Gamification and Immersive Experiences in Museums as Audience Development Strategy

In view of technology application trends in immersive game interactive experience, this study starts from human-medium interactive language and sums up museum space creation methods, creation ideas and development trends in immersive game experience design. To enhance the audience’s perception in museum experience, designers and participants are guided to a new perspective of the interactive language and form of presentation of museum technology application integrating with modern art. The study is divided into three discussion sections. The first section expounds on the impact of technology development trends in immersive game interactive experience on design, including the change in design methods. The second section points out that the introduction of immersive game interaction technology provides more creation guidance for information presentation of museum design language and space theme. The third section, through the analysis of the latest development trend in the technology language of immersive game interactive experience as a unique medium, concludes how museum information utilizes this latest technology for spatial experience and information dissemination as well as what role and function immersive game interactive experience technology performs in such information dissemination.

Abstract. Promoted by techniques such as deep learning, automated 3D reconstruction of cultural artefacts and historical sites has made significant progress in many application fields in recent years, such as the creative industry. In museums, digital technologies are driving the transition from static display forms to more immersive and dynamic exhibition experiences. However, most artefacts in museum environments are still displayed in traditional showcases, with only a limited number of institutions adopting digital twins and presenting 3D models through their online platforms. This situation is particularly evident in the case of artefacts such as statues, with an emphasis on passive viewing and limited interaction with the audience. The development of permanent exhibitions that move beyond static visual presentation thus remains a largely unexplored frontier in interactive technology in museums. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a diffusion-based framework for Single-View 3D Reconstruction, using sculptural heritage objects as a case study. This deep learning approach takes a colour photograph as input and aims to generate a photorealistic 3D reconstruction with detail suitable for digital exhibitions in museums. Our preliminary results show that this approach has the potential to create a novel integration of art and technology, contributing to new possibilities for audience participation and immersive experiences within cultural heritage exhibitions.

This study investigates the application of immersive experience services to leisure facilities for the successful aging of the elderly. In the past, the social image of the elderly was that of passive beings who needed care due to physical and cognitive decline associated with biological aging. However, the concept of “successful aging” actively highlighting the positive aspects of aging and trying to promote longer and healthier life has started to acquire importance in recent years. In this context, elderly welfare centers can be described as facilities that encourage learning, leisure, and social activities of the elderly with impaired physical and cognitive functions. The use of recent immersive experience technologies such as virtual reality and mixed reality (MR), in order to mitigate physical and spatial constraints and provide an immersion into the desired environment and situation, could contribute substantially to the health of the elderly. However, the application of immersive technologies is concentrated on the provision of entertainment, education, and medical facilities. The number of previous studies on the immersion experiences of the elderly is limited, and the connection between immersion experiences and various services and programs that promote successful aging at elderly welfare centers requires further research. This study analyzes the function and space of the elderly welfare centers for successful aging through the review of previous studies and classifies immersion technology categories based on the review of the relevant literature. The study analyzes the health benefits of immersive experience technologies and related products and services and proposes an immersive experience service model for the elderly welfare center. The results of the study could provide a valuable input for the spatial application of immersive experience technologies for successful aging in the future.

As a new form of artistic expression with infinite possibilities, interactive film games first trace the history of the creation and development of interactive film games at home and abroad; and then show the characteristics of the interactive film form with examples. This paper focuses on the interactive experience and the development process of interactive cinema, and the relationship between film interaction design and the users immersive experience. Interaction design accurately plans and describes the behavior of things, and effectively describes and communicates this behavior, which is an integral part of the users immersive gaming experience, while the behavior fed back to the user by interaction design directly affects the user's gaming experience.

This study aims to investigate the influence of virtual reality (VR) on immersive experiences, user satisfaction, and engagement, focusing on the emotional and cognitive dimensions that enhance the overall gaming experience. Conducted at VR Land Carthage in Tunisia (https://tunis.carthageland. com/fr/vr-land/), a platform offering immersive VR gaming, the research utilized both online and offline surveys, yielding 254 valid responses. Data were analyzed using Smart Partial Least Squares (PLS) 3, facilitating a comprehensive examination of the relationships among immersive experiences, user engagement, and satisfaction in VR gaming. The findings indicate a strong positive relationship between immersive VR experiences and user satisfaction, with user engagement acting as a mediator. Immersion significantly enhances the gaming experience; players emotionally connected to the game report higher satisfaction and increased likelihood of return. The study highlights the importance of interactive elements in fostering deep engagement. Limitations include a sample size constrained by time and accessibility, potentially affecting the generalizability of the findings beyond the Tunisian context. Practically, the research underscores the need for developers to enhance immersion through interactive features, such as social connectivity and adaptive storytelling, to boost player involvement and satisfaction, ultimately contributing to retention and success in the competitive VR gaming market. This research addresses a gap in empirical studies on user engagement and satisfaction in specific gaming environments, offering valuable insights for developers and researchers in understanding how immersive experiences drive engagement in VR gaming.

Emotions and online gaming experiences: An examination of MMORPG gamers from India and the United States

Cognitive accessibility in video games remains one of the least explored and most challenging areas to address, as the target audience comprises a diverse group, including individuals with cognitive disabilities, but also learning difficulties. To gain deeper insights into how cognitive accessibility in video games could be improved, and due to the wide array of potential users, we conducted a study with persons with dyslexia, since this learning difficulty has not been examined in detail in the existing literature on game accessibility. Two focus groups were carried out to elicit information about the experiences of people with dyslexia in relation to video games, focusing on the barriers that break immersion and hinder the physical and emotional experience of gameplay. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the results. Findings suggest that while video games can offer enjoyable and immersive experiences, they may become alienating if not fully accessible. The main barriers preventing the participants with dyslexia from fully immersing themselves in a video game are reading, memorizing information and controls, and keeping up with the pace of the game. Particularly, they encounter difficulties with heavily text-driven games, and consequently prefer action games or those with a faster pace. In the conclusion, we lay the groundwork for a future reception study aimed at overcoming these barriers to foster more immersive game experiences.

Purpose The intersection of digital innovation and cultural heritage preservation presents a unique and emerging field of study, particularly in the context of “phygital” startups —enterprises that blend physical and digital experiences. Fusing digital innovation with Italy’s rich cultural heritage enhances preservation, accessibility and interactive visitor experiences. This paper aims to explore the transformative role of phygital startups in valorizing Italian cultural heritage utilizing a multidimensional analytical approach. The “phygital”, a portmanteau of “physical” and “digital,” refers to integrating digital technologies into physical spaces and experiences, creating a seamless interface between the two realms. This approach is particularly relevant in the cultural heritage domain, where digital technology is increasingly redefining the preservation and presentation of historical and cultural artifacts. In this context, phygital startups play a unique role in facilitating innovative experiences that enhance visitor engagement and understanding. By integrating cutting-edge technologies such as augmented reality (AR) virtual reality and interactive digital platforms, these startups create immersive and interactive experiences that bring cultural artifacts and historical narratives to life in unprecedented ways. This approach not only aids in preserving heritage but also democratizes access to it, reaching broader audiences who might not be able to experience these cultural assets in person. Design/methodology/approach This paper will examine case studies of Italian phygital startups in the cultural heritage sector, analyzing how their innovations have contributed to the enhanced preservation, interpretation and dissemination of cultural heritage. These case studies will provide insights into the practical applications of phygital concepts in cultural heritage, highlighting the opportunities and challenges these enterprises face. Findings Furthermore, this study discusses the implications of physical startups for cultural heritage management, including the potential for increased visitor engagement, improved accessibility and new revenue streams for heritage institutions. It will also address ethical considerations and the need for a balanced approach that respects the integrity and authenticity of cultural artifacts while employing modern technological enhancements. Research limitations/implications In analyzing the limitations of this research on Italian phygital startups in the cultural heritage sector, one should consider the potential narrowness of case studies, which may not represent the diversity of the sector. The rapid pace of technological change could also outdated findings quickly, while the focus on innovative applications might overlook traditional methods that remain relevant. Furthermore, the complexity of ethical considerations regarding the digital representation of cultural artefacts raises questions that this paper might not fully address, such as the potential for cultural misrepresentation or digital divides that may limit access for certain populations. Lastly, the research might not account for the long-term sustainability and economic viability of phygital approaches within cultural institutions. Practical implications The emergence of “phygital” startups marks a transformative era in cultural heritage management, merging digital technology with physical experiences. These enterprises employ AR and blockchain to engage audiences and create new economic models. Companies like WAY EXPERIENCE and ARTour lead in offering immersive experiences that blend history with technology. Managers in this sector are advised to form strategic alliances with tech and cultural experts to preserve the integrity and educational aspects of these experiences. The introduction of blockchain and digital assets like non-fungible tokens, typified by AESTHETES, represents a novel method of art ownership, necessitating careful management of digital and physical artworks and consideration of ethical issues in cultural preservation. Social implications The rise of “phygital” startups in cultural heritage brings social implications, such as democratizing access to art and history through AR, potentially reaching wider audiences. The intersection of technology and culture via immersive experiences fosters new forms of learning and appreciation. However, the digital divide could exacerbate inequalities if access to such technologies is uneven. Additionally, the use of blockchain for art ownership raises questions about the nature of art and its value in society. As physical artworks transform into digital assets, the very essence of ownership and cultural value is being redefined, challenging traditional views on art and cultural heritage. Originality/value In conclusion, this paper argues that phygital startups have a significant and growing influence on the cultural heritage sector. Their innovative approaches bring new life to historical artifacts and challenge traditional methods of cultural heritage management. The findings of this study will contribute to the broader understanding of the role of digital innovation in cultural heritage preservation and provide a foundation for future research in this evolving field.

Immersive technologies are now enabling better and more affordable immersive experiences, offering the opportunity to revisit their use in the architectural and landscape studio to gain site information. Considering when travel to a site is limited or not possible, immersive experiences can help with conveying site information by overcoming issues faced in earlier virtual studios. We focused on developing three applications to understand the workflow for incorporating site information to generate an immersive site experience. The applications were implemented in a semester-long joint architecture and landscape architecture studio focused on remotely designing for the Santa Marta informal settlement in Rio, Brazil. Preliminary results of implementing the applications indicate a positive outlook towards using immersive experiences for site information particularly when a site is remote.

This introductory chapter presents SC as an organisation of considerable national significance for the UK and demonstrates their global reach and influence. Situating SC as central to the immersive sector in the UK and the experience economy more broadly, we present our immersive experience industry ecosystem model – a model of the cultural and industrial ecosystem which supports the creation of immersive experiences. We evidence a rapid evolution of immersive organisations, experiences and formats in the UK in 2019. We argue that these are hybrid forms, crossing over nine key areas: cinema, festivals, theme parks and attractions, games, immersive technologies, brand agencies, television, theatre and performing arts, and hospitality. This model traces the influential moments and the key industrial practices that have both shaped the emergence of our case study example and influenced the formation of a definable and describable immersive 'sector'. We outline the histories and trajectories of immersive experiences, our approach and method, outline the six chapters that follow and provide an important contextual note on SC and secrecy.

IntroductionIn innovative art exhibitions, we create an immersive and interactive exhibition experience, where the audience can feel the transformation between virtual and reality, giving them a relaxed and pleasant sense of immersion. For example, we can improve people’s sense of immersion through interactive design, study how to use VR virtual reality technology in art exhibitions, and design visual immersion generated by large-screen interaction. Most of the research focuses on immersive technology in art exhibitions, but for the abstract concept of immersion, it is difficult to judge the audience’s immersive experience in the exhibition. This research aims to explore the factors that affect the audience’s sense of immersion in art exhibitions based on the flow theory, and to build an evaluation system for evaluating the audience’s sense of immersion.MethodsFrom the perspective of flow experience, we conducted research on multiple immersive art exhibitions to explore the interactive relationship between the audience, exhibits, and exhibition halls. We used the unstructured observation method to conduct preliminary research and analysis, and used the Delphi method to let experts score the design indicators (10 in the first round and 25 in the second round) to obtain various design indicators for immersive exhibitions. Finally, we used the analytic hierarchy process to determine the weights of the evaluation indicators and establish an immersive evaluation system in art exhibitions.ResultsThe results show that from the perspective of flow experience, the three main aspects of evaluating immersion in art exhibitions are the impact of the exhibition’s own value, the audience’s immersive experience, and the creation of environmental immersion. Constructing these three evaluation levels can measure the audience’s demand for highquality exhibition experience.DiscussionThe evaluation system of immersive art exhibitions constructed by this research provides a basis for the effectiveness of evaluation of future immersive art exhibitions. Starting from the sense of immersion, it explores how to concretize the sense of immersion and how to judge it. It emphasizes the process of quantifying the sense of immersion of the audience in art exhibitions.

Previous studies have revealed that when video gamers, or users of three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds, display intense concentration coupled with an emotional engagement in their undertaking, they are affected by multisensory stimuli. This can lead to developing a feeling of detachment from the physical world, which, in turn, can lead to high levels of participation and engagement. Notwithstanding these results, it remains unclear as to whether students can experience the same kind of immersion in two-dimensional (2D) platform-based online collaborative learning spaces as has been achieved in video games and 3D worlds and, if they actually can, which features would lead to similar levels of increased engagement. This study is one of the first attempts to investigate the immersion experiences of students engaged in two 2D online collaborative learning platforms, one text-based and the other video-based. Data from eight students revealed that key features of immersion observed in video games and 3D worlds also appeared during the online collaborative activities but that the way such immersion was perceived by the students was greatly affected by the characteristics of the individual platform. When emotional engagement was considered, empathy was found to play an important role in the participants’ immersion experiences.
 Implications for practice or policy:
 
 Text-based platforms could be effective in motivating students to focus more on the postings, while video-based platforms may be more effective in generating empathy with others through observation of body language.
 When selecting a communication platform for online collaboration, sensory stimuli of the platform should be carefully examined.
 Empathy could be developed prior to an online collaborative activity so that students reflect on their thoughts and consider others’ feelings for a more immersive learning experience.

With the rapid advancement of digital technologies, traditional art museums are confronting a significant transformation from static displays toward intelligent, personalized experiences. The integration of intelligent technologies has created unprecedented possibilities for immersive museum experiences; however, how to effectively regulate visitor emotions through environmental interaction design and achieve harmonious integration of technology and humanities remains a critical issue requiring urgent resolution. This study focuses on immersive experiences in intelligent art museums and systematically explores the impact mechanisms of environmental interaction design on visitor emotional regulation. Employing mixed research methods, we conducted in-depth analysis of physiological responses, psychological states, and behavioral performances of 240 participants under different interaction design modalities. The research constructed a multimodal perceptual interaction theoretical model, revealing the synergistic enhancement mechanisms of multisensory stimuli including visual, auditory, and tactile elements; established an adaptive spatial response system that maintains emotional stability through intelligent lighting adjustment, environmental temperature and humidity control, and visitor flow density management; and developed a personalized regulation mechanism based on real-time emotion recognition, integrating emotion monitoring, content recommendation, and proactive intervention strategies to form a closed-loop feedback system. Research findings indicate that multimodal fusion interaction significantly enhances visitor emotional engagement, with the five-modal integrated system achieving 94.7% accuracy in emotion recognition; adaptive spatial response increased visitor comfort by 33.8% while reducing stress levels by 57.4%; and the personalized regulation mechanism shortened emotional recovery time by 58.3% with a regulation success rate of 86.7%. This study provides scientific foundation for intelligent museum design, contributes theoretical innovation and practical guidance for the integrated development of culture and technology, while emphasizing attention to technological ethics and social impacts, highlighting the balanced development of technology and humanistic care.

Highlights: The proposed analysis develops a virtual reality (VR)simulator for the Museum of India to enhance heritage preservation efforts. The Emotion questionnaire validates the impact of virtual museum tours on emotional states, including positive, negative, and boredom, compared to traditional methods. Immersive VR significantly enhanced user experience, and the VR-simulator system showed a more effective positive impact and reduced adverse effects compared to the non-VR group. Abstract: Cultural heritage currently has a significant social and economic impact on a global scale. This study evaluates user experience in cultural heritage through virtual reality (VR). While previous research has explored the use of digital technologies in museums, there needs to be a greater understanding of VR's effects on user engagement, emotional connection, and knowledge retention within heritage contexts. This study developed a VR-Simulator for the Le-Corbusier Museum, Chandigarh, India, also called VRSLM, and accessed the impact and emotions of participants using the Achievement Emotion Questionnaire (AEQ). VR-Simulator provides participants with an immersive and interactive museum experience using a Mobile-VR headset. The study includes historical analysis, 3D visualization creation, multimedia integration, Unity, VR environment development, and deployment as an IRUSU Play VR app. VRSLM framework was evaluated with 40 participants, divided into two equal groups: VR-Simulator and Non-VR. They were asked to visit the museum using VR and traditional methods. The impact of the VRSLM system was measured by applying a statistical test and comparing it with the non-VR group. The results indicated that the VR-Simulator group had more positive emotions than the non-VR group. The overall mean score of the positive emotion factors was (M=4.2 vs. M=2.6), the negative score was (M=2.0 vs. M=2.5), and the boredom emotion factor scored (M=3.1 vs. M= 2.6), of VR-simulator and non-VR-group-respectively. T-tests and factor analyses were also applied to find out the impact of VR, indicating a significant difference between the groups regarding users' emotions and engagement effects on the participants. The findings suggest that VR simulations significantly improve user engagement and create a more positive impact in immersive environment than traditional methods. These results offer valuable insights for museums, curators, and heritage sites, suggesting that VR can revolutionize heritage experiences by deepening visitor understanding. VRSLM framework was evaluated with 40 participants, divided into two equal groups: VR-Simulator and Non-VR. They were asked to visit the museum using VR and traditional methods. The impact of the VRSLM system was measured by applying a statistical test and comparing it with the non-VR group. The results indicated that the VR-Simulator group had more positive emotions than the non-VR group. The overall mean score of the positive emotion factors was (M=4.25 vs. M=2.60), the negative score was (M=2.02 vs. M=2.57), and the boredom emotion factor scored (M=3.12 vs. M= 2.68), of VR-Simulator and non-VR-group-respectively. T-tests and factor analyses were also applied to find out the impact of VR, indicating a significant difference between the groups regarding users' emotions and engagement effects on the participants. The findings suggest that VR-Simulator significantly improve user engagement and create a more immersive learning environment than traditional methods. These results offer valuable insights for museums, curators, and heritage sites, suggesting that VR can revolutionize heritage experiences by deepening visitor understanding.

Art and history museums are increasingly adopting multiple sensorial technologies, challenging people to reconsider how these immersive museum experiences may add to learning art and history. This study explores the use of emerging technologies in museum exhibits, and how it reshapes art and history education in museums. Comparative case study methodology is used to analyse differences and similarities between two immersive augmented reality and virtual reality exhibitions in the Netherlands. While Case 1 offers a structured, guided experience integrating historical artefacts, Case 2 is more open-ended, prioritising imaginative engagement. Drawing on these cases, we posit the construct of immersive learning experiences in museums and reflect on how they relate to traditional museum learning. Interaction and multimodality emerge as critical components of immersive learning experiences in museums that enhance the depth and breadth of visitor engagement, while guidance and interaction ensure that the educational objectives are met without stifling individual curiosity. Both cases vary to a large degree in the way in which they integrate these aspects of learning into their design.