Interaction

Another narrative area worth discussing is interaction. In augmented reality, the virtual elements are supposed to appear as coexisting with the real world. While physically moving and looking around in the environment the user naturally becomes a part of the narrative setting. Now, if the virtual auditory world fails to react to the user, the experience may become a '3D radio play', making the user an unnoticeable ghost to the virtual subjects. While these kinds of fixed stories are perfectly okay, adding interactive elements may enhance the immersion.

This page is still a work in progress.

When the user makes an action prompted by the narrative (e.g. a character's instruction) a sound or vocal feedback can be played. That potentially helps the user feel comfortable and focus on the story instead of thinking about whether their action was registered and whether it was right or wrong.

User's movements in the space, head direction, hand gestures, etc, can make the virtual characters or objects react. The reaction can be a change in the behaviour of a character, progression of the story, disturbance in the soundscape, you name it. The idea is to make the virtual world, the story, and its subjects appear as living and aware of the user, consequently making the user feel more like part of the story.

Even without programmed interactivity, the virtual characters and subjects can address the user and make them feel noticed, consequently potentially enhancing the immersion. For example, a virtual character could say '…or what do you think?' between their monologue, or 'Let me look at you. You look so stylish. '

How to direct and guide the user to navigate within the performance space? Instead of using a 'god voice' giving straight directions, sounds embedded in the environment can arouse user's interest and thus invite them to explore new areas or move to a narratively meaningful zone, or go back to an already visited area. Some examples of inviting, guiding sounds:

• telephone ringing in another room
• faint chatter or whisper coming from a ventilation shaft
• character addressing the user from distance ('Hey, come over here!')
• acousmatic sounds passing the user and moving towards a new area

Building on the previous concept, the story could feature a character who regularly assists the user when they are unsure of the next steps, akin to hint-giving or companion NPCs (non-player characters) in video games. This character might communicate exclusively from an adjacent room, perhaps through a window, via intercom, or in another manner that prevents the user from actually 'seeing' the helper. This could help preserve a sense of realism and plausibility, making it more believable that the character truly exists.

A non-interactive scene where the player is a fly on the wall. A '3D audio play'. A possibility to walk away from the bubble (and walk back in). The scene may start with simple interaction (e.g. scene starts when player sits down or peeks through a hole).

Similar to audio bubbles in their non-interactivity, but not as narrative, and the player cannot walk away.

A character talks to the player and comments or describes something happening in the room, e.g. another player's actions or something outside a window. Character's speech/behaviour is affected by the action, but otherwise the scene is not interactive.

The described event can also be invisible, in which case the character gets the role of a narrator.

While a character is talking to the player, every now and then she activates the player with small interactive 'tasks' (e.g. 'Please, lean closer and let me smell your parfume…').

Scene is based on interaction, e.g. a character asking the player to move and participate for some story-driven purpose.