Getting used to the UK way of life is one of those things that can really hit you hard as an overseas student.

　　Now, with the help of a new mobile phone game developed by the University of Portsmouth, it could be a thing of the past.

　　An interactive game for your mobile

　　C-shock is an interactive game for mobile phones to help international university students cope with the culture shock of life in Britain.

　　Whether it's knowing about 'pub etiquette' or about how Brits display affection in public, the game will give you an idea of what to expect while living in the UK.

　　Your personal "e-mother"

　　C-shock — which has already been described as an "e-mother" or "mobile mummy" — follows the life of an international student arriving in Britain for the first time.

　　The aim of the game is to reduce your culture shock rating from a default of 100 to zero by performing a series of tasks on a university campus that introduce culture shock-inducing incidents and images.

　　By clicking on images along the journey, the player is warned about what culture shocks to expect - for example, it is acceptable for students to drink alcohol and it is okay for people to display affection in public.

　　Novel British culture

　　"I thought it would be great to have a learning vehicle or device to help people overcome the culture shock because if you have not experienced such things before, it's hard to know how to react or behave appropriately," explained Nipon Maniar, brainchild of C-Shock, games technology expert and academic at Portsmouth University.

　　"I found some aspects of British culture very novel, and certainly things such as interacting socially with others, say, in a pub were very different to what I was used to in my own culture in India."

　　Communicating with students

　　Nipon was faced with the challenge of getting used to British life after arriving in the UK as an international student from India five years ago.

　　With his personal experience, Nipan and his research assistant, Dr Emily Bennett, developed the prototype of the mobile phone game after consulting the University's International Office and the British Council.

　　The game, which also includes important information such as police and emergency telephone numbers, is a classic example of how mobile phone game technologies can be used to communicate with students.

　　New concept limitless potential

　　"C-Shock could be used to guide students through events such as registration as well as help them with basic information like getting to a bank or ATM that's closest to them. You could incorporate a whole city guide into the game so, in effect, the new student has this interactive learning tool to quickly settle into a new city very quickly," Nipan said.

　　He adds: "Using mobile phone games to communicate with people and educate in this way is a new concept and the potential is limited only by one's imagination."

　　Plans are in place for C-Shock to be available for download from the Portsmouth University website later this year.   (Source: British Consulate-General in Chongqing)