Adventures of Weiqi

The Project

Adventures of Weiqi is an educational game centered around the ancient Chinese strategy board game Go, or 围棋 (Weiqi). The game combines learning, gameplay, and review into one experience. Players progress through stages of increasing difficulty while learning concepts such as territory, sacrifice, and long-term planning. There would not only be a Go-playing AI opponent but also an AI mentor system that reviews players’ past games and puzzles, points out mistakes, and helps explain the reasoning behind stronger moves in the future. My goal is not only to teach people how to play Go, but also to help them develop patience, strategic thinking, and reflection skills through the learning process. The project was inspired by both my personal experience with Go and my interest in computer science. I have played Go since kindergarten and have always been fascinated by how a game with such simple rules can create so much complexity and creativity. Over time, I noticed that Go is much less popular in the United States than in many Asian countries, even though it teaches valuable real-world skills like planning ahead, adapting to uncertainty, and learning from mistakes. I wanted to create a way for beginners, especially students, to experience those benefits in a more approachable and interactive format. My interest in AI and game design made me realize that technology could make Go learning more personalized and accessible. One of the most difficult parts of developing Adventures of Weiqi has been translating abstract strategy concepts into clear and interactive systems. In Go, many important ideas depend heavily on context, so it can be hard to design lessons or puzzles that teach concepts naturally without oversimplifying them. I also had to learn how to balance education with engagement. If the game becomes too instructional, it risks losing player interest, but if it focuses too heavily on entertainment, the learning experience becomes weaker. Finding a middle ground between those two goals has been one of the biggest challenges throughout the project. Awards won: GameGala First Place Prize IgniteCS Second Place Prize

View this project on YouTube