Active Audio Adventures: Exploring Story-Based Motivation and Comparing Navigation Modalities for Enabling Physical Activity in a Location-Based Game

Abstract

This research investigates the integration of gamification, storytelling, and guidance mechanisms in digital health tools to promote physical activity (PA). A narrative-based app, Active Audio Adventures (AAA), incorporating gamified elements and real-time audio-based task guidance, was developed to explore user engagement and adherence to PA goals. Two studies were conducted using AAA; Our formative study 1 found that storytelling enhanced immersion and motivation but required more adaptable narratives and personalised challenges for sustained effectiveness. Gamification features were well-received but were assessed to have limited impact on PA levels. Building on improved foundations for storytelling, our comparative study 2 examined the integration of alternative guidance mechanisms, revealing that while haptics enabled hands-free navigation, usability challenges like GPS inaccuracies and unfamiliarity hindered practicality. This research highlights the potential of combining immersive gamified motivators like storytelling with effective task guidance to balance engagement, usability, and support long-term behavioural change in digital PA interventions.