Resolving Form-Meaning Separation: Preference and Acceptance of a Somatosensory FMV Game for Intangible Martial Arts Targeting Z Generation

Abstract

As one of the first national intangible cultural heritage items in China, Foshan Wushu, with its technical system of "integration of boxing and weapons", philosophical concept of "combination of martial arts and medicine", and diversified martial arts schools, is a typical sample of traditional Chinese physical culture. However, the current one-way communication mode relying on offline performances and kung fu films limits the audience’s cognition to "action spectacles", making it difficult to touch the spiritual core of "entering the Dao through martial arts" and leading to the communication dilemma of the separation between "form" and "meaning". Although new technologies such as VR and AR have been introduced into existing martial arts culture communication, they mostly stay at the superficial reproduction of cultural representations and fail to construct a complete and in-depth cultural cognition. In response to this, this study proposes a solution of integrating motion-sensing interaction into stylized full-motion video (FMV) games, aiming to resolve the "knowing-practice disconnection" inherent in martial arts communication through embodied interaction. Focusing on Generation Z, the study comprehensively adopts desk research, field investigation, in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys to explore the necessity and feasibility of this integration mode, and focuses on analyzing Generation Z’s preferences and core concerns regarding Foshan Wushu motion-sensing FMV games. The results show that this integration mode can effectively realize the unity of cultural "form" and "meaning", providing empirical evidence and new theoretical perspectives for exploring the application of serious games in the digital protection of intangible cultural heritage.

Keywords: Foshan Wushu, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Motion-sensing Interaction, Full-motion Video (FMV) Games, Generation Z

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007622