Learning as an adventure: The lecture theatre in the spaceship

(Press-News.org) The low-threshold, playful communication of complex scientific content is a challenge. A team from the Game Lab Graz at the Institute of Human-Centred Computing at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) has developed a solution for this. The learning environment Project Chimera, implemented as a computer game, enables gamified, story-based learning of more complex content from the fields of science and technology. Funded by an Epic Mega Grant from software and games developer Epic Games (Fortnite, Unreal Engine), a team led by Johanna Pirker and Saeed Safikhani has created a virtual 3D world in which physics, mechanical engineering and soon also logic gates and gravity experiments are conveyed to users as part of a story with playful elements.

No classic learning programme “What sets Chimera apart from other educational games is the gamification aspect and the story you experience,” says Johanna Pirker, head of the Game Lab Graz and initiator of Project Chimera. “Normally, learning programmes try to teach people something directly. We want the users themselves to develop the desire to get to know science better.”

One of the ways in which this is achieved is that the players in Project Chimera do not move through a classic learning environment, but through a damaged spaceship. There, tasks from various scientific disciplines have to be mastered so that the ship becomes functional again and the users can reach the bridge. To solve the tasks, which are designed like classic puzzles from computer games, players must first understand the necessary scientific principles and then apply them in practice.

Incentives through a quest-like structure An example of this is the first problem after the character has entered the spaceship. The elevator is out of order, blocking the way to other floors and the bridge. To get the elevator running again, the players have to start its electric motor. Firstly, this means that the batteries need energy again. So, the users have to find out how batteries can be charged with the help of magnets. Once the batteries are full, the motor itself also has to be repaired, which leads to learning about the technology behind an electric motor.

This quest-like structure provides continuous incentives to learn more about a topic and to solve the tasks, bringing you closer to the next floor and ultimately the command bridge. Each floor on the route deals with a different scientific subject area and imparts the most relevant scientific principles until it is completed. There is also consideration of making the difficulty level of the game adaptable to different age groups, which means that Project Chimera could then also be used in schools.

Accompanying study shows motivation increase The educational game has already been used at TU Graz with students in the field of mechanical engineering: “Working with a real engine is quite difficult in the classroom and it doesn’t always make sense,” says project leader Saeed Safikhani. “With Project Chimera, we give students the opportunity to experiment with it in a very uncomplicated way.” An accompanying study has shown that the motivation of students has increased through the use of the game. “Of course, we still need theoretical classes,” says Saeed Safikhani, “but with applications like Project Chimera, learners gain practical experience and develop more interest in theory at the same time.”

Project Chimera is available for free as a pre-alpha version on the gaming platform Steam. The game tries to achieve the visual and interaction quality of AAA games but due to its pre-alpha status, the game has not yet been optimised and therefore has very high hardware requirements.

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