Using the saliency-based model to design a digital archaeological game to motivate players' intention to visit the digital archives of Taiwan's natural science museum

Museums in Taiwan have developed various digital archives, but few people have visited these digital archives. Therefore, this study designed a digital archaeology game for high school students to play. Based on the concept of “learning for playing” (i.e., players who want to win will study more), the digital archaeology game contest aims at attracting students to visit the natural science digital museum. In the game, researchers (players) reorient the artifacts, structures and architectures through excavation and assemblages to understand the world of natural science based on the saliency-based model. To examine whether this game prompts learners to visit the natural science digital museum to acquire knowledge, 80 students from three high schools were recruited and grouped into 40 pairs to compete against each other. After the contest, questionnaires were collected and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling. The results indicated that the research participants' gameplay self-efficacy affected their perceived hedonic values and was mediated by the perceived ease of playing the game increased their intention to visit the digital archives of the natural science museum. The implications of this study could be used for promotion of digital archives or other digital museums.

► This study designed a digital archaeology game for a natural science museum. ► We examine if games promote knowledge acquiring and visits to the museum. ► Results showed gameplay self-efficacy affected interest to play. ► Which is mediated by the perceived ease of playing the game. ► This study showed digital archives and digital museums can be promoted.