Gamified Augmented Reality Digital Storytelling for Malaysian Traditional Kuih Heritage Through Museum Experience Scale (MES)

Abstract

This pilot study examines the validity of an AR gamified digital storytelling installation that is based on Malaysian traditional kuih to engage visitors with Malaysian traditional cultural heritage. Titled Kembara Jejak Warisan Kuih Muih, the interactive installation integrates gamification mechanics, digital storytelling, and AR visualisation to revitalise intangible cultural heritage through immersive, participatory experience design. This installation was exhibited at Interface: Where Visual Meets Poetry in GMBB Kuala Lumpur and was measured using the Museum Experience Scale, a valid multidimensional framework for assessing visitors' engagement and experiential responses. Fifteen visitors who repeatedly encountered the installation were purposively selected as the data sample. The results indicate that levels of engagement, emotional bonding, immersion, cultural learning and usability are high. The participants reported significant meaning-making through interaction and expressed great interest in revisiting such interactive heritage experiences. Findings indicate that gamified AR digital storytelling can be employed as an innovative way to communicate and perpetuate intangible cultural heritage within exhibition contexts. This pilot study explores issues of interactive heritage preservation, digital exhibition design, and experiential storytelling in Southeast Asian visual culture, marking the first move in these discussions. It also demonstrates the suitability of the Museum Experience Scale (MES) for evaluating hybrid interactive art and heritage installations. It provides a foundation for future large-scale studies on gamified AR heritage engagement.