Gamifying Heritage

Gamifying heritage – Makarska treasure hunt is an educational and fun game for researching the tangible and intangible heritage of the city of Makarska. Players actively participate and learn about historical events, cultural landmarks and works of art through the game. The game includes several key steps that allow players to have fun and learn about the city's cultural landmarks and history. To access the game, you need to download the mobile application to your mobile device. The application is free and can be downloaded from Google Play (for Android) or App Store (for iOS). At the beginning of the game, the player chooses his name and chooses from the provided avatars (fisherman, explorer, tourist, girl in Makar national costume). The following is a short guide that explains the basic mechanics of the game, moving around the map and finding answers to the questions. The main screen displays an interactive map with the actual locations of landmarks as markers. Three game levels are offered as three maps of the city of Makarska with 10 or 11 markers (depending on the map) that open automatically. By using the map through an interactive search, you can select a treasure tag and one of the answers to the questions in the form of a quiz. Questions include tangible (cultural monuments and landmarks) and intangible (legends, historical information, events and points of interest) heritage. The duration of the game is predetermined by the time frame. If the answer is correct, the character of the good Biokovo fairy appears, and if the answer is wrong, the character of the bad fairy appears with an additional explanation. For a successful solution, players win points and discover new information, and at the end of the game they discover the main treasure - the key to the city of Makarska. At the end of the game, statistics are available with the order of success of all players. The mobile game was created as a result of a project collaboration between Dr. Franja Tuđman's primary school, Brela and two secondary schools, Vocational High School, Makarska and Fr. Maja Brzica, prof. Matea Maslać, prof. Anita Zelić Tomaš, prof. Anđelina Mršo and Ph.D. Valentina Lasic. With an innovative and creative approach, players are introduced to the sources of traditional values ​​and identity: the cultural and monumental heritage of the city of Makarska and the importance of preserving, valorizing and presenting it. In addition to developing awareness of cultural heritage and stimulating interest in research, the game also contributes to the promotion of tourism by providing useful information about cultural landmarks, their historical context and importance, which further enriches the tourist experience. A mobile game about cultural landmarks is not only fun, but also educational and socially useful. Through a combination of play and learning, players can gain valuable knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, increase their cultural awareness and contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage. A game like this has the potential to enrich the lives of players and positively impact the wider community. Go on a treasure hunt!