IEEE Spectrum
Cyborg Citizen: Politics in the Posthuman Age
Cyborg Citizen: Politics in the Posthuman Age
Computers as Theatre
Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace
Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace
Narrative as Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Literature and Electronic Media
Narrative as Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Literature and Electronic Media
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This paper examines the gap between optimistic 1990s predictions of "immersive" Virtual Reality and the fact that these systems are not in widespread use today (2007). In particular, Janet Murray's 1997 adoption of the science fiction device "The Holodeck" as a model for compelling interactive narrative is re-examined in light of a decade of digital technology development. Comparison is made between the rise of games as "desktop VR", and the development of other media forms. Alternative definitions of Virtual Reality are discussed as a means of revealing possible technical and societal reasons for the lack of commonplace "immersive" systems. This paper then presents the global changes that might trigger the development of practical 1990s style "immersive" VR for commonplace games and other entertainment systems. The conclusion then examines the technical and cultural feasibility of various possible directions for VR systems design, and calls for a new realization by designers of the limitations they are currently working with.