Museum Narrative Mechanism Construction: The Integration Path of AI and Gamification

This paper proposes a structured model for how AI-driven gamification can shape narrative communication in digital museums, with the aim of explaining how cultural information is transmitted to and understood by visitors. It is grounded in a constructivist perspective and adopts a mechanism-oriented approach, positioning AI-powered digital humans as narrative agents that guide, narrate, and prompt engagement. The work responds to a gap in existing research, which has largely focused on user experience and technical implementation rather than the micro-level relationship between AI and narrative architecture.

The central contribution is a communication pathway model that moves from task initiation to interactive response, AI feedback, emotional resonance, and finally cultural understanding. The study poses three guiding questions concerning how gamification mechanisms affect visitors' cultural understanding, how AI-powered digital humans mediate narrative communication, and how user behaviour can be linked to narrative progression in culturally meaningful ways. Its model draws on the Ludicization Model and Crawford's concept of process-driven interactive narrative to frame these relationships.

The methodology is qualitative and based on structured case analysis of Chinese exhibitions, including the Cloud-based Sanxingdui Virtual Exhibition, the Guangzhou Center of the National Edition Museum of China, and the Palace Museum's Digital Cultural Creation Space in Beijing. These cases are compared in terms of interactive design, feedback structures, and cultural expression. The model is further illustrated through a simulated "Cantonese embroidery pattern recognition" scenario, which serves as a demonstrative rather than empirically validated test. The paper therefore offers a conceptual framework rather than quantitative findings, and it does not report survey sizes or statistical results.

The study's stated value lies in providing a structural vocabulary for designing human-AI collaborative cultural experiences, particularly in segmenting cultural content, fostering emotional connection, and supporting cognitive construction. Its scope is limited to Chinese museum cases and a single illustrative scenario, which constrains the generalizability of its conclusions. Further empirical testing would be needed to confirm the proposed pathway's effectiveness across broader audiences and institutional contexts.