Simulating Strategic Decision-Making: A Digital System for Issue-Based Educational Games

This study aims to develop game system for an issue-based game, <Utopia>, which integrates both online and physical interactions to enhance students’ understanding of social issues, critical thinking, and collaborative skills. <Utopia> employs data visualization to help players intuitively grasp the impact of various societal events. The gameplay involves multi-phase interactions and decision-making processes triggered by emergent events, including stages such as national conferences, joint discussions, and policy declarations. The system is supported by five key modules—parameter visualization, country profiles, chatroom, bulletin board, and trade management—which collectively facilitate students' discussion and strategic planning. It is anticipated that the <Utopia> issue-based game system will effectively foster students’ problem-solving abilities and strengthen their capacity for critical analysis and collaboration in complex scenarios. Through a combination of questionnaire surveys and behavioral data collection, this study will analyze students’ learning behaviors, team collaboration patterns, and reflections on social issues throughout the gameplay.