Game Design and Development: A Multimedia Engineering Perspective on Cultural Preservation

• Lucas Branco Alves de Melo UFAPE
• Rodrigo Rocha UFAPE
• Raylandson Cesário UFAPE
• Pedro Neto UFAPE
• Maria Lima UFPE
• Lucas Souza UFRPE
• Daliton Silva UFAPE
• Igor Vanderlei UFAPE
• Ícaro Cunha UFAPE
• Flávia Silva UFRPE
• Sandino Lamarca Museu do Cangaço
• Jean Araujo UFAPE

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/webmedia.2025.16165

Resumo

Preserving cultural heritage is crucial for maintaining a sense of societal identity and fostering a deeper understanding of history. However, traditional methods often struggle to effectively engage younger audiences. Digital games offer unique potential to bridge this engagement gap by providing immersive and interactive experiences that can enhance how individuals connect with and understand cultural history. "Trilha do Cangaço", a mobile 3D game developed in collaboration with the Cangaço Museum — which preserves and exhibits the history of this banditry movement from early 20th-century Northeast Brazil—addresses this gap by integrating immersive gameplay with a multimedia engineering approach. Developed using Agile-based methodologies, the game features narrative-driven and management mechanics to foster interest in the historical topic among players. A questionnaire-based study with 28 participants evaluated its design, technical implementation, and engagement impact. Results show that a majority of players reported high enjoyment of the game, with a substantial portion expressing intention to explore further Cangaço resources. This research demonstrates the potential of digital games, grounded in multimedia engineering, as vital tools for cultural heritage education, offering a scalable model for museums and educational institutions to engage diverse audiences in historical narratives, enhancing cultural preservation through innovative multimedia approaches.

Palavras-chave: Digital game, Video game, Game design, Cultural Preservation, Cultural Heritage, Museum game, Multimedia

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