EXPLORING GenAI IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HYBRID EDUCATIONAL GAME: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has expanded the possibilities for creating educational resources, including the development of games designed to support teaching and learning processes. This article aims to report on the experience of using GAI in the development of Neurotec – The Orion Enigma, a hybrid, investigative educational game created to foster computational thinking among high school students. The study is characterized as qualitative research of an applied and descriptive nature, structured as an experience report. During the game’s development, various GAI tools were used to support the organization and consistency of the narrative, the creation of the visual identity of characters and settings, and the generation of audiovisual content. The experience was marked by an iterative process of experimentation, reformulation of prompts, and selection, editing, and integration of the generated content, presenting challenges related to visual consistency, audiovisual continuity, and the temporal synchronization of events. The evaluation with students yielded predominantly positive results regarding the experience provided by the game, although some participants associated the use of IAGs with a lack of originality and the excessive use of these technologies. It can be concluded that generative AI can expand the possibilities for developing educational games, provided it is used critically, intentionally, and under human guidance, serving as a tool to support the creative process rather than as a substitute for the developer’s authorship and decisions.