No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Narrative as Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Literature an Electronic Media
Abstract
From the Publisher:Is there a significant difference in attitude between immersion in a game and immersion in a movie or novel? What are the new possibilities for representation offered by the emerging technology of virtual reality? As Marie-Laure Ryan demonstrates in Narrative as Virtual Reality, the questions raised by new, interactive technologies have their precursors and echoes in pre-electronic literary and artistic traditions. Formerly a culture of immersive idealsgetting lost in a good book, for examplewe are becoming, Ryan claims, a culture more concerned with interactivity. Approaching the idea of virtual reality as a metaphor for total art, Narrative as Virtual Reality applies the concepts of immersion and interactivity to develop a phenomenology of reading.
Ryan's analysis encompasses both traditional literary narratives and the new textual genres made possible by the electronic revolution of the past few years, such as hypertext, electronic poetry, interactive movies and drama, digital installation art, and computer role-playing games. Interspersed among the book's chapters are several "interludes" that focus exclusively on either key literary texts that foreshadow what we now call "virtual reality," including those of Baudelaire, Huysmans, Ignatius de Loyola, Calvino, and science-fiction author Neal Stephenson, or recent efforts to produce interactive art forms, like the hypertext "novel" Twelve Blue, by Michael Joyce, and I'm Your Man, an interactive movie. As Ryan considers the fate of traditional narrative patterns in digital culture, she revisits one of the central issues in modern literary theorythe opposition between a presumably passive reading that is taken over by the world a text represents and an active, deconstructive reading that imaginatively participates in the text's creation. About the Author:
Marie-Laure Ryan is an independent scholar and former software consultant. She is the author of Possible Worlds, Artificial Intelligence, and Narrative Theory and the editor of Cyberspace Textuality: Computer Technology and Literary Theory.
... For instance, narrative games are designed to let users drive the decisions that effectively alter the trajectory of the plot [9]. ...
... Designing narratives in virtual reality (VR) requires a whole new approach to storytelling-one that takes spatial drama into account. As Ryan [9] notes, stories in VR do not have to unfold in a linear fashion. Instead, the user is free to explore the world and shape the course of the narrative on their own [14]. ...
The chapter explores how immersive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), are transforming storytelling in the digital age. The focus concentrates on the significant contributions of immersive experiences to emotional and sensory engagement, enabling novel opportunities for interactive and spatial storytelling. The chapter also references studies conducted into story and user engagement, using eye-tracking that examines patterns in gaze as it is embedded within narrative spaces, and BCIs that allow for the real-time generation of customized story experiences. Within the chapter, we review key narrative techniques, VR implementations, consumer experiences in virtual 3D landscapes, and developer challenges (e.g., cyber sickness (simulator sickness), which can impair consumer convenience and session duration). There is also a gloss on ethical debates and the future potential of immersive narratives such as the inclusion of artificial intelligence or multi-channel transmedia experiences. The chapter provides a comprehensive understanding of immersive storytelling through the integration of theoretical and practical insights incorporating technological, cultural, and narrative perspectives.
... 120). Considerando essas três dimensões Morgado, Bonfim e Pedrosa (2023) identificaram cinco clusters: predominância emocional; predominância temporal; predominância espacial; intermediação temporal-emocional e, um último que refere métodos genéricos, não relacionados com as dimensões da imersão proposta porRyan (2015). De acordo com Morgado, Bonfim e Pedrosa (2023) não foram encontrados métodos intermédios entre imersão temporal e espacial, tampouco métodos equilibrados entre as três dimensões da imersão narrativa. ...
... Para além disso, a narrativa por ter sido cocriada com IAs Gen e envolver o deslocamento na cibricidade, apresenta aproximações com a ação MOVEOnCibricity do Hub ConectaKaT trazida por Schell e Schlemmer (2024). RIEOnLIFE, e IX WLC Peso da Régua -30 e 31 de outubro de 2024 -Chamada de TrabalhosPara além das pistas encontradas na revisão de literatura, os intercessores teóricos também contribuíram com elementos que nos ajudam a analisar o processo de cocriação da narrativa gamificada, tais como as três dimensões do conceito de imersão narrativa, apresentadas porRyan (2015). Relacionada a imersão espacial estão os espaços/ambientes físicos, geograficamente localizados, hibridizados com espaços/ambientes digitais, os quais são articulados pela narrativa. ...
Resumo Os espaços e formas de viver, conviver, ensinar e aprender desenvolvem-se, cada vez mais, em ambientes digitais e híbridos. Nesse contexto, surge a Vivência Imersiva na Cibricidade (VIC), uma prática inventiva que hibridiza espaços físicos da cidade e espaços digitais numa narrativa gamificada, promovendo uma experiência educativa inventiva. O objetivo da VIC é propiciar aos participantes do V Congresso Internacional da RIEOnLIFE e IX Festival Internacional We, Learning with Cibricity experienciar uma vivência imersiva gamificada e híbrida, que coengendra espaços físicos, geograficamente localizados na cidade de Peso da Régua (Portugal), com Realidade Aumentada e espaços cocriados no Metaverso Spatial em parceria com Inteligências Artificiais Generativas, trazendo elementos também da cidade de Bento Gonçalves (Brasil). Apropriando-se do conceito de imersão e de hibridismo, a VIC cria desafios e missões articuladas numa narrativa gamificada que envolve aspectos culturais e históricos de ambas as cidades. Nesse processo, os participantes interagem com pistas geográficas (espaços da cidade), pistas vivas (pessoas da comunidade), pistas analógicas (cards) e pistas digitais (QRCodes, personagens históricos e fictícios) conhecendo um pouco mais da história e da cultura e podendo, inclusive, contribuir para a evolução da VIC. A partir do Método Cartográfico de Pesquisa-Intervenção rECOnectivo, o objetivo do artigo é apresentar e discutir o processo de co-criação da narrativa gamificada que dá origem a VIC. Como resultados, para além de apresentar a narrativa co-criada, o artigo aponta pistas que podem inspirar práticas pedagógicas que integrem a cibricidade como um novo habitar do ensinar e do aprender nesse terceiro milênio. ¹Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos-UNISINOS,
... Whilst they acknowledge that measurable properties of a system play a significant role, they also bring together a number of researchers' findings into a tripartite, which feeds into a psychological state of immersion. These findings include perceptual immersion (McMahan 2003) where multisensory stimulation by the system is sufficient to prevent a transfer in attention; narrative immersion (Ryan 2003) when engrossed in the narrative; or being absorbed in a challenge (Ermi and Mäyrä 2005). As we are thinking initially about listening, we are most interested in the first two aspects -perceptual and narrative immersion. ...
... In noting that the vocal in 'What a Voice' is prominent, we intended to touch upon two aspects of narrative immersion posited by Ryan. Given reasonable exclusion of the exterior world by the playback system as outlined above, we were interested in temporal immersion (Ryan 2003) where curiosity for what will follow, maintains attention. The other is spatial immersion where there is an 'intimate relation to the setting' (Ryan 2003, 122) through an act of exploration, in this case through listening. ...
Returns is a creative practice research project, involving multichannel recordings of traditional folk songs performed in rural locations. This writing discusses how aspects of immersion and presence were considered over the making process alongside the dissemination method of head tracked headphone-based listening via Apple’s spatial audio. Perceptual immersion, narrative immersion, and certain dimensions of presence are aligned with praxis, resulting in findings from across production processes and the playback system. We propose that these individual parts form a synergy to enhance immersive potential.
... Unlike a simple summary, this method critically examines previous studies to provide deeper insights into the topic. For this study, the review focuses on how virtual reality (VR) enhances cultural heritage experiences, considering factors like visual quality, interactivity, sensory integration, and storytelling (Frasca & Ryan, 2002;Tabakova & Pelaheichenko, 2023;Slater, 2004). ...
... Narrative and thematic coherence are vital components in deepening cognitive and emotional immersion. Users are more likely to invest in and remain engaged with wellstructured storylines and thematic content, particularly in cultural heritage contexts where storytelling plays a foundational role (Frasca & Ryan, 2002). Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of cultural transmission, especially in cultures with rich oral traditions, such as in various Asian contexts where historical events, legends, and myths are conveyed through narrative (Podara et al., 2021). ...
Integrating Virtual Reality (VR) technology into cultural heritage presents unprecedented opportunities for enhancing museum experiences, specifically through immersive and interactive digital presentations (Theodoropoulos & Antoniou, 2022). Although virtual reality technology has the potential to enhance the experience of cultural heritage, according to previous research, it is not difficult to find that existing museum VR applications often lack an immersive experience, and many experiencers' immersion is interrupted during the experience, highlighting the urgent need for a VR application evaluation framework. In addition, most of the research is from the technology perspective, ignoring the users' experience needs. Therefore, the purpose of this conceptual paper is to present a conceptual framework that theoretically justifies the creation of a virtual reality evaluation. This conceptual paper begins by reviewing relevant research on VR in the cultural heritage field and methods and scales for measuring immersion. It suggests the possibility of utilizing grounded theory to uncover potential factors. Subsequently, this conceptual paper summarizes previous research and theoretical gaps. A conceptual framework for establishing a robust evaluation of virtual reality applications is proposed as a two-stage mixed research method (Exploratory Sequential Mixed Method Design) (Berman, 2017). This concept paper illustrates the details and rationalization of the conceptual framework so that it can be further investigated theoretically or empirically in the future. This concept paper contributes to developing an evaluation of VR cultural heritage applications. At the same time, it theoretically enhances the understanding of digital presentation and preservation of cultural heritage.
... In Code-level: Computational objects are programmed as discrete units enabling fluid recombination (Ryan, 2015); ...
As Virtual Reality (VR) technology matures, it is increasingly reshaping cinematic language by dissolving the traditional boundaries between viewer and narrative space. This paper investigates the sensory, narrative, and technical foundations that distinguish immersive VR films from conventional digital cinema. By grounding the analysis in phenomenological and existentialist theories of perception—particularly those of Merleau-Ponty and Heidegger—the study elucidates how VR films operate as embodied spatial experiences rather than passive visual spectacles. The paper outlines the disappearance of the cinematic ‘frame’, the evolution of mise-en-scène into interactive scene-space, and the significance of viewer mobility in shaping narrative understanding. Furthermore, it analyses the modular narrative architecture and interaction mechanisms in the award-winning VR film "Why Do We Love Cats?" (2022), highlighting how user agency, real-time feedback, and multisensory simulation coalesce into a dynamic storytelling ecology. The findings suggest that the future of VR film lies in its capacity to translate philosophical insights into technological form, enabling emotionally resonant, cognitively complex, and spatially fluid narrative experiences.
... Theme examines how effectively the story conveys its central message, ensuring coherence across narrative elements and emotional engagement, as outlined in Abrams' literary theory [1]. Setting evaluates the richness and consistency of the story's environment, influencing immersion and believability, drawing from Ryan's study on narrative environments [40] and Puxan-Oliva's research on spatial storytelling [37]. Structure assesses the organisation and progression of the story, ensuring logical transitions between scenes and acts, based on Freytag's Pyramid [21] and McKee's principles of screenwriting [33]. ...
Large Language Models (LLMs) have shown great potential in automated story generation, but challenges remain in maintaining long-form coherence and providing users with intuitive and effective control. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) has proven effective in reducing hallucinations in text generation; however, the use of structured data to support generative storytelling remains underexplored. This paper investigates how knowledge graphs (KGs) can enhance LLM-based storytelling by improving narrative quality and enabling user-driven modifications. We propose a KG-assisted storytelling pipeline and evaluate its effectiveness through a user study with 15 participants. Participants created their own story prompts, generated stories, and edited knowledge graphs to shape their narratives. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, our findings demonstrate that knowledge graphs significantly enhance story quality in action-oriented and structured narratives within our system settings. Additionally, editing the knowledge graph increases users' sense of control, making storytelling more engaging, interactive, and playful.
... There is also a strong position held vis-a-vis the narrative/transportation capabilities of a VR experience in terms of the strength of its stories and characters (Van Laer et al., 2019). Slater and Wilbur refer to it as plot Slater and Wilbur (1997) whereas narrative immersion is common within game and literary studies (Arsenault, 2005;Ryan, 2015). Magnenat-Thalmann et al. (2005) and Luciani et al. (2004) have emphasized the importance of believable virtual characters and environments, arguing that it is crucial for maintaining user engagement and ensuring a suspension of disbelief. ...
The rapid advancement of virtual reality (VR) technology has brought many immersive experiences, each designed to transport users into captivating virtual worlds. While these experiences aim to provide a sense of presence and engagement, the factors contributing to a truly immersive experience are often complex and multifaceted. Existing scholarship has predominantly focused on specific aspects of user experience, such as psychological factors (e.g., sense of presence), emotional factors (e.g., enjoyment), or design-related factors (e.g., interface usability). This fragmented approach has impeded a comprehensive understanding of the overall quality of VR experiences. To address this, we propose a multidimensional taxonomy encompassing five essential qualities: immersivity, interactivity, explorability, plausibility, and believability. The framework aims to disentangle the complex, interrelated facets shaping VR experiences for a more systematic evaluation. Immersivity refers to the subjective sense of presence and “being there” in a virtual environment. Interactivity denotes the ability to interact with virtual objects, promoting engagement dynamically. Explorability refers to users’ freedom to navigate and discover new elements. Plausibility examines the logical congruence of the virtual environment’s rules and behaviors. Finally, believability relates to the world-building and internal coherence of the VR world. This taxonomy provides a structured approach to look at VR experiences holistically, assessing the interplay of these facets to facilitate a more objective, comprehensive evaluation, capturing the multidimensional nature of VR experiences. In summary, our proposed taxonomy marks an essential step toward systematic VR evaluation, providing guidance for researchers and highlighting factors integral to VR quality.
... 2.2 Perceived value of the metaverse 2.2.1 Immersion. The concept of immersion describes an active engagement with a narrative using one's imagination (Ryan, 2001). Immersion depicts a state in which the person is physically or virtually a part of what is being experienced (Pine and Gilmore, 1999). ...
Purpose
The experience of leaving the real world and entering a virtual service environment makes many individuals happy. This study heeds the call by multiple researchers to conceptualize, interpret and illustrate the impact of the perceived service experience in the metaverse in a holistic way. In particular, this study aims to understand how the consumption of experiences is perceived in a metaversal space.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyze mega virtual live events with famous artists broadcast in virtual worlds. The authors take a big data approach and include two studies to gain insight into the online public audience’s perceptions and experiences in the metaverse. In the first study, the authors analyze text from YouTube with Leximancer. In the second study, the authors go one step further to refine the conceptual model from Study 1. The authors scrutinize additional Facebook comments using seeded Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA).
Findings
The findings reveal that the meta service experience (MEX) encompasses four dimensions: immersion, metascape, immediacy and hedonism.
Originality/value
This research provides important guidance not only for consumer behavior scholars but also for service marketers and event planners. The study proposes research opportunities to advance service experience research in the metaverse.
... La rápida difusión que permiten las plataformas sociodigitales ofrecen a los museos la oportunidad de redefinir relaciones con sus audiencias y ahora proporcionan oportunidades para mejorar estas interacciones y paulatinamente crear mundos transmedia en el entorno digital. Marie-Laure Ryan (2015), define a los mundos transmediales como "sistemas abstractos de contenido a partir de los cuales un repertorio de historias de ficción y personajes puede ser actualizado o derivado hacia una variedad de formas mediáticas", en este caso Instagram entra en el juego de las narrativas transmedia dado el carácter activo de los usuarios, pues establece un entramado de nuevas conexiones sociales y diálogos online, que se van enriqueciendo con sus aportaciones o propuestas por parte del relato curatorial del museo, es decir, los museos que buscan integrar un sistema de escucha de audiencias y observación contante de sus públicos a través de integrar las dinámicas fotográficas a sus prácticas comunicativa puede apoyarse se estas plataformas sociodigitales para enriquecer el punto de vista con que se exponen las obras. Como afirma Scolari (2013) lo interesante de este tipo de narrativa es que el relato se expande gracias a las incorporaciones de nuevos personajes y situaciones, aunque Scolari se refiere a relatos de ficción, bien se puede aplicar a expansiones narrativas que juegan relaciones con los objetos del museo. ...
El presente trabajo representa un esfuerzo colectivo por parte de investigado- res de la comunicación para abordar distintas temáticas concernientes a este cam- po, tomando como punto de partida la comprensión de la comunicación como el eje fundamental a través del cual los seres humanos significamos el mundo. Los in- vestigadores participantes en este libro se preguntan y analizan el papel de la comu- nicación en diversos ámbitos de la vida cotidiana, su relación con las herramientas sociotécnicas, así como los cambios que estas últimas han traído consigo en las ma- neras en las que nos comunicamos y por lo tanto en la forma en la que abordamos la vida cotidiana.
En este sentido, en su capítulo 1 la obra plantea las perspectivas teóricas y reflexio- nes que dan pie a este texto. En él se discute cómo las herramientas sociotécnicas, en específico las tecnologías digitales, han ocasionado en distintos ámbitos y lugares de la vida cotidiana, así como en las maneras en las que la comunicación a partir de éstas genera, cambios en la forma en la que significamos el mundo.
Emmanuel Galicia Martínez, en el capítulo 2 La dimensión axiológica del video- juego en la vida cotidiana. Caso la saga Assassin’s Creed, contextualiza con parte de su investigación efectuada en el Posgrado en Ciencias Políticas y Sociales de la UNAM, el impacto de los videojuegos en el ámbito axiológico en la vida cotidiana de los usuarios. A través del estudio teórico de los valores e imaginario social, el autor descubre la ins- piración y motivaciones que guían a los usuarios de esta franquicia en su cotidianeidad.
... (5) Structure (Chambel et al., 2006;Ryan 2001Ryan , 2006. ...
The hypervideo is a selective, user-to-document, and external-exploratory interactive artefact characterised by a video backbone and clickable areas within that allow access to the desired information. Its use in education has been widely studied but there is hardly any research about advertising applications. We have addressed this gap by carrying out a content analysis on a corpus of 148 hypervideos in order to find out what brands and product types are using this tool, the structures employed, the commercial motives that they might fulfil and the appeals dimensions that are present. Our results indicate that high-involvement products with positive motives are the most frequent. Although a third of the sample can be labelled as shoppable, the majority satisfy the motive of information-seeking by explaining the product characteristics or uses. Sometimes, this information helps to decide which product fits the user’s necessities, as well as fostering the purchase. They present interactive structures described in literature, such as the vector and the tree, but we also identified others. Soft-sell type appeals, particularly humour and storytelling, are more abundant than hard-sell strategies. All in all, this research adds to a growing body of literature on interactive advertising and provides a starting point for further research on these types of videos.
... • Students develop an emotional attachment to the character within the application that contributes to the learning experience by helping students to perceive the application as a real, situated experience (Ryan, 2001). Begg, et al (2005) came to these conclusions studying effective learning activities in medical schools, but conclude that the characteristics are just as applicable to other discipline learning. ...
Gamification has become a trending concept in online courses for the past 10 or more years. Based on the analysis of psychological and social factors that make electronic games highly used in today’s population, gamification suggests ways to improve education course innovation, student engagement, student motivation, student critical thinking, and student decision-making. The question is, “Is it effective?” This paper evaluates an online graduate course in business administration at a state university with a majority Hispanic student population to determine if the concept is effective as a teaching strategy option.
Dieser Beitrag thematisiert den aktuellen Stand der Forschung und Entwicklung im Hinblick auf digitale Lernanwendungen, die dem medialen Konstrukt Extended Reality (XR) zugeordnet werden. Hierfür wird in einem ersten Schritt eingeordnet, in welchen Handlungsfeldern der Elektrotechnik diese zum Einsatz kommen. Entlang des Virtualitäts-Realitäts-Kontinuums wird hierauf aufbauend eine Begriffsklärung für die gebräuchlichsten XR-Technologien vorgenommen. In einem nächsten Schritt werden die Mehrwerte von XR-Lernanwendungen aufgezeigt und an Themen und Handlungssituationen aus der Elektrotechnik angeknüpft. Je ein Praxisbeispiel für eine AR- und eine VR-Lernanwendung zeigen, wie sich die Mehrwerte konkretisieren. Anschließend wird die Frage aufgeworfen, ob XR-Lernanwendungen eine evidente Lernwirksamkeit entfalten können. Zur Klärung der Lernwirksamkeit für eine Didaktik der beruflichen Fachrichtung Elektrotechnik werden zwei eigene Studien ergänzend zu den allgemeinen Befunden aus der Lehr-/Lernforschung vorgestellt. Der Beitrag schließt mit einer Bewertung des Status quo.
This article addresses the current state of research and development regarding digital learning applications that are assigned to the media construct Extended Reality (XR). To do this, the first step is to classify the fields of electrical engineering in which these are used. Building on this, a definition of the most common XR technologies is provided along the virtuality-reality continuum. In a next step, the added value of XR learning applications is shown and linked to topics and action situations from electrical engineering. A practical example for an AR and a VR learning application shows how the added value is realized. The question is then raised as to whether XR learning applications can develop an evident learning effectiveness. To clarify the learning effectiveness in electrical engineering, two of our own studies are presented in addition to the general findings from teaching/learning research. The article concludes with an assessment of the status quo.
Virtual reality (VR) technology has shown potential as a viable tool for rehabilitation. VR is a well-recognized technology that creates immersive experiences to enhance engagement and encourage more effective participation in activities. In the current study, it has been shown that using a standard VR system setup can effectively increase participant motivation for various rehabilitation applications. However, there is a research gap in terms of participant motivation, relating to the intervention of integrating data gloves into VR to improve visibility in hand tracking for rehabilitation. This study presents and assesses an integrated approach utilizing VR and data glove technology to evaluate upper extremity function in a young, healthy population, comparing this to traditional methods. Participants’ intrinsic motivation was measured using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI). The findings indicate that the combined immersive environment outperforms conventional practice in most aspects. Therefore, this research also sheds light on the fact that a data glove is promising technology in rehabilitation applications that can augment positive experiences while having no adverse effects on the VR system.
This article examines how Deleuzean philosophy can inform the design and analysis of Virtual Reality (VR) narratives, focusing on the concepts of becoming, assemblage, and immanence. The research addresses the question: How can VR narratives foster ethical reflection and participant engagement, particularly on issues of social justice and representation? Through a post-qualitative methodology and narrative analysis of four VR films – ‘Notes on Blindness’, ‘Clouds Over Sidra’, ‘The Key’, and ‘Giant’ – the study demonstrates how VR enables participants to engage in processes of becoming-other, provoking sensory and emotional transformations. These films illustrate how VR narratives allow for co-creation, ethical reflection, and empathy by immersing participants in complex ethical dilemmas related to disability, trauma, and displacement. Based on these findings, the article proposes an ethical framework for VR narrative design, emphasizing participant agency, immanent ethics, and the integration of social justice themes.
‘Second-person narrative’ is defined by Richardson as one of the most significant narrative forms since the introduction of the stream of consciousness. And not by chance: it not only changes the reader's interaction with the narrative world, but also imposes its own requirements on contemporary narratology, it demands new language and a new way to describe it. ‘Second-person narrative’ problematizes the boundaries between narrator and narratee, actual and virtual, subject and object. More than that: ‘second-person narrative’ tries to point out the changes that are taking place with contemporary narratives in a new digital context. ‘Second-person narrative’ therefore attracts the attention of researchers from diverse branches of postclassical narratology: natural and unnatural, transmedia, exploring interactive and digital narratives. ‘Second-person narrative becomes a transitional form between traditional narratives (telling about events that have already happened) and "future narratives". In this article, ‘second-person narrative’ is researched using the example of Paul Auster's novel "Invisible" (2010). In its functioning, we study both the properties and functions previously noted by researchers (on other, earlier literary works), and new ones are highlighted: ‘Second-person narrative’ contributes to a more active immersion of the reader into the narrative world, creates immersion, shifts the focus to the reader as being "responsible" for choosing and evaluating what is happening. But it also distances him, instilling uncertainty in his own status, in the reality of the events taking place, in his own agency. Auster's ‘second-person narrative’ finally shows how traditional narratives are undergoing transformation under the influence of a digital (interactive) environment and how such a narrative form is able, if not to redefine the narrative and its basic concepts, then to point out the need for such a redefinition.
Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) is a narrative-driven VR experience that uses head-mounted displays with a 360-degree field of view. Previous research has explored different viewing modalities to enhance viewers' CVR experiences. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine how different viewing modalities, including intervened rotation, avatar assistance, guidance cues, and perspective shifting, influence CVR experiences. The study has screened 3444 papers (published between January 1, 2013, and June 17, 2023). Of the 3444 papers, 45 were selected for systematic review, 13 of the 45 papers were selected for meta-analysis. We separately conducted random-effects meta-analysis and applied Robust Variance Estimation to examine CVR viewing modalities and user experience outcomes. Evidence from experiments was synthesized as differences between standardized mean differences (SMDs) of user experience of control group (''Swivel-Chair'' CVR) and experiment groups. To our surprise, we found inconsistencies in the effect sizes across different studies, even with the same viewing modalities. Moreover, we found that in these studies, terms such as ''presence,'' ''immersion,'' and ''narrative engagement'' were often used interchangeably. We concluded that the quality of previous studies on CVR experiences was compromised by several methodological issues, including irregular use of questionnaires, overreliance on self-developed questionnaires, and incomplete data reporting. This study contributes to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research by identifying gaps in CVR research and emphasizing the need for standardization of terminologies and methodologies to enhance the reliability and comparability of future CVR research.
The last two decades have seen an unprecedented surge in present- tense narration, transforming what has traditionally been considered an unconventional narrative strategy into a common narrative feature, no longer confined to literary experimentation. While the use of the present as a dominant tense of narration constitutes a new aesthetic trend in contemporary British fiction, the use of intermittent present-tense narration is far from new and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Research on the use of tense in general, and tense alternation in particular, has focused mainly on medieval and early modern narrative as well as on (post)modern and contemporary fiction, neglecting the periods in between. This article aims to address this research gap, as it sets out to investigate patterns of tense alternation in British narrative (fiction) published between the late seventeenth and the nineteenth centuries. Examining the formal, structural, and functional dimensions of shifts between past and present tense in the work of representative authors such as Thomas Dangerfield, Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, Emily and Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens, the article distinguishes three prominent uses of the present tense encountered in novels published between the Restoration period and the Victorian era. These include the use of the conversational historical present in the picaresque novel, referential and metareferential uses of the present tense in novels that emphasize the notion of mediacy, and affective and immersive uses of present-tense narration that can be found in epistolary writing as well as in the Victorian realist novel.
У статті досліджуються лінгвістичні та стилістичні елементи, які сприяють розповіді, побудові світу та тематичній глибині відеогри “Elden Ring”. Аналізуючи діалоги, описи предметів та наративну структуру, це дослідження висвітлює складне використання архаїчної мови, метафори та поетичних прийомів. Використання мови у грі є не лише функціональним, але й слугує засобом занурення гравців у міфологічний та філософський підтекст її всесвіту. Виокремлено використання архаїчної лексики та граматики, що нагадує середньо- та ранньомодерну англійську мову, як провідне, що викликає відчуття давнини, змінюючи реальність на таку, що просякнута традиціями та таємницями. Подано мовні засоби, які створюють офіційний, майже сакральний тон, що відповідає темам гри про долю, божественне втручання та екзистенційну боротьбу. Стаття заглиблюється в наративну функцію діалогів Non-Player Characters, які характеризуються загадковістю та фрагментарністю розповіді. Доведено, що персонажі надають важливу інформацію, зберігаючи при цьому атмосферу невизначеності, запрошуючи гравців зібрати воєдино історію через дослідження та висновки. Такий фрагментарний підхід віддзеркалює літературні прийоми, притаманні модерністським та постмодерністським творам, де наратив навмисно нелінійний і відкритий для інтерпретації. Аналізуючи лінгвістичні та стилістичні елементи, стаття доводить, що “Elden Ring” виходить за межі традиційних ігрових наративів, пропонуючи гравцям досвід, подібний до взаємодії з багатим за структурою літературним твором. Мова гри функціонує не лише як інструмент для розповіді, але й як важливий компонент її художнього вираження, поєднуючи механіку ігрового процесу з глибоким відчуттям міфів і легенд. Стаття підкреслює освітню цінність аналізу “Elden Ring” для студентів, які вивчають комп'ютерні науки. Вивчаючи мовні та стилістичні елементи гри, студенти можуть отримати уявлення про те, як наративний дизайн і мова взаємодіють з кодуванням та ігровою механікою для створення захоплюючого досвіду розповіді. Розуміння цих аспектів дозволяє студентам інтегрувати творчі лінгвістичні особливості у власні проєкти, покращуючи їхню здатність створювати захопливі оповіді в розробці відеоігор. Цей міждисциплінарний підхід поєднує лінгвістику, цифрове оповідання та розробку програмного забезпечення, що робить його цінним ресурсом для майбутніх геймдизайнерів.
This chapter examines misrepresentation and distortion in the news discourse on the 2018 Dokmoka mob lynching reported in the Indian state of Assam. Using narrative analysis, this study conducts an in-depth qualitative investigation of the print media coverage of the event. With a comprehensive methodology and theoretical grounding, this study sheds light on the complex dynamics surrounding the misrepresentation of facts and their implications. It enhances our understanding of news media’s challenges in accurately covering events, highlighting the need for critical analysis and responsible reporting in the contemporary media landscape.
(Aus Vertragsgründen können wir das Kapitel nicht selber teilen, aber es steht Hochschulen über den Verlag zur Verfügung) - Das einleitende Kapitel legt die theoretischen Grundlagen des Modells des kreativen Volumens und integriert zentrale Konzepte aus Game Studies, Designforschung und Hermeneutik. Dazu zählen u.a. die Leerstellentheorie (Iser), das MDA-Framework, Flow-Theorie (Csikszentmihalyi), Game Feel (Swink), Resonanztheorie (Rosa) sowie Gaming Capital (Consalvo, Randall & Nichols). Diese Theorien bilden das Fundament für eine interdisziplinäre Modellbildung, die Gestaltung und Rezeption von Spielen ganzheitlich betrachtet.
Ziel ist es, kreative Freiräume im Spiel gezielt zu gestalten und zu analysieren. Das kreative Volumen besteht aus den drei Dimensionen kreatives Fundament, kreatives Potenzial und kreative Resonanz. Es wird als dynamisches System verstanden, das durch die „Horizontverschmelzung“ zwischen Designer:innen und Spieler:innen entsteht – ein Prozess, der Gestaltung, Wahrnehmung und Rückwirkung integriert und so neue Perspektiven auf die Spielentwicklung eröffnet
Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging and fascinating technology that promotes the humans to step into virtual worlds and interact with them as if they were real. It is a computer-generated simulation of an environment that allows users to interact with and experience a virtual world as if they were physically present within it. Virtual reality (VR) technology has appeared as a trans-formative tool in the field of healthcare, offering immersive and interactive experiences that have the potential to revolutionize patient care, medical training, and therapy. This chapter provides a depth exploration of VR technology and its useful implications for healthcare delivery. Beginning with an introduction to the fundamentals of VR, including its core components and principles, the chapter delves into the endless applications of VR in healthcare. These applications range from medical training and education to pain management, surgical planning, psychological therapy, and medicine. Through real-life examples and case studies, we’ll see how VR is making a difference in healthcare by providing more effective and engaging treatment options. Throughout the chapter, we’ll see how VR is generating a big gap between current healthcare facilities and the future trends. But, like all technologies, there are challenges too. Sometimes, VR can make people feel nauseous, and using VR safely means protecting people’s privacy and making sure the technology works for everyone. Looking to the future, we’ll go into the new ways that states how VR technology is evolving and how it could continue to revolutionize healthcare in the years to come. Overall, this chapter aims to provide a clear and accessible overview of VR in healthcare, helping readers understand its potential benefits and limitations in improving patient outcomes and medical training.
We analyze Michael Heim’s significant concept of the metaphysics of virtual worlds and show that his concept does not meet the two basic metatheses of metaphysics understood as ontology. First, Heim defines virtual worlds as knowledge, more specifically as informational equivalents of physical things; and worlds understood in this way are not objects in the ontological sense of the term. Secondly, Heim claims that virtual worlds do not exist, and attributes to them various degrees of non-existence, and the metaphysics of non-existent in various degrees virtual objects is extremely hard to accept. We propose replacing these two essential elements in Heim’s concept with others. In result, we form a metaphysics of existent and objectivized virtual worlds, on the basis of the ideas postulated by Heim.
The metaverse is considered by some to be the next big thing in the global economy. Despite technological progress and high expectations, scholars agree that a broader metaverse platform does not yet exist. Instead, it has been suggested that the metaverse exists mainly as an imaginary or a representation in various discursive contexts. However, studies that examine such representations are few, and the present study aims to – through the lens of social representation theory – critically explore how VR technology and the metaverse are discursively represented in Swedish news media. The analysis identifies three underlying themata: (a) The inevitability of technology, (b) The commodification of experience, and (c) The world of male pioneers. It is concluded that the news media’s representation of VR and the metaverse contributes greatly to maintaining the structural status quo. For traditional journalism to fulfill its democratic mission, a pervasive update of media logic is needed.
This chapter addresses the experimental potential of the eco-weird, offering a refreshing angle from which to study the intersection between weird fiction and environmental thought. In contrast to traditional weird fiction, contemporary weird texts increasingly engage with the environmental crisis via techniques such as humor and self-reflexivity, targeting the reader’s positionality and ethics vis-à-vis the text and, by extension, vis-à-vis the sociopolitical and ecological context. As a way of situating this potential within the broader ecocritical conversation, I take my cue from literary scholar Nicole Seymour (2018), who proposes a less instrumentalist approach to environmental art, opening up the (according to Seymour) self-limiting sanctimoniousness of ecocriticism in productive ways. Similarly, in this chapter I discuss weird texts, such as Reza Negarestani’s Cyclonopedia: Complicity with Anonymous Materials (2008) and Jeff VanderMeer’s Borne (2016), that use explicitly experimental narrative techniques to challenge traditional weird poetics on the one hand and environmental thought on the other. Seymour asks what it means when a work employs the “wrong” (i.e., nonnormative) tone or adopts the “wrong” (i.e., nonnormative) disposition toward the environment. This chapter is, in part, a proposition that the weird is well-equipped for this kind of “bad” environmentalism.
In “New Possibilities for User Involvement in VR Documentaries,” Florian Mundhenke explains that with the shift and development of digital formats (360° films, nonfictional VR experiences, AR apps), the question of what is possible in interactive media should be addressed once again. Since VR projects are fully immersive (mostly using head-mounted displays), the reception is quite different, as the interactor experiences less distraction from the outside. At the same time, there has been a shift from the computer game aesthetic of early i-docs (with their pure spatial arrangement of events) to a more inclusive digital storytelling style with the user experiencing his own world-building. The chapter concludes with the discussion of two nonfictional VR projects, focusing on their user involvement and the possible developments of the genre.
In his digital poem Nine Billion Branches, Jason Nelson explores various modes of belonging, which could be realized multifacetedly on corporeal, social, political, aesthetic and ecological levels. These locations range from the domestic (i.e. the bedroom, garage or living room) to the more abstract, such as the human body and language. The intricate network of relations between digital objects (rendered in the poem via a map of hypertextual links and limited interactivity) is expressed by means of kaleidoscopic, co-ordinate and not causal-effect connections. The article studies the notion of digital objects in Nelson’s poem, showing how the online milieu affects the reading and interpretation processes. In this context, digital hermeneutics comes into focus, especially as regards visualizations. When discussing the selected poetic titles (their total number is 40), the article explores Harman’s Object-Oriented Ontology, linking it to digitality. The article aims to analyze how following the digital paths in Nine Billion Branches, belonging to the world, to language, one’s body and locations can be perceived as a shifting web of interactions between the digital objects and readers/players, in the everchanging text that has no beginning or end.
This chapter explores the notion of ‘storyliving’ that gained traction as a means of describing the experience of VR narratives in 2017, through the analysis of two fictional, scripted VR projects: Lustration (New Canvas 2022) and Fire Escape (iINK Stories 2019). These award-winning works feature a range of interactive devices, such as branching narratives and selectable vantage points of plot action, which encourage the user to tailor their narrative experience. This is achieved through processes of personalisation and customisation that allows the user to actively participate in the process of storytelling. With reference to the System, Process, Product (SPP) model of narrative production theorised by Koenitz ( , Interactive Digital Narrative. Routledge, New York, 2015), the chapter argues that the two projects’ interactive devices encourage some measure of ‘storyliving’, and that this occurs alongside the delivery of a fully scripted narrative.
This chapter seeks to explore the narrative impacts of presence and embodiment in contemporary narrative-based virtual reality (VR) projects. The author questions how interactive devices and stylistic elements, including representations of virtual bodies, give rise to feelings of presence and embodiment. A formal analysis and phenomenological reading of three projects that offer various bodily representations and degrees of interaction for the participant is presented. The chapter concludes that these varying approaches have consequences for the user’s sense of identification with a predetermined character, as well as their overall narrative understanding, although the author notes the contribution of other factors in this regard.
Қазіргіуақытта интермедиялық теориясына заманауи ғылым кӛбірек қызығушылық танытуда, ӛйткені ол медианы және олардың ӛзара әрекеттесу формаларын біріктірудің жаңа тәсілдерін ұсынатын цифрлық дәуірдің міндеттеріне жауап береді. Қазіргі интермедиялық ғылымның негізгі мақсаттарының бірі үйлесімді және тиімді коммуникацияларды құру үшін әртүрлі жасанды формалардың ӛзара әрекеттесу мүмкіндіктерін ашу болып табылады. Интермедиялық авторларға ӛз идеялары мен концепцияларын кӛрсетудің жаңа тәсілдерін ашуға, сондай-ақ әдеби шығармаларды оқу мен түсіндіруді байытуға мүмкіндік береді. Бұл бағыттағы зерттеулер технологиялық және мәдени кеңістіктегі ӛзгерістердің әдеби ӛріске және оның мүмкіндіктеріне қалай әсер ететінін түсінуге кӛмектеседі. Бұл мақалада интермедиялық теорияға шолу және оны әртүрлі мәнмәтіндерде қолдану мысалдары берілген, бұл оның заманауи мәдениетте қолданылуын тереңірек зерттеуге мүмкіндік береді.
Understanding the historical significance of locations in
Singapore can be challenging for contemporary audiences. This
difficulty often arises from the substantial transformations that
these locations had undergone, along with the limitations of
current media to provide engaging and interactive content. In this
paper, a research project was proposed that addresses this
through collaborative virtual reality (VR). The research intends to
adapt VR’s aspects and interaction possibilities to present these
locations.
VR presents an immersive and engaging way to interact
with virtual spaces akin to that of normal reality, allowing for a
broad range of interactions within these environments. However,
most experiences now are limited to a single participant due to
technological constraints. The addition of more than one
participant to create a collaborative environment thus presents
learning opportunities through social processes where knowledge
is mediated between different participants. Drawing from each
other’s lived experience, a shared experience is created, enhancing
the comprehension of the location.
This study focused on three objectives: (1) Understanding
how audiences perceive the historical value of places in Singapore;
(2) Investigating the use of virtual reality to enhance this
experience; and (3) Evaluating collaborative VR as a tool for
experiential learning in historical context. The first two objectives
aim to understand how audiences grasp the historical significance
of locations and explore ways in which VR can be adapted to
enhance this experience. In pursuit of these goals, the thesis
proposes that collaborative VR experiences should be engaging,
logically consistent, and facilitate meaningful interaction. To
implement these criteria, the study will analyse case studies that
have used various forms of immersive media to communicate the
historical importance of different locations in Singapore.
The third objective focuses on assessing the effectiveness
of collaborative VR in experiential learning. For this, a virtual
environment replicating Tank Road in the 1920s was developed
and used in the experiment. This design, informed through analysis
of the case studies, aimed to provide an immersive experience of
Singapore's historical context, particularly around the Singapore
railway terminus, which was a hub for travel, trade, and transport
between 1903 to 1932. This virtual setting offered insights into
Singapore's era as a growing British colony and its commercial
development. An experiment involving participants exploring the
environment was used to determine how shared VR experiences
could enhance historical understanding and learning.
This chapter delves into the Tron cinematic universe, including Tron (1982), Tron Legacy (2010), Tron: Uprising (2012-2013), and Tron: Evolution (2010). It explores the “hybrid spaces” between physical and digital realms to highlight Tron's unique narrative immersion. The analysis identifies how technology and gaming culture influence character development, plot dynamics, and their interaction within the digital environment. Beyond individual narratives, the analysis draws comparisons across the two films and the animated series, unveiling patterns that illuminate the integration of technology and the representation of gaming worlds in the Tron narrative. Additionally, it examines the crucial role of artificial intelligence in narrative construction within the Tron universe, emphasizing its impact on storytelling and character interactions. This study offers insights into the integration of technology with narrative elements in Tron, showcasing the evolution of digital storytelling.
Free Eprint link: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/3KZTF8NTKH23NCHMPAEJ/full?target=10.1080/10436928.2024.2351329
In this essay, I analyze selected works of Roberto Bolaño drawing on classical narratological and reader-response theories, the concepts of dialogue of Mikhail Bakhtin and Hans-Georg Gadamer, as well as on cognitive studies of immersion (Marie-Laure Ryan), joint attention (Gregory Currie, Mark Turner) and literary communication (Eefje Claassen, Richard Gerrig). My goal is to renovate the metaphor of reading as conversation and describe a type of immersive interactivity. I argue that (especially) in first-person, homodiegetic, autofictional narrative, the relationship of the reader with the narrative agent can be described as “blended joint attention”, which has both specific immersive and interactive properties. Subsequently, I use this cognitive framework to redescribe the concept of the author as an “overarching blended author” who in the reader’s experience appears to be real and a mixture of text and flesh-and-blood writer. Lastly, I reconstruct Bolaño’s proposal of an immersive-interactive, emotional, and critical reading strategy.
This introductory chapter presents an overview of recent developments in virtual reality as an entertainment medium and a review of related academic scholarship on ‘writing’ for VR. This term is used to refer to a range of activities involved in the conceptualisation and development of VR media. In the last decade, a new wave of high-profile VR work has appeared at screen festivals, online, in galleries and in other venues, giving rise to significant industry discourse and academic scholarship exploring the affordances, aesthetics and experience of this immersive medium. To begin interrogating the subject of writing for VR, this chapter presents an exploration of concepts drawn from scholars working in the areas of screenwriting, human–computer interaction, game studies and interdisciplinary fields. It concludes by introducing the new scholarship featured in this anthology, Screenwriting for VR: Story, Space and Experience.
VR technologies, which are used in many fields today, have also started to be used in education through the game platforms with the realistic and interactive environments they provide. The 'Following the Traces of Sedad Hakkı Eldem in Istanbul project, developed within the scope of a scientific project jointly carried out by the Architecture and Digital Game Design Departments at the host university, is an architecture-themed documentary game designed for educational purposes. Within the game's scope, three different projects of architect Sedad Hakkı Eldem, whose name is frequently mentioned in the history of the Early Republic period and in the modernization processes, were selected. The game's scenario was developed to perceive these architectural spaces by experience. However, this experience may vary according to the different department users due to their focal points and educational structures. According to this, this study conducted a research with the students at the host university to see how this documentary game was perceived and evaluated by students from two different departments. In order to conduct a comparative research, a questionnaire was directed to the students after their game experience. Especially the results of the third part proved the differences in the students' perceptions of different departments. On the other hand, although students from these two departments revealed some differences in their focus and approach to evaluating the game, the results also showed that the game provided an overall beneficial educational experience.
Much of the excitement about virtual reality and its potential for things like entertainment, art, education, and activism is its ability to generate experiences that are powerfully immersive. However, discussions of VR tend to invoke the notion of immersive experience without subjecting it to closer scrutiny; and discussions often take it for granted that immersive experience is a single unified phenomenon. Against this, we argue that there are four distinct types or aspects of immersive experience that should be distinguished: representational immersion, which corresponds roughly to what is sometimes called “psychological presence”; participatory immersion, which is related to the interactive aspects of VR experience; affective immersion, which has to do with the subject’s emotional relation to the experience; and narrative immersion, which captures the phenomenon of being caught up in the flow of events experienced. We argue that this four-way distinction helps us understand the powerfully immersive character of VR, while also recognizing its continuity with the immersion we experience with media such as novels, films, and music. We also argue that the account of immersion we offer here lets us better understand the connection between VR and empathy, charting a middle course between extreme enthusiasts who view VR as the ultimate “empathy machine” and extreme skeptics who argue that this attitude is misguided.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.