Abstract:

With the increasing popularity of various types of educational games, it is fair to say that gamification has become an established method of the educational process. Despite the great attraction of computer and video games, by their dependence on the screen being static if not sedentary, there is a continuous interest on the part of players in games that require some active physical involvement. Besides races and urban games, they include board games, especially those using boards of large dimensions that one can – indeed is encouraged to – move around.

The paper presents the use of various, mostly IT-related, technologies for the purpose of building a board game called "Architectural Jewels of Lublin". The game was created in connection with the 700th anniversary of Lublin’s foundation under the Magdeburg Law. The aim of the game is to educate in the area of location and history of architectural monuments of the historic centre of Lublin, with emphasis on its multicultural and multiconfessional character. The recipients of the game are young pupils as well as the general public. The essence of the game is to place on a map the three-dimensional models of the most important architectural monuments of Lublin. An essential part of the game is to provide the players with knowledge about the monuments (their history, architectural styles), and this is seen as best achieved by means of the challenges put before the participants by gamification. The devised board game is intended for either one or two players. Its technical structure is a complex system combining physical elements (board, 3D models of architectural monuments), a sensory network, and an application with the software and sound system for the implementation of the competition.

The information technologies used in the preparation of the game "Architectural Jewels of Lublin" deal with 2D modelling applied in developing board games, virtual 3D modelling of architectural monuments and physical replication of these models as 3D objects, construction of a sensory network using RFID technology with the Arduino software platform and the design and development of the software logic of the game on a palmtop. The paper addresses the problems arising during the implementation of the project in each of the identified areas.

Keywords:

3D modelling, 3D printing, RFID technology, education in cultural heritage, gamification.