Virtual Heritage: Preserving Acehnese Culture through Interactive Roblox Experiences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58477/dj.v3i2.321Keywords:
Digital Heritage Preservation, Game-Based Learning, Acehnese Culture, Roblox, Intergenerational Knowledge TransferAbstract
This research crafts and tests a Roblox-based Acehnese cultural learning environment showcasing virtual tours of key heritage landmarks, including the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, traditional Rumoh Aceh houses, and coastal ecological zones. Following a Research and Development approach with two-phase testing, the platform weaves together folklore-driven quests, dance reconstruction challenges, artifact recognition activities, and team-based puzzles. Findings reveal strong quest completion rates (85%) alongside marked improvements in cultural knowledge (from 32% to 76%) among the 100 teenage participants. The multiplayer design fostered genuine social connections, averaging 3.2 group problem-solving moments per session, while nearly two-thirds of players expressed desire to visit the actual locations. The adaptive difficulty system kept challenges engaging without overwhelming players. The project demonstrates how thoughtfully designed virtual environments serve as living cultural spaces where heritage breathes through active participation rather than passive observation, building bridges across generations and geography.
Downloads
References
Abili, M. (2024). Pengembangan aplikasi game Saweu Rumoh Geutanyoe pada Museum Aceh [Development of the Saweu Rumoh Geutanyoe game application at the Aceh Museum] [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
Alinata, R. H., & Marsudi, M. (2024). Pemanfaatan Roblox sebagai media promosi sekolah metaverse SMP Negeri 3 Sumenep: Using Roblox as a promotional media metaverse school SMP Negeri 3 Sumenep [Utilizing Roblox as a promotional medium for the metaverse school SMP Negeri 3 Sumenep]. MALCOM: Indonesian Journal of Machine Learning and Computer Science, 4(1), 57–70. https://doi.org/10.57152/malcom.v4i1.1011
Aliyyah, I., Basrowi, B., Junaedi, A., & Syahyuti, S. (2024). Understanding Roblox’s business model and collaborative learning on participation in the decision-making process: Implications for enhancing cooperative literacy. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 8(2), 1247–1260. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.11.009
Annisa, P. (2025). Gambaran escapism pada remaja di Aceh Utara yang mengalami kecanduan game online [Overview of escapism in adolescents in North Aceh experiencing online game addiction] [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Universitas Malikussaleh, Lhokseumawe, Indonesia.
Azzahra, S., Putri, N. N., Mubarok, A. B., & Khomarudin, K. (2025). Virtual socialization through online game: Social interaction in Roblox. Edueksos Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial & Ekonomi, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.24235/edueksos.v14i01.18440
Books, O. R. (2021). Roblox game development in 24 hours: The official Roblox guide. Sams Publishing.
Chalid, I., Kamil, A. I., & Meliza, R. (2021). Ethnographic study on the existence of traditional games in Lhokseumawe city. In International Conference on Social Science, Political Science, and Humanities (ICoSPOLHUM 2020) (pp. 252–256). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210125.042
Colina, N., & Rachmawati, Y. (2021). Acehnese children’s traditional games. In 5th International Conference on Early Childhood Education (ICECE 2020) (pp. 326–329). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210322.069
Dankov, Y., & Dankova, A. (2023). Educational video games as tools for raising awareness of the protection and preservation of cultural heritage. Digital Presentation and Preservation of Cultural and Scientific Heritage, 13, 219–228. https://doi.org/10.55630/dipp.2023.13.21
Du, Y., Grace, T., Jagannath, K., & Salen, K. (2021). Connected play in virtual worlds: Communication and control mechanisms in virtual worlds for children and adolescents. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 5(5), Article 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti5050027
Faridah, I., & Deng, C. (2024). Approach and application of the Roblox application as a learning medium. Scientechno: Journal of Science and Technology, 3(3), 263–281. https://doi.org/10.70177/scientechno.v3i3.1395
Field-Draper, T. (2023). The ultimate Roblox game building cookbook: Design immersive experiences with easy-to-follow recipes for world and game development. Packt Publishing.
Geffen, J. (2021). Improving co-play between parents and children in a Roblox game [Unpublished manuscript].
Göksel, N., & Kobak, K. (2023). Online game platforms that aid children in developing 21st-century skills: The case of Roblox. Cumhuriyet International Journal of Education, 12(4), 969–983. https://doi.org/10.30703/cije.1265890
Hernández, L., Hernández, V., Neyra, F., & Carrillo, J. (2022). The use of massive online games in game-based learning activities. Revista Innova Educación, 4(3), 7–30. https://doi.org/10.35622/j.rie.2022.03.001
Ho, W., & Lee, D. (2023). Enhancing engineering education in the Roblox metaverse: Utilizing chatGPT for game development for electrical machine course. International Journal on Advanced Science, Engineering & Information Technology, 13(3), 1127–1134. https://doi.org/10.18517/ijaseit.13.3.18458
Jin, S. (2024). Experiential learning through the Roblox metaverse platform: Investigating its effect on English language learners’ learning flow and academic achievement. Journal of the English Teachers Association in Korea, 30(2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.35828/etak.2024.30.2.153
Marchanda, F., & Sucipto, F. D. (2025). Perancangan game Teuku Umar “War Nanggroe Adventure” sebagai inovasi dalam meningkatkan pengetahuan sejarah Aceh bagi remaja [Designing the Teuku Umar “War Nanggroe Adventure” game as an innovation to enhance Acehnese historical knowledge among adolescents]. IKONIK: Jurnal Seni dan Desain, 7(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.51804/ijsd.v7i01.16629
Maulida, A., Hanif, H., Kamal, M., & Oktari, R. S. (2023). Roblox-based tsunami survival game: A tool to stimulate early childhood disaster preparedness skills. E3S Web of Conferences, 447, Article 02003. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202344702003
Meier, C., Saorín, J. L., de León, A. B., & Cobos, A. G. (2020). Using the Roblox video game engine for creating virtual tours and learning about the sculptural heritage. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 15(20), 268–280. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/218337/
Paraskeva, N., Haywood, S., Anquandah, J., White, P., Budhraja, M., Diedrichs, P. C., & Williamson, H. (2025). Evaluating the effectiveness of a Roblox video game (Super U Story) in improving body image among children and adolescents in the United States: Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, Article e66625. https://doi.org/10.2196/66625
Sugara, E., & Mustika, M. (2018). Desain game edukasi ‘Onet Wawasan Nusantara’ (OWA) [Design of the educational game ‘Onet Wawasan Nusantara’ (OWA)]. KOMIK (Konferensi Nasional Teknologi Informasi dan Komputer), 2(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.30865/komik.v2i1.913
Wahyuni, S. (2025). Penerapan komunikasi pemandu dalam game “Metincult” di Roblox terhadap edukasi budaya Nusantara (Studi SD Negeri 20 Lhokseumawe) [Application of guide communication in the “Metincult” game on Roblox for Nusantara cultural education (Case study: SD Negeri 20 Lhokseumawe)] [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Universitas Malikussaleh, Lhokseumawe, Indonesia.
Damanhuri, & Wali, M. (2024). How Does the Influence of Moral Values Affect Children’s Use of Roblox in Character Education?. International Journal Education and Computer Studies (IJECS), 4(3), 130-142. https://doi.org/10.35870/ijecs.v4i3.3627
Zahari, Z., Desa, M., & Bakhir, N. (2024). Revitalizing interest in traditional Malaysian games among the younger generation through mobile applications: An interface design approach. PaperASIA, 40(5b), 283–294. https://doi.org/10.59953/paperasia.v40i5b.164
Zhang, Z., Moradzadeh, S., Gui, X., & Kou, Y. (2024). Harmful design in user-generated games and its ethical and governance challenges: An investigation of design co-ideation of game creators on Roblox. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 8(CHI PLAY), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1145/3677076
القصراوي, آ. (2019). تطبيق التلعيب لرفع الوعي بالتراث الثقافي في المتاحف المصرية: دراسة حالة المتحف القومي بالإسكندرية [Applying gamification to raise awareness of cultural heritage in Egyptian museums: Case study of the Alexandria National Museum]. المجلة العلمية لكلية السياحة والفنادق جامعة الإسكندرية, 16(16-A), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.21608/thalexu.2019.53065.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Design Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.