science, curriculum and instruction, science education, and educational psychology to build and systematically study the
cognitive impact of 3D storyworlds.
This article reports on the design, development, and implementation of CRYSTAL ISLAND: UNCHARTED DISCOVERY. The article is
organized as follows. First, we situate our work on CRYSTAL ISLAND: UNCHARTED DISCOVERY in the context of serious games and science
education, and then discuss theoretical underpinnings in narrative-centered learning, problem solving, and engagement.
Next, we discuss curricular, narrative interaction, and software platform design requirements. We then present the
design of the CRYSTAL ISLAND: UNCHARTED DISCOVERY learning environment, and describe its implementation through a series of
field tests and a classroom integration study.