A Remote Collaborative Decision-Making Training Game with a Real-Person Non-Player Character Mechanism

Created on 26th May 2022

Conference: The Asian Conference on Education (ACE2022)
Title: A Remote Collaborative Decision-Making Training Game with a Real-Person Non-Player Character Mechanism
Stream: Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Presentation Type: Virtual Poster Presentation
Authors:
Tzu- Hsuan Wang, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Chih-Chen Kuo, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Huei-Tse Hou, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Abstract:

Decision making is a very important skill, under the COVID-19 pandemic environment, remote work is likely to become a future trend, and remote collaborative decision-making will become an important workplace competency in the future. Therefore, remote decision-making training activities that combine game mechanics and realistic situations should be a potential research topic. In this study, we designed a remote collaborative decision-making training game, "The Case of the Missing Xiaozhu", and combined highly realistic real-person non-player characters (RNPC) as police officers and forensic teams to provide scaffolding for learners in their decision-making process. Through continuous exploration, investigation and forensics, and collaboration and division of labor among the team, learners form search teams to find the missing girl, and make decisions to successfully locate the possible suspects. This study conducted a preliminary empirical test with five participants who participated in the game experience. The study initially measured the learners' flow, game acceptance and perception of game design elements. According to the descriptive statistical analysis, the mean score of flow was 4, the overall game acceptance was above the median, and the game design element also received an average score of 4.4. Through the preliminary results, this study found that using the RNPC mechanism to enhance the game's realistic context and social interaction may help to improve the learners' flow and decision-making process. In addition, the game received positive feedback from the learners in terms of game design.