Exploration Games: Can Game-Guided Systems Support Users in Automated Exhibition Sites?

This article delves into the potential of incorporating elements from adventure games into museum exhibitions, with a particular focus on automated exhibition sites. We advocate that principles derived from adventure games can adeptly bridge the two primary expectations of exhibitions: enlightenment and experience. Exploration-based games, such as Explore the Redoubt (XTR) crafted for automated venues, enable users to fulfill both these objectives. XTR, conceived to address the prevailing research voids, integrates game mechanics into the automated exhibition environment, enhancing visitor motivation and engagement. It harnesses interactive digital mediums to present cultural heritage in a relaxed, informal manner. Existing research scarcely touches upon the design of experiential learning games developed for automated sites, which encompass both indoor and outdoor displays. Our methodology contemplates the transformation of visitor conduct at exhibitions, morphing them into avid knowledge seekers. We challenge the adequacy of current user experience models in portraying exhibitions striving to provide both enlightenment and an immersive experience. Consequently, we introduce a framework for museum interactions that deeply engages users, urging them to define their exploration trajectories, seamlessly fusing enlightenment, and engagement. Our study is set in a 17th-century redoubt where initial observations indicated greater outdoor engagement compared to indoor spaces. This observation fueled our initiative to amplify indoor visitor participation. After testing XTR with 30 participants and employing a combination of observations and interviews, we derived key insights on designing digital exploration games that seamlessly combine enlightenment and engagement. We conclude with three design strategies to enhance visitor curiosity and exploration.