Mythhunter: Gamification in an educational location-based scavenger hunt

Abstract

Location-based applications have great potential to let users explore the environment in an immersive and engaging way. Digital scavenger hunts have a great potential as teaching and instructional guiding tool. However, many tools only guide users but are not designed as meaningful and engaging experiences. Adding more story-based and exploratory playful game design elements such as quests or achievements can make such experiences and the according learning experiences more entertaining and motivating. This paper contributes by introducing concept and development as well as a qualitative evaluation of an location-based scavenger hunt application with focus on a playful and story-based design. It allows users (e.g. teachers) to create multi-staged quests in a web-based editor, which app-users (e.g. students) can then complete in a platform independent mobile application that makes use of game design elements. In a first qualitative study we focus on evaluating the game with regards to fun, learning factors, usability, and engagement. Results indicate that story-based scavenger hunt applications have a high potential as tool to engage users to learn more about their environment. Especially story-based and playful elements are rated as important element for engaging exploratory experiences.