Mixed Assessment of Virtual Serious Games Applied in Architectural and Urban Design Education.

David Fonseca,Isidro Navarro,Victor Valls,Janaina Cavalcanti,Ernesto Redondo,Fernando Moreira,Mónica Sanchez-Sepúlveda,Enric Peña

doi:10.3390/s21093102

Abstract

The creation and usage of serious games on virtual reality (VR) and/or interactive platforms for the teaching of architecture, construction, urban planning, and other derived areas, such as security and risk prevention, require design processes, studies, and research that lead to further consolidation expansion. In that sense, this paper presents two main aims developed: the improvement of a virtual navigation system through the results of previous user studies and mixed research (quantitative and qualitative) improved based on the user perception for educational and professional uses. The VR system used is based on Unreal Engine programming of the HTC Vive sensor. This study is related to the GAME4City 3.0 and a broader project focused on gamified visualization and its educational uses in architectural and urban projects. The results reflect great interest, good usability, and high motivation for further usage for all types of users. However, an apparent resistance to deepen its use continues to be perceived in academia. Based on the research results, weak points of educational gamified systems have been identified, and the main differences and needs in user profiles’ function. With these data, progress regarding implementing this kind of system at the teaching and professional levels must be pursued.

Highlights

We are in a time of changes present at all levels, i.e., social, relational, technological, educational, etc., many of which have been reinforced by the world crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic
This approach aimed to know: which methods and tools individuals are currently using, their limitations and perceived potential, their motivation to include or develop their projects using different virtual reality (VR) engines and sensors, their reason to follow the related training, and other issues considering the VR applications based on the age, gender or profession of the sample
Despite the current hybrid sense emerging from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, such learning generally requires a different level of usage and help from technology

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. We are in a time of changes present at all levels, i.e., social, relational, technological, educational, etc., many of which have been reinforced by the world crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the confinement (March 2020), the presence of many activities was obligatorily adapted and forced to migrate to adjust to the new situation. Formal aspects of face-to-face interactions linked to physical content have been replaced overnight with digital content. This replacement has generated the necessity to adapt these physical formats to new user profiles and technologies [1,2,3,4]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion