Evaluating the Impact of Automated Hints in a 3D Educational Escape Game: A Comparative Study of Accessibility and Computer Science Versions

DOI

This paper focuses on analyzing a 3D virtual educational escape game, which helps players solve puzzles by offering hints automatically. The study aimed to determine whether these automated hints improved player retention and progression, and if these effects are influenced by the players' gaming skills. We present our results on two instances of an escape game, which have the same game structure but different learning content, the first focusing on accessibility and inclusive education (ACCESS version) and the second on computer science (CS version). Although the structure of the two versions is identical, we found that the results differ between them. The automatic hint system was very effective in the ACCESS version, improving both retention and progression. In contrast, it is less effective in the CS version, where the complexity of the puzzles might have hindered progression.