Virtual storytelling as narrative potential: Towards an ecology of narrative

Abstract

In this paper virtual storytelling is considered as narrative potential - the integration of agency and narrative. To facilitate this, an aesthetics of VEs is introduced as the context for the analysis of a popular computer role playing game. The game is analysed in terms of Perceptual Opportunities - a content model for virtual environments. From this analysis some inferences are drawn concerning the way in which agency and narrative may be successfully integrated to facilitate virtual storytelling.