Abstract:

The paper presents the development of a serious game “Aquae Calidae”. The town of Aquae Calidae (“Warm Waters”, from Latin) was situated in the ancient region of Thrace, near the Black Sea, and it is the location of the game. The rich history of the place makes it possible to develop entertainment and educational games related to it. The target group of the serious game “Aquae Calidae” is the one of the primary school students (grades 1-4) and their teachers. The material covered in the game is consistent with the Bulgarian school curriculum. In a virtual reality world in an entertaining way, the students improve their understanding of the ancient history and civilizations domain being active participants during the learning process and being inspired for creative thinking. The “Aquae Calidae” game features an explorable terrain, using panoramic pictures of the historical and archaeological environment of the site, and game engine. The paper presents also the gameplay and the game mechanics. The players will be required to explore the whole map and solve a variety of puzzle mini-games to finish the game. To solve the problems and answer the questions offered by the mini-games, the players will have to collect carefully the pieces of educational content, that provides the necessary information. The development of the game is to help teachers introduce students to a more relaxed and accessible learning approach and to enhance students' understanding of the material.

Keywords:

Serious Game, Game Development, Gameplay, User Experience, Cultural Heritage, Education.