https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01120560/document

Learning cultural heritage by serious games

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Virtual Geographic Environments (VGEs): A New Generation of Geographic Analysis Tool

Serious games present a promising opportunity for learning, but the genre still lacks methodologies and tools for efficient and low-cost production, particularly for teacher and domain experts This article gives an authoring framework that aims to provide structured support, from content design to final implementation In particular, we have abstracted a conceptual model—the SandBox Serious Game - which relies on a generalization of task-based learning theory The model invites players to perform cognitive tasks contextually while exploring information-rich virtual environments We consider it particularly suited for cultural heritage entertainment applications The model defines games that are set in realistic virtual worlds enriched with embedded educational tasks, which we have implemented as minigames This approach simplifies the authoring work, which can easily be supported by visual authoring tools for ontology-based urban 3D modeling and implementation tasks, thus allowing an approach similar to the mind-maps concept We propose a top-down methodology for content preparation, starting from a city-level analysis down to the single points of interest and associated tasks, which are instances of simple predefined minigame/quiz typologies We provide examples and discuss criteria for selecting task typologies according to the authors' cognitive targets Finally, we discuss the results of a user test, which took place in a lab, aimed at verifying the acquisition of cultural heritage knowledge in a pleasant and engaging way Games appear particularly suited for supporting the study of images, especially of iconography Compared to reading text, a game forces the player to focus more strongly on problems, which favors knowledge acquisition and retention Learning complex concepts requires an investigative attitude, which can be spurred by well-designed games Good design involves usability, graphic appeal, appropriate content, and the presence of connections which a player must discover in the content Players should be asked to pay attention to and reason about their whole game activity - including the relationships between the game content, the brief introduction, and concluding texts More comprehensive tests are needed to better investigate the educational effectiveness—however, the first results are promising, especially in terms of user motivation and creation of new opportunities for learning about CH

A serious game model for cultural heritage

The recent diffusion of advanced controllers, initially designed for the home game console, has been rapidly followed by the release of proprietary or third part PC drivers and SDKs suitable for implementing new forms of 3D user interfaces based on gestures Exploiting the devices currently available on the game market, it is now possible to enrich, with low cost motion capture, the user interaction with desktop computers by building new forms of natural interfaces and new action metaphors that add the third dimension as well as a physical extension to interaction with users This paper presents two systems specifically designed for 3D gestural user interaction on 3D geographical maps The proposed applications rely on two consumer technologies both capable of motion tracking: the Nintendo Wii and the Microsoft Kinect devices The work also evaluates, in terms of subjective usability and perceived sense of Presence and Immersion, the effects on users of the two different controllers and of the 3D navigation metaphors adopted Results are really encouraging and reveal that, users feel deeply immerse in the 3D dynamic experience, the gestural interfaces quickly bring the interaction from novice to expert style and enrich the synthetic nature of the explored environment exploiting user physicality

Wiimote and Kinect: gestural user interfaces add a natural third dimension to HCI

3D reconstruction and validation of historical background for immersive VR applications and games: The case study of the Forum of Augustus in Rome

The MediaEvo Project aims to develop a multichannel and multi-sensory platform for edutainment in cultural heritage for the realization of a digital didactic game oriented towards the knowledge of medieval history and society by means of the integration of human sciences and new data processing technologies. During the project it has been possible to test the possible interactions between historical research, morphological inquiries, data management systems and the definition of a virtual immersive platform for playing and educating. The platform has also proved to be a means for validating hypotheses and findings formulated by researchers. This paper introduces the theoretical questions related to the educative use of Virtual Reality technology and describes the steps of the reconstruction of the town of Otranto in the Middle Ages: data collection and integration, organization of work, peripherals and software applications.

Experiencing a town of the Middle Ages: An application for the edutainment in cultural heritage

Until recently, the “historic vision” was limited to only a few professionals, scholars and researchers, who share the interpretation codes for extracting the ancient landscape from the actual one. Using this knowledge to reconstruct a virtual interactive town increases dramatically the possibilities of information exchange and diffusion. On this way, the MediaEvo Project aims to develop a multi-channel and multi-sensory platform for edutainment in cultural heritage for the realization of a digital didactic game oriented towards the knowledge of medieval history and society by means of the integration of human sciences and new data processing technologies. It deals with historical findings, geomorphological inquiries, data management systems and the definition of a virtual immersive platform for playing and educating. This paper introduces the theoretical questions related to the educative use of Virtual Reality technology and describes the steps of the reconstruction of the town of Otranto in the Middle Ages: data collection and integration, organization of work, peripherals and software applications. The platform is intended to be useful for educational purposes, for touristic information, for gaming and also for testing the hypothesis coming from researchers about the ancient town and its everyday life.

MediaEvo project: A serious game for the edutainment

In educational sense, the Virtual Reality shows its value when the user can actively participate in the creation and development of his knowledge. According to the MediaEvo Project and with the multiplayer educational game realized, the paper shows that the Entertainment Games Platforms can also be used to develop platforms for multi-channel and multi-sensory cultural edutainment. Herein we present the process for collecting and processing data, the methodology and the tools used in the work and the multi-playing and Artificial Intelligence models implemented in the project. At the moment the MediaEvo Project is working in progress.

A Game-Based 3D Simulation of Otranto in the Middle Ages

Using new technological capabilities to reconstruct a virtual interactive town dramatically increases the possibilities of information exchange and diffusion. The MediaEvo Project aims to develop a multi-channel and multi-sensory platform for edutainment in cultural heritage for the realization of a digital didactic game oriented towards knowledge of medieval history and society by means of the integration of human sciences and data processing technologies. It deals with historical findings, geomorphological inquiries, data management systems and the definition of a virtual immersive platform for playing and educating. This paper introduces the theoretical questions related to the educational use of Virtual Reality technology and describes the steps in the reconstruction of the town of Otranto in the Middle Ages: data collection and integration, organization of work, peripherals and software applications. During its definition, the platform that has been planned for educational purposes has proved to be useful for testing researchers' hypotheses about the ancient town and its everyday life. At the end of project, other research fields have been tested on the game: new peripherals for motion and interaction, virtual treasure hunts, Augmented Reality and evaluation studies for territorial marketing and tourism.

A simulation of life in a medieval town for edutainment and touristic promotion

In this paper we describe part of the MediaEvo project on a Digital Heritage application aimed to serve as an edutainment tool. Visitors are able to virtually explore the reconstructed heritage environment of Otranto town and learn about the medieval world through a virtual experience. The project aims to identify the methodologies related to interactive learning and an approach oriented to the instructive paths which take advantage of multi-sensory media and their level of interaction. At the moment the MediaEvo project is in progress and in this paper the obtained results are shown.

Luigi Oliva

Papers

Experiencing a town of the Middle Ages: An application for the edutainment in cultural heritage

MediaEvo project: A serious game for the edutainment

A Game-Based 3D Simulation of Otranto in the Middle Ages

A simulation of life in a medieval town for edutainment and touristic promotion

Design and Development of a Virtual Reality Application for Edutainment in Cultural Heritage