated on tutorials and became inattentive in class. However the experience of playing with a huge group of friends (be it online or in LANshops) is unforgettable, and I don't regret it.



I've decided not to get myself involved in anymore MMORPG or any online multiplayer games, but I still won't give up on console RPG, with reasons already stated earlier. My last RPG gaming period was only about 5 months ago. However I agree that such games can be really time consuming and the amount of time spent often doesn't pay off. I wonder how much precious time in total I've actually lost to gaming. Would things change if I were to spend more time with my friends rather than with games in the past?

Games are for entertainment, not for commitment. Better if the game can be enjoyed among a group of friends. Hence interactive console games like Wii are always welcomed. =)

Toy Story III

The last installments I talked about intellectual games like board games, card games and chess. This entry I’ll touch on the “less intellectual” toys, or rather, toys that you can play on your own without aiming to win the opponent. They are less stressful and less mentally tiring to play, but may get boring easily, especially when playing alone.


Lego



I used to be a Lego fan. This is probably a reason why I like servbots haha. Basically Lego is all about combining pieces to create structures or objects of various themes, of which ‘medieval’ and ‘city’ are my favourites. Memorable names include Merlin, the wizard (I forgot the name of his companion dragon haha), and Octan, the petrol company. Lego was also my motivation to study hard as every year my parents promised to buy a large set for me if I were to score well in my final exams.



Through the years however, I started to lose interest in Lego. It used to be cheap and affordable in the past but now it’s really expensive. Ten bucks for just a few pathetic pieces. Furthermore the pieces are getting bigger and simpler, and thus no longer pose much challenge in building the blocks. The larger pieces also make it difficult to customize your own design. I bade farewell with my extensive Lego collection when I shifted house last year. Moreover it was taking up far too much space.

I had robotics lessons during Sec 2, and we were taught how to construct Lego robots. It re-spurred my childhood interest in Lego, but unfortunately it didn’t last for long. I bought a Lego robotics set in a rash, but lost interest shortly after that, because I realized that I don’t have a flair for designing and programming. A terrible waste of money. Now you know why are toys so expensive.


Fishing Game



This used to be quite a popular game. It requires good reflex and steady hands. However the mechanism is too fault-prone. After some time, the fish will become unable to close their mouths properly, their jaws will become loose, and their tails will get stuck to the bottom. But the most frustrating thing is that the fishing lines get tangled too easily. Ok, that’s the players’ fault haha. The fact that this toy is battery operated makes it inconvenient at times. Such toy makes you wonder why the battery life is always so short.


Penguin Slide



This toy has many variations on the sliding object, but usually it is an animal or a car. Somehow I enjoy looking this kind of moving mechanics. Just like those useless mechanisms that transport a ball from one place to another through activating many mini-machines along the way by its movement. I don’t know what that thing is called, but there are people who derive pleasure just by looking at it.


Polystyrene Planes



Provision shops used to sell such model planes in packets. The plane has to be manually assembled from its polystyrene-made parts. Because of the lightweight material, the plane is able to drift steadily in the air, much better than paper-folded ones. It was fun at first, but it gets tiring when you have to keep walking over to pick it up. I think I once flew it from the 10th storey, watched it glide past the flats and disappear from sight. Oops, was that littering?


Special Mention: Tikam



This can’t get any lamer. These black bags (not like the one shown in the picture above), with a big question mark printed, were sold for 1 dollar each in the minimart. The contents were entirely random, ranging from useless toy pieces to even money! Once I even found a two-dollar note inside. Buying a two-dollar note with one dollar, how funny. Wonder who came up with this silly idea. But I’ve to admit that it can be pretty exciting at times, especially when you are feeling very lucky.

To be continued...

Backup Language

An old video to share with you all. Not sure if you all have watched it already, but anyway here it is:



*The male host's Singlish is really terrible lol*


After watching the video, do you feel proud being able to speak Singlish?

Not really for me haha, but I'm sure that Caucasian boy feels proud of his ability to speak better Singlish than some pure Singaporeans.

I actually feel more fortunate being able to know two of the most important languages in the current world - English and Chinese. In monolingual societies like America, China, Japan, etc, most people are only able to communicate in one language, which can be rather limited when interacting with foreigners, be it for work or leisure.

I'm sure most of you understand the benefits of language diversity in Singapore, so I won't touch on the never-ending controversy about the bilingual policy.

Like what the boy said in the video, an alternative language is actually quite useful at times when you don't want the 3rd party to understand what you're talking about. (ie. badmouthing, or discussing sensitive issues) But it can be quite risky too, if that person happens to know the other language and he/she can understand fully and clearly what you're talking about. There are many of such people in Singapore - Chinese who knows Malay, Indian who knows Mandarin, etc. So think twice before doing the 'language-switch' to badmouth someone of other races haha.

This actually came in handy during my interaction with Japanese students. There were some sensitive issues that we (Singaporeans) had to discuss, but didn't want the Japanese students to listen. So we conveniently spoke in Mandarin instead. We were 99% sure none of the students could understand our discussion. (since they are already struggling with their 2nd language English) Furthermore even if anyone were to understand, I don't think that person will be able to catch up with our talking speed.

I know this may sound rude, and is a sign of disrespect, but there are really certain things that are better not voiced out openly. Of course it's better to avoid doing this within a group of friends or project mates, because it gets pretty obvious (to the 3rd party) as to why one would 'suddenly' switch the language.

A convenient tool nevertheless haha. It looks like the we (Sgeans) have an upper hand since the Japanese students could only speak Japanese within themselves. But I admit I had problems understanding their colloquial style of speaking. (exposed to too much media with proper language, like dramas and TV clips)

Perhaps if one day I could speak as fluently and colloquially like a native, I would be very proud of myself like that Caucasian boy.

Nah...muri muri (impossible)

惜友

我一向来不善于与别人交谈，所以社交圈子跟其他人相比来得少，周围认识的朋友也不算多。

总是保持低调的我，外形不突出，声音不响亮，沉默寡言，难以给人留下深刻的印象，所以不会引来众人的注意。

这就是我想要保持的一种不起眼的状态。

中学时期一位老师曾对我说：“好朋友，一个两个就够了。”

对于那些在校内走不到几步就跟别人挥手打招呼的人，这句话也许起了自我安慰的作用。

朋友不一定越多越好。应该注重质量而不是数量。但为了寻找有“质量”的好友，不得不先追求“数量”。就像为什么贫穷国家的生育率会特别高。

在我们人生当中所认识到的朋友，能有几人可称得上“知己/要好”的好友？

就算是某个阶段里认识了谈得来的朋友，一旦各走各路，断绝联络，友谊也会渐渐变淡，关系也会慢慢疏远。

友谊毕竟是需要两方携手经营的东西。我承认自己在这一点的能力会比较逊色些。

我对朋友的依赖性不是很强。就算把自己困在家里一两个星期与外界隔绝，只要有一个具体的目标，我也不会感到非常寂寞。

再说我不必向任何人倾诉也可以有效地自施解压，平服情绪的疗法。。。哈哈。

虽然我喜欢在不受约束的情况下自由活动，但是我也希望在共同的过程中能与别人分享有趣的经验。

我可说是个和平主义的人，平常不发脾气，不记仇，最多只感到非常失望而已。

可能是因为不想把自己卷入人与人之间复杂的关系。

也正因为这样，没什么经历过不愉快的争执，所以不善于安慰人，不懂得应付状况。

庆幸从小学、中学、初院，到兵役、大学，各阶段能够交到谈得来，仍保持联络的朋友。在重视私人空间的当儿，我也会珍惜现在所拥有的身边好友。

能敞开胸怀，与别人畅聊生活大小事，感觉其实也不错。

对我一直围绕着回味童年话题而感到厌倦的人，这一份心情写照就送给你们吧。

The Shriveling Pasture

From: The Straits Times, Life! 29 October 2010

Low ratings for local dramas. By Lin Wenjian

Viewers say the lack of variety, unrealistic dialogue and similar plots turn them off.

Is local TV drama in dire straits?

Even Singapore’s original TV First Couple, Huang Wenyong and Xiang Yun, cannot prevent current MediaCorp Channel 8 drama series, The Score, from, well, failing to score good ratings.

In fact, it might even have less than half the number of viewers a top-rated local drama gets.

Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that The Score has a viewership rating of between 10 and 11 percent since it debuted in the traditional prime time slot of 9pm on Oct 4. On some nights, the rating even fell to a single digit. The series, a soap opera cum crime drama, will end next Friday.

In 2007, Like Father Like Daughter, a popular Channel 8 drama in the same time slot, achieved 20.5 percent in ratings. The Little Nyonya, MediaCorp’s most-watched series in the last eight years, chalked up a rating of about 26.3 percent, or about 934,000 viewers.

One percentage point is equivalent to 1 percent of all TV households in Singapore.
A MediaCorp spokesman responded to Life!’s queries, saying: “The average reach of the The Score is 14.3 percent.”

However she did not refute the lowest-rating figure of a single digit, as reported in the Chinese paper.

The Score’s poor showing may not be an exception. Earlier this year, Korean drama Cruel Temptation, which ended its run on Channel U recently, dealt a ratings blow to Channel 8’s home-grown production, the family drama Your Hand In Mine. The 94-episode drama became the first Korean series to beat a local production showing in the same time slot in Channel 8.

The poor ratings do not surprise some viewers who have stopped watching Channel 8 dramas.

Customer service manager Eva Siow, 30, says: “Local scriptwriters and producers lack creativity. The plots of many Channel 8 drama series are very similar and sometimes I can’t even tell them apart.”

Lianhe Wanbao entertainment journalist Tan Chew Yen agrees. She says: “The main problem with local dramas is their lack of variety. All year round, we get regular doses of family drama.”

Account executive Ken Kuan, 28, says he and his family have not followed a Channel 8 drama since they subscribed to cable TV more than five years ago.

His biggest bugbear is he “unrealistic dialogue” in local dramas. “Who talks like that in real life? I cringe every time I switch to Channel 8.”

Life!’s Asian TV reviewer Foong Woei Wan elaborates on this shortcoming in local drama scripting. “With some Channel 8 dramas, you don’t get a sense of the complex multilingual reality of Singapore,” she says. “In the Zoe Tay housewife drama La Femme, you have people saying ‘songbing’ and not ‘muffin’. Who says ‘songbing’?”

“It’s more believable to have characters who can discuss important dramatic stuff in Mandarin, but would still say ‘muffin’. But as it is, some dramas seem to take place in some strange parallel universe.”

She compares the situation here to Hong Kong, where TV scriptwriters have no qualms about using English buzzwords to add a dose of reality to the lines.

While retail supervisor Chen Wenxin, 38, says he watches Channel 8 dramas, he notices “the TV company seems to like to promote the good-looking actors, rather than the experienced ones”.

The result, he says, is mediocre acting dished out by “the newbies”.

This also bugs Ms Foong, who misses former TV thespians such as Xie Shaoguang, “who are charismatic actors capable of filling up the screen on their own”.

Consultant Wayne Weng, 29, says he watches local dramas, but only some of those shown on Channel U, as “they usually have better cinematography and direction and are more innovative as well”.

He was referring to recent Channel U shows such as The Illusionist, which aired in March and starred Thomas Ong.

Despite the recent spate of poor ratings, Channel 8 dramas still have their regular supporters. Retiree Wee Siew Eng, 60, says she enjoyed Ann Kok’s portrayal of an abused wife in The Family Court, which aired just before The Score.

“She is pretty and acts well. If we don’t watch local shows, who will?”

Despite his grouses, Mr Chen will also continue to watch Channel 8 dramas – out of necessity.

“The cost of living is already high enough, so I don’t want to spend more money on cable TV subscription. Besides, Channel 8 dramas can be rather entertaining in terms of how bad they can be.”

-----

This issue has been discussed to death since the beginning of the decade. Every now and then such articles will be published, criticizing the standard of home-grown productions and proving how unpopular it has become, especially whenever a drama fails to achieve good ratings.

The ‘grass is always greener on the other side’ argument is not very applicable here as a huge standard gap can be observed even if you put the two patches of grass side by side.

Putting the topic of drama quality aside, there might be other underlying compounding factors that perpetuate this ‘local crisis’.


It looks like the diversity of Singapore’s culture has taken a toll on the viewership of local programmes, particularly Channel 8 dramas.

Diversity means that people of other races like Malay and Indians are less likely to watch Chinese dramas.

Diversity means that foreigners are generally not supportive of local dramas. The local-flavored plots are unable to strike a chord with these people.

Diversity also means that English-orientated faction within the Chinese community may not appreciate dramas presented in Chinese language.

With such heterogeneity in the population, only a small slice of potential audiences can be carved from the pie. The problem of SG’s small market was already highlighted as the main reason for the media merger 6 years ago.

The true competitors are not rival TV stations, but the formidable foreign opponents, whose productions are posing an ever huge threat to local programme ratings.

In the recent years, the availability of foreign programmes through the Net and increasing choices of cable TV subscription have encouraged many to depart from traditional TV watching.

Without any actual figures, I’m guessing that the proportion of teenage viewers (around age 12 -25) has been declining over the years. Most of the current viewership probably comes from middle aged folks who experienced the ‘golden age’ of local dramas in the 1990s. These folks are also less tech-savvy than the young to search for other foreign programmes online, hence they tend to stick to watching free-to-air dramas.

I predict that the viewership of local programmes will continue to dwindle in the future as people start to seek their own preferred forms of entertainment elsewhere.


Talking about dialogues being unrealistic? Let’s bring the argument further.

Singaporeans are well-known for their broken language and tendency to mish-mash different languages in a single sentence. Well, that’s our way of life - our natural way of speaking, but the aims of local productions (or rather MDA) are attempting to change that, by promoting the use of good language. Thus it is no wonder why dialogues can be so unrealistic and unreflective of our interaction style.

To exemplify, police and court scenes are as unrealistic as it can ever get. English is the official language of communication used across all governmental boards. Is it even possible to see the police describing a crime case in Chinese, or a lawyer addressing the judge as ‘法官大人’? How about large companies having their corporate meetings entirely in Chinese?

The ‘no-dialect’ policy adopted by local TV also contributes to the disparity as a large proportion of older folks are still using dialects as their main language.
Yet on the other hand, viewers will start complaining if programmes were to incorporate Singlish or Singnese. Clearly the best of both worlds can’t be achieved in this case.

With so many native PRCs in Singapore speaking in their perfect Mandarin, we don’t need local Chinese programmes to deal a further blow to our weak language abilities.


Everyone speaks English, but why are local English shows not appealing?

English dramas definitely win Chinese dramas hands down in terms of being realistic. However that does not necessarily mean that the dialogues are more natural. Singaporeans are not native English speakers after all, and have a weird cheena accent that can even make our own people cringe. Singlish is deemed as inappropriate, while fake accents put people off. Let’s face it, we are better off speaking in our own mother tongue instead. At least the accent is more acceptable.

The problem is aggravated by another issue - the local showbiz industry is facing a lack of talent inflow and replacement.

Good looking artistes can’t speak Mandarin well, and the fact that local productions are skewed towards Chinese doesn’t help. English speaking artistes are often forced to participate in Chinese shows if they want to develop their career and popularity. Unfortunately, speaking in a non-familiar language is major barrier even to experienced actors. Look at Pierre Png and Adrian Pang. Their acting skills are still very much limited by the way they speak, which is a waste as they are unable to exhibit their full potential.

Due to economic influence, coupled with its small market and instability, the local entertainment industry is repelling potential artistes with its low payout to risk ratio. One might not be able to gain much benefits of fame and recognition despite being capable and talented. The time and effort invested into local showbiz is often not worth it compared to other countries like Hong Kong.

Sadly, judging from the way it is going now, I see no future in local drama productions if the current veteran artistes begin to retire.