Evaluation of the Design Effectiveness of Real-Space Gamified Interaction in Historic Spaces: A Case Study of Qinghui Garden

With the rise in cultural tourism, visitors’ demand for historical and cultural experiences has grown, prompting historical architecture not only to focus on physical preservation but also to offer more intuitive, engaging, and interactive experiences. This study proposes a design method for real-space gamified interactive experiences through mobile applications in historical environments. Qinghui Garden, one of the Four Famous Lingnan Gardens, is used as a case study. A total of 54 visitors participated in an on-site field experiment, with data collected through pre- and post-experience questionnaires, behavioral tracking, and supplementary semi-structured interviews. Through a comparative experiment with three groups of visitors—free exploration, traditional guided tours, and real-space gamified interactive experiences—it was found that the gamified interactive method demonstrated superior clarity and reliability in its technology. Visitor cognitive performance and subjective satisfaction increased by approximately 62.5%, and the gamified interaction effectively guided the spatial flow and interaction behaviors with specific spaces. These findings provide new insights into the design of real-space gamified interactive experiences in historical spaces, contributing significantly to the preservation and cognition of cultural heritage.