Experts dismiss survey on online games

Vietnamese Academy of Social Science last Tuesday announced results from a survey on online game and Vietnamese players.

The survey is conducted within a month on participants from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Can Tho, Dong Nai and Hai Duong.

Among 1320 quantitative research cases, 960 are done by interview in household, 180 at internet café and the rest 180 at school and public places.

Supported by National Assembly’s Committee on Culture, Education, Youth and Teenager and an online game provider, the purpose of this survey is to provide scientific proofs and to suggest managing measures to the National Assembly and authorities.

According to the survey, 73% of participants are playing game, 22% have never played and 5% have played and given up. Male players outnumber female ones at 54.5%.

Players below 30 years old constitute 99.99% of those surveyed. The majority (41.2%) is at 16-20, who are mature enough and aware of their actions. On the other hand, younger teenagers and kids at 10-15 years old range make up 26.3%.

Players who are going to school account for 71.1%. College or university students top the list at 30.1%

More than half of participants said they play weekly: 34.1% play daily and 25% play 3-4 times a week.

Only 5.2% admitted that they have addictive behaviors and cannot control themselves when they play. 59% responded online game makes them feel good and distressed.

The higher education people have, the lower they rate effect of online game on them.

The research group concluded that online game does not affect players as seriously as means of media have said.

In response to doubts that the survey does not incorporate with news reflected by the media about long hours people spend on online game and increasing crimes caused by addicted players, Dr.Binh explained that the survey was done by professionals and only took general opinions and influence of online game. There was only one case that responded playing 168 hours a week but it was taken out of the survey.

National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Minh Thuyet said the managing of online game is not well done as game providers have not seen the effects on young people. Statistics on this survey will be foundation to control online game. In the future, the government will implement better laws on managing online games to avoid crimes to communities.

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New guide to historic game

Over 100 new solutions to the popular Vietnamese puzzle game Evereto – but now more often referred to by the name of the game's creator, Tri Uan, – have been published in time for the millennial anniversary of Hanoi, according to Uan's son, Nguyen Tri Hung.

The game helps sharpen powers of observation through the discovery of resemblances between geometric and natural forms, such as a face, a lotus, a horse, a bird and a heart.

Hung told the English-language daily Vietnam News that the new answer book guides players to form various figures from seven basic wooden pieces to resemble famous Hanoi landmarks such as the Tortoise Tower and the One-Pillar Pagoda.

The game has been popular since Uan created it in 1940.

According to Uan's daughter, Nguyen Bach Ngoc, her father took part in revolutionary activities from a very young age. He was arrested by French troops in May 1940 when he was 24 and exiled in the northern province of Phu Tho. With help from his comrades, he fled to nearby Hanoi and took part in the revolutionary underground.

Uan hid himself in a lumber room at a house at 42 Hue Street in Hanoi. His only source of entertainment was to cut cartons into pieces and make them into shapes.

"My father told me that he was an excellent student of math at the Buoi High School, so he wanted to make something out of what he had learned," said Ngoc. "After several days, he had cut seven pieces from an 8 by 10cm rectangle. From these pieces, he could shape thousands of natural forms. At that time, my father named the game Evereto."

Ngoc says that the game's name was changed to Tri Uan by President Ho Chi Minh, who said that the game contained Tri (intelligence) and Uan (mystery), making the creator's name well-suited to the game.

After the restoration of peace in Vietnam in 1954, President Ho and Party and Government leaders chose Tri Uan game sets as gifts for their international friends.

The palm-sized wooden game set can still be found at educational bookstores in Hanoi for 55,000 VND (2.80 USD) or from the creator's family at 129 Phung Hung street in Hanoi, by telephone at 0904277423 or by email to tringuyentrochoi@yahoo.com.vn./.

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