The concept of “Serious Gaming,” referring to the use of games and video games aimed primarily at conveying information, has gained increasing attention in recent years, especially in the context of cultural heritage. Unlike commercial video games, whose main purpose is entertainment, serious games aim to impart knowledge, develop skills, or influence behaviors; they also seek to entertain, but at the same time, they strive to educate and train players on specific topics.
In the context of cultural heritage, these games can help raise public awareness, educate about historical and cultural aspects, and even support the digital preservation of sites and artifacts in an innovative and engaging way.
Cultural heritage—which includes historic sites, monuments, traditions, languages, and many other cultural expressions—is an invaluable treasure for humanity. This heritage is often threatened by factors such as climate change, conflicts, urbanization, or neglect. In this context, Serious Games can play an important role in preserving and enhancing cultural heritage by offering new ways of interaction and learning.
One of the main benefits is their ability to make learning fun and engaging: through interactive stories and realistic settings, players can immerse themselves in different historical eras and cultures, acquiring knowledge in an intuitive and natural way. For example, a game set in the archaeological park of Pompeii can depict daily life, architecture, and customs of that time, bringing history to life in a vivid and tangible way.
As mentioned earlier, they can also contribute to the digital preservation of cultural heritage: thanks to new technologies such as virtual and augmented reality and 3D modeling, it is possible to create digital models (digital twins) of sites and artifacts that can be explored and studied without risking damage to the originals, while also simulating and predicting potential risks. This aspect is particularly useful for archaeological sites or monuments that are inaccessible or endangered. Moreover, digital replicas can be used for virtual restorations, allowing the visualization of objects in their original form.
Serious Games offer a unique and original way to engage audiences and spark interest in cultural heritage. Thanks to captivating gameplay mechanics and interactive missions, players become part of a story and tend to develop a personal and emotional connection with the surrounding cultural heritage, encouraging their commitment to its protection and enhancement. Numerous examples of Serious Games demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach not only in the context of cultural heritage but also across a wide range of fields, from healthcare to wargaming, marketing, and psychotherapy.
Despite the numerous benefits, implementation in the cultural heritage sector also presents some challenges: among these, the main one appears to be creating games that are historically accurate and culturally sensitive, which requires close collaboration between game developers, historians, archaeologists, and other experts. Additionally, the cost of such projects can be a barrier, as developing high-quality games is expensive and time-consuming.
In conclusion, Serious Games represent an innovative frontier in the field of Cultural Heritage, offering powerful tools for education, preservation, and public engagement. Through immersive and interactive gaming experiences, it is possible to convey historical and cultural knowledge effectively and enjoyably, raising awareness among new generations about the importance of preserving our shared heritage. While challenges remain, the opportunities presented promise to transform the way we value and protect cultural heritage for future generations.
Bibliographic References:
- Clarizia, F. Colace, M. D. Santo, A. Lorusso, F. Marongiu and D. Santaniello, “Augmented Reality and Gamification technics for visit enhancement in archaeological parks,” 2022 IEEE 2nd IoT Vertical and Topical Summit for Tourism (IoTT), Catania, Italy, 2022, pp. 1-4. doi: 10.1109/IoTT56174.2022.9925901
- Kharvari and W. Höhl, “The Role of Serious Gaming using Virtual Reality Applications for 3D Architectural Visualization,” 2019 11th International Conference on Virtual Worlds and Games for Serious Applications (VS-Games), Vienna, Austria, 2019, pp. 1-2. doi: 10.1109/VS-Games.2019.8864576.
- Lazarinis, I. Boididis, L. Kozanidis, & D. Kanellopoulos “An adaptable multi-learner serious game for learning cultural heritage” 2022 Advances in Mobile Learning Educational Research, 201-215. https://doi.org/10.25082/AMLER.2022.01.004
- Montusiewicz and M. Milosz, “Architectural Jewels of Lublin: A Modern Computerized Board Game in Cultural Heritage Education” 2021 Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage. https://doi.org/10.1145/3446978
Created by
Eng. Alfredo Troiano, Chief Technical Officer, NetCom Group