Markov and Semi-Markov Models of Real-Time Quests in Information Security Education

This article discusses the creating of the stochastic models of the real-time multistage quest game and some model-based optimization methods. Gamification is currently rather an empirical approach to education, especially in technical universities. The proposed article compensates for the lack of a theoretical and methodological basis for quest games for technical specialties that use sophisticated equipment as objects of study. The target group of modeled quests is information security students and teenagers. Markov and semi-Markov models are present. Key parameters to evaluate and optimize the load are highlighted. Authors present some examples of quests with sequential and route passage, on which experimental data were obtained. A reasonable representation of the problem as a continuous-time Markov- or Semi-Markov chain is given, that allows us to propose different approaches to models. It was demonstrated that using predicted values, simplified design tasks and games of this type were obtained. Two examples demonstrate that predicted values usage that obtained during modeling simplifies the design of tasks and games of this type.