Design and Evaluation of a Generative AI-Enhanced Serious Game for Digital Literacy: An AI-Driven NPC Approach
Abstract
1. Introduction
- RQ1: How can generative AI be effectively integrated into a serious game to support dynamic, realistic, and pedagogically meaningful learning interactions?
- RQ2: To what extent does the generative AI-enhanced serious game improve students’ learning performance compared with traditional classroom instruction?
- RQ3: How do learners perceive the benefits and limitations of generative AI–driven NPC interactions in terms of engagement and support for information-evaluation skills?
2. Literature Review
2.1. Serious Games for Learning
2.2. Generative AI for Learning/AI-Driven Educational Interactions
2.3. Generative AI and the Evolving Role of NPCs in Game-Based Learning
2.4. Digital Literacy, Misinformation, and the CRAAP Framework in Educational Contexts
3. Game Design of the Generative AI-Enhanced Serious Game
3.1. Learning Objectives and Pedagogical Foundations
3.2. Narrative Structure and Misinformation Scenarios
3.3. AI-Driven NPC Interaction Design
3.4. Integrated LLM Prompting and NPC Response Mechanisms
3.5. Scaffolding and Feedback Mechanics
3.6. Technical System Implementation
4. Materials and Methods
4.1. Participant
4.2. Instruments
4.2.1. Pre- and Post-Test of Digital Literacy Questionnaire
4.2.2. Qualitative Post-Experience Responses
4.2.3. Intrinsic Motivation Questionnaire
4.3. Research Procedure
5. Data Analysis and Results
5.1. Results for Digital Literacy Learning Outcomes
5.2. Results of Intrinsic Motivation
5.3. Results of Open-Ended Questionnaire
5.3.1. Theme 1: Enhanced Engagement Through Interactive Gameplay
5.3.2. Theme 2: Clarity and Usefulness of AI-Driven NPC Guidance
5.3.3. Theme 3: Technical and Usability Limitations
6. Discussion and Findings
6.1. Summary of Key Findings
6.2. Opportunities and Challenges of AI-Driven NPCs
6.3. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research
7. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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| Game Name | Domain/Topic | AI-Driven | Game/Intervention | Research Subjects/Participants | Key Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat Park [18] | Misinformation inoculation | No (serious game) | Browser game | Adult online users/general public | Playing the game decreased the perceived dependability of misinformation and the urge to distribute it. |
| Harmony Square [19] | Election misinformation | No (serious game) | Browser game | Adult participants recruited online | Perceived credibility of misinformation decreased by around 16%, as did the urge for distribution by approximately 11%. |
| N/A [20] | Digital literacy | No (gamified course) | Gamification | Undergraduate students | The experimental group performed better academically in digital literacy than students who weren’t introduced to the educational game setting. |
| The Good Talk! [21] | Conversational skills for misinformation resilience | No | Serious game | Secondary/undergraduate students | Improved determination and techniques for having productive discussions regarding misinformation. |
| [22] | Information literacy/CRAAP outcomes | N/A | Instructional intervention | Undergraduate students | CRAAP enhanced assessment judgments but did not increase source integration much. |
| Subject Matter Expert | Knowledge Distribution | Representative Case |
|---|---|---|
| Librarian, Digital literacy lecturer | Domain knowledge of information evaluation frameworks (CRAAP), curricular integration, and evaluation design. | Co-defined learning goals, collected and evaluated fake-news examples, and created score rubrics for in-game assessment |
| Student Participants (player, game testers) | Playtesting provides insights into customer demands, usability, and engagement, as well as formative assessment. | Joined in focus groups and discussion playtests to offer comments on difficulty balance, prompt clarity, and replayability. |
| Game Designer | Translation of learning objectives into Mechanics–Dynamics–Aesthetics (MDA), quick prototyping, and a balance of pedagogy and enjoyment. | Developed MDA design maps, constructed playable prototypes, and improved based on telemetry and user input. |
| News Scenario | Player Input | NPC Role | LLM Prompt | In-Game Output (Dialogue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health news: Claim that herbal medicine can cure and prevent COVID-19 | Player accepts the fake news as true (normal score) | Community resident in the health zone | You are a city resident who believes this [news]. Simulate casual dialogue reflecting personal experience and social impact. [Negative Level 1]. | “I saw this news about herbal medicine curing COVID. I bought some to keep at home, and it seemed really good, so I told my family about it.” |
| Economic news: Claim that a specific investment guarantees 200 percent high returns with no risk | Player accepts the fake news as true (low score) | Community resident in the economic zone | You are a city resident who believes this [news]. Simulate casual dialogue reflecting personal experience and social impact. [Negative Level 2]. | “This investment sounded really safe and easy. I put all my savings into it and recommended it to several friends.” |
| Belief-based news: Claim that wearing a charm can protect against illness or bad luck | Player accepts the fake news as true (very low score) | Community resident in the belief zone | You are a city resident who believes this [news]. Simulate casual dialogue reflecting personal experience and social impact. [Negative Level 3]. | “I strongly believe this charm can protect me. I even borrowed money to buy it, and the belief spread so widely that there were news reports of people fighting over these charms, including a serious violent incident.” |
| Education news: Claim that enrolling in this course guarantees an A grade | Player accepts the news as not true (normal score) | Community resident in the education zone | You are a city resident who believes this [news]. Simulate casual dialogue reflecting personal experience and social impact. [Positive Level 1]. | “I saw this news about the course, but I don’t really believe it’s true. I think it’s better to focus on my studies and take care of myself properly.” |
| n | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Male | 24 | 40.0% |
| Female | 33 | 55.0% |
| Non-binary | 3 | 5.0% |
| Total | 60 | |
| Age | ||
| 18–20 | 34 | 56.7% |
| 21–23 | 26 | 43.3% |
| Total | 60 | |
| Group | Intervention | Mean (SD) | n | St. Error Mean | t | Cohen’s d | 95% CI (Cohen’s d) | Sig. (2-Tailed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional-based Learning | Pre-survey | 4.76 (2.68) | 30 | 0.49 | 16.081 | 2.936 | [2.09, 3.76] | <0.001 ** |
| Post-survey | 14.20 (4.90) | 30 | ||||||
| Game-based Learning | Pre-survey | 4.40 (2.91) | 30 | 0.53 | 11.587 | 2.116 | [1.46, 2.75] | <0.001 ** |
| Post-survey | 16.50 (4.93) | 30 |
| Group | Mean Difference (SD) | n | St. Error Mean | t | Cohen’s d | 95% CI (Cohen’s d) | Sig. (2-Tailed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional-based Learning | 9.43 (3.21) | 30 | 0.58 | 2.226 | 0.575 | [0.056, 1.089] | 0.03 * |
| Game-based Learning | 12.10(5.71) | 30 |
| Group | Dimension | Pre-Test (SD) | Post-Test (SD) | t | Cohen’s d | 95% CI (Cohen’s d) | Sig. (2-Tailed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental Group (n = 30) | Competency | 3.12 (0.61) | 4.08 (0.55) | 7.214 | 1.317 | [0.78, 1.84] | <0.001 ** |
| Interest | 3.25 (0.72) | 4.35 (0.49) | 8.103 | 1.480 | [0.94, 2.02] | <0.001 ** | |
| Effort | 3.41 (0.67) | 4.22 (0.52) | 6.548 | 1.195 | [0.66, 1.72] | <0.001 ** | |
| Control Group (n = 30) | Competency | 3.18 (0.58) | 3.46 (0.60) | 2.201 | 0.401 | [0.05, 0.73] | 0.035 * |
| Interest | 3.29 (0.69) | 3.52 (0.66) | 1.884 | 0.344 | [−0.03, 0.67] | 0.070 | |
| Effort | 3.38 (0.64) | 3.59 (0.62) | 1.767 | 0.322 | [−0.06, 0.64] | 0.087 |
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Chernbumroong, S.; Intawong, K.; Asawimalkit, U.; Puritat, K.; Julrode, P. Design and Evaluation of a Generative AI-Enhanced Serious Game for Digital Literacy: An AI-Driven NPC Approach. Informatics 2026, 13, 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics13010016
Chernbumroong S, Intawong K, Asawimalkit U, Puritat K, Julrode P. Design and Evaluation of a Generative AI-Enhanced Serious Game for Digital Literacy: An AI-Driven NPC Approach. Informatics. 2026; 13(1):16. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics13010016
Chicago/Turabian StyleChernbumroong, Suepphong, Kannikar Intawong, Udomchoke Asawimalkit, Kitti Puritat, and Phichete Julrode. 2026. "Design and Evaluation of a Generative AI-Enhanced Serious Game for Digital Literacy: An AI-Driven NPC Approach" Informatics 13, no. 1: 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics13010016
APA StyleChernbumroong, S., Intawong, K., Asawimalkit, U., Puritat, K., & Julrode, P. (2026). Design and Evaluation of a Generative AI-Enhanced Serious Game for Digital Literacy: An AI-Driven NPC Approach. Informatics, 13(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics13010016

