Samira Soltani
A Design-Oriented Framework
for Interactive Digital Narrative
in Virtual Reality (Focus on Branching Narrative and Agency)
A moment from Runaway Brains, authored and developed by Samira Soltani.
Project Overview
Role:
Researcher
Year:
May 2022- Jan 2023
Tools:
Quest 2, Unreal, Unreal Marketplace, Adobe Photoshop, Storyboarder, Miro, Zotero, Google Workspace, Canva, CapCut
Link:
Objective:
Developing a design-oriented framework for interactive digitalnarrative (IDN) in virtual reality (VR), focusing on branching narrative and agency.
Introduction:
Available VR storytelling products make the user an observer with no power or choice to change the storyline or the experience details and interact with the environment.
The design-oriented framework in this research proposes how to improve the player’s place from an observer to an interactor and what guidelines the creators can follow for creating a virtual reality experience in this regard.
Background:
This design-oriented framework is applied to a narrative and its Minimum Valuable Product (MVP) to see the challenges of improving the player's place from an observer to an interactor. This research study will contribute to the field in two main aspects. First, the available industry products are analyzed academically to extract a design-oriented framework for interactive digital narrative (IDN), a theoretical contribution to this field. Second, as this design-oriented framework is applied to a narrative for MVP, this research will also contribute to broadening the practical dimensions of interactive digital narrative (IDN) in virtual reality (VR), which is mainly industry-based.
Key Contributions:
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Comprehensive Analysis of Industry Products: I performed a detailed analysis of available industry products, evaluating their design principles and interactivity. This academic analysis laid the groundwork for understanding how existing interactive digital narratives (IDN) function and where they fall short in terms of engaging the user as an active participant.
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Creation of a Design-Oriented Framework for IDN: Based on my analysis, I developed a design-oriented framework specifically for IDN, offering a theoretical model aimed at transforming user engagement. This framework provides a structured approach to shifting the player's role from an observer to an interactor, filling a gap in the current academic landscape for interactive storytelling.
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Narrative Development Aligned with Framework: I crafted an original narrative to demonstrate the framework in action, ensuring it embodied the principles necessary for enhanced interactivity. This narrative served as the basis for implementing the framework, providing a cohesive storyline that supported immersive player interaction.
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MVP Development in a VR Environment: Building upon the narrative, I developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in VR to apply the framework practically. This MVP was developed in Unreal Engine 4.27 and for the Quest 2 headset to test the challenges of enhancing user agency and engagement, translating the theoretical aspects of the framework into practical design elements within a virtual reality setting.
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Bridging Academic and Industry Perspectives: I bridged the gap between academic theory and industry practice by integrating an academically developed framework with practical application in VR. This dual approach fosters a comprehensive understanding of VR IDN, encouraging further dialogue and collaboration between academic and industry professionals.
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Authoring a Research Paper on Analysis and Framework: I authored a research paper that presents my findings on industry product analysis and introduces the design-oriented framework. This paper contributes a theoretical perspective to the field, providing a scholarly foundation for understanding and enhancing interactivity within digital narratives in virtual reality.
Workflow:
1. Literature Review, Analysis and Development of the Design-Oriented Framework
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Goal: Establish a theoretical foundation for interactive digital narratives (IDN) in VR and understand current industry practices.
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Process:
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Review Academic Literature: I reviewed the literature on interactive digital narratives, VR as a medium, and digital media affordances, focusing on theories of agency and user interactivity. Key debates, such as narratology vs. ludology, provided foundational insights for understanding interactivity within narrative structures.
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Analyze Industry Products: I examined VR and branching narrative products, such as The Key, The Book of Distance, and Bandersnatch, to assess how they implement agency and interactivity. This analysis highlighted where users remain passive and how different media address player agency.
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Synthesis and Framework Development: By integrating insights from academic literature and industry analysis, I identified key design patterns to enhance user engagement in IDN. These findings were then organized into a cohesive, design-oriented framework, outlining principles and steps to transition players from passive observers to active participants. This framework serves as a theoretical contribution, providing guidance for developing IDN in VR contexts.
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2. Narrative Development Aligned with the Framework
Goal: Create a narrative that exemplifies the framework’s design principles, allowing players to engage as active participants.
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Process:
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Storyline Creation: I mapped out decision points, branching paths, and choice types aligned with the design-oriented framework, using the Cycle(s) of Conflict model. Key choices, like “fight or help,” impact the storyline, while others enrich the experience without altering the main plot.
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Character and World-Building: Three main characters and an immersive village setting were created to reinforce the player's role as an active participant. Dialogue and environmental details enhance the story's depth, making players feel integrated into the world.
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Integrating Player Agency: Each choice is irreversible, preventing players from returning and adding weight to every decision. This structure emphasizes commitment, allowing players to create a unique, personal version of the narrative.
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Storyboard for the MVP Path (R): The MVP focuses on the “R” path, where players witness soldiers approaching the village. Through dialogue, they learn about the king’s intentions, setting up immersive choices that allow players to influence the story’s unfolding.
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3. MVP Development in Unreal Engine
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Goal: Build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in Unreal Engine to test and apply the design-oriented framework in a VR setting.
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Process:
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Set Up Unreal Engine Environment: I set up the development environment in Unreal Engine, choosing assets and tools to create the VR space based on the narrative’s setting. I utilized VR plugins and tools to enhance user interactivity,
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Implement Narrative Elements: Key narrative elements were programmed within the environment, including dialogue, interaction points, and choice-driven events. Each interaction is designed to reinforce the player's role as an active participant, consistent with the framework.
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Designing for Immersion and Interactivity: Using Unreal Engine’s capabilities, I incorporated immersive visual and auditory cues that respond dynamically to player actions. For example, the scene might change based on the player’s choices, or characters might react differently, giving immediate feedback on the player’s impact on the narrative.
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4. Evaluation, Reflection and Documenting finding
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Goal: Assess the effectiveness of the framework and MVP in achieving the research goals.
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Process:
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Framework Evaluation: I evaluated the success of the framework in guiding narrative development for VR, identifying areas for improvement or refinement.
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Documenting Findings: Finally, I documented the study's findings, noting insights into player engagement, interaction challenges, and framework effectiveness. This reflection serves as feedback for refining the framework and guiding future research.
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Challenges & Solutions:
Challenge: Lack of Cohesive Language in IDN Theories and Concepts
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Explanation: Interactive digital narrative (IDN) draws from various disciplines, leading to inconsistent terminology and making it challenging to follow debates across different academic and professional backgrounds.
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Solution: I navigated this challenge by referring to foundational texts (e.g., Koenitz et al., 2020) and consolidating definitions to create a consistent framework for my study. This approach ensured clarity and consistency in my research.
Challenge: Technical Difficulties with Software and Limited Programming Knowledge
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Explanation: With no prior programming experience, implementing the VR project in Unreal Engine was challenging, especially creating a branching narrative from scratch without a team.
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Solution: I leveraged my background in journalism and storytelling to craft the narrative and dedicated time to learning Unreal Engine over six months. Additionally, I utilized online tutorials and resources to overcome technical obstacles as they arose.
Challenge: Single-Researcher Limitation in Creating Complex VR MVP
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Explanation: The VR projects analyzed in this study were developed by teams of industry professionals, which enriched their production quality. Attempting to create a branching VR experience as a solo researcher meant a limited scope compared to industry-grade projects.
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Solution: The MVP was positioned as an exploratory prototype to showcase the potential of the design-oriented framework rather than compete with professionally developed VR products. This allowed the focus to remain on illustrating the framework’s principles effectively.
Challenge: Difficulty in Identifying VR Projects with Desired Features of Agency and Branching
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Explanation: Finding VR projects that showcased specific features like agency and branching was challenging due to the lack of precise tags in VR stores like Oculus.
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Solution: I played multiple VR experiences to assess their suitability for analysis, ultimately selecting projects that aligned best with the study’s objectives. This hands-on approach allowed for a more informed selection despite the tagging limitations.
Challenge: Complexity of Analyzing Computational and Dynamic Elements of VR Projects
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Explanation: VR projects often use dynamic elements that change based on user interactions, unlike static print media, making them difficult to analyze consistently. For instance, choices in Bandersnatch or Altdeus vary based on interaction history, which can complicate analysis.
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Solution: To address this, I tracked interaction histories and used online resources to verify branching paths, ensuring a thorough understanding of how choices impact narrative development. This approach helped manage the variable nature of computational narratives.
Future Work:
Future work could include user studies on projects using this design-oriented framework to assess satisfaction and prioritize elements in VR narratives. Research could also explore accessibility in branched VR storytelling and the integration of artificial intelligence, such as machine vision and speech recognition, to enhance interactor-centered experiences. Additionally, memory could be used as a narrative tool in VR, allowing interactors to carry past choices that influence future story elements, creating dynamic, personalized storylines.