CODEREALM: A STORY-DRIVEN GAME FOR LEARNING PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

This study occupies a sizable gap in programming education raised by educational platforms using text only,like W3Schools, which lacked engagement and practical use. CodeRealm is our answer to this challenge, a gamified,storytelling learning game, which uses immersive quests, interactive puzzles, and real-world code challenges to teachprogramming languages (Java, C++, Python, JavaScript). CodeRealm is used to assist the user in understanding andretaining abstract programming concepts such as syntax, loops, and functions by placing them within a fantasy andscience fiction (sci-fi) theme. Players will take on the role of Nova, a young coder whose job is to recover the lostcode scrolls and thwart the destructive desires of a rogue AI called Omega-0, and it is set in a futuristic universe.The modern digital world has increased the demand for programming exponentially, but the conventionalway of learning fails to grab the attention and keep the students interested. A lot of learners find it a hard task to followa tutorial that is text-intensive and only teaches syntax but not practice. With the help of the Flow Theory and selfdetermination, CodeRealm creates an engaging environment where learners can level up, gain rewards, andcollaborate.This work will further the field of digital pedagogy by demonstrating how gamification through narrativecould turn the teaching of coding into a fun, activity-based experience. Nevertheless, CodeRealm currently haslimitations because it targets only IT students and beginners.