A methodology of integrating knowledge into applied game and validation of education and entertainment effects

Applied game aims to help player accumulate knowledge, improve skills, or enhance emotion quotient through game playing process. Although many applied games have been developed in education and training fields, the solution on issues of balance between education and entertainment is still open. This study proposes a methodology for integrating knowledge with applied game combining recreational functions and pedagogic effect. For the purpose, the unified representation based on ontology is employed for game elements, game challenge model and knowledge expression with which the relationship mapping mechanism from diverse categories of knowledge onto game atomic element, especially primary rule, is constructed. As a result, a practical design technique that facilitates to import knowledge into applied game is achieved. In order to verify the practicability, a case of applied game, Qbaby Picture Matching game is designed and developed based on the proposed method. It has been running online and applied in a kindergarten. Moreover, an experiment is performed to identify the effects of education and entertainment. The results imply that the game can definitely produce recreational functions and pedagogic effect. The fact indirectly verifies that the methodology may effectively integrate knowledge with game thereby providing a referable solution for issues of education and entertainment balance.