User engagement in physically embodied narrative experiences

Physically embodied narrative experiences, or stories expressed in media such as Augmented Reality (AR), not only envelop the user perceptually, they attempt to involve the user as an active character in the story. While the ultimate goal for many VR/AR technologists is to induce a sense of presence so that users feel as if they are “there” in the medium [Heeter 1992] or to create the “illusion of nonmediation” [Lombard et al. 1997], this aim fails to recognize the notion of actually engaging the user. I believe there are at least two different complex psychological states at play: presence and engagement, where engagement speaks to a user’s involvement or interest in the content independent of the medium. Many authors have pointed out that engagement does not require presence: someone can be engaged in a book, for example, without being perceptually immersed. However, this raises the complementary question of whether perceptual immersion necessarily leads to deeper engagement. My earlier work suggests users can feel a sense of presence, but actually feel more engaged within a non-immersive interface [1]. So what is the relationship between presence and engagement? What makes a VR or AR narrative experience engaging? In my dissertation I will investigate specific design features in fully-realized narrative experiences to uncover factors that influence engagement. My collaborations with designers and technologists at Georgia Tech led to three physically embodied narratives: Voices of Oakland, an audio tour in an historic site Four Angry Men, an AR narrative with video actors Augmented Reality Facade, an AR interactive drama Each of these experiences places the user/viewer/player in a real physical environment, be it an outdoor historical site or an artificial set. In each case, the user interacts with a rich narrative with story plots and characters, acted out by professional actors. I will be creating modifications of these experiences (specifically, by altering features such as perceptual immersion, agency, and narrative point of view) and assessing how it impacts engagement both positively and negatively. Just as important, I will be looking for elements of meta-play and play styles that are supported or not supported by each modification of the experience. To get traction into the concept of engagement, or more explicitly narrative engagement, I will use a mixed-method approach. Since there are no established measures of user engagement I have gleaned the most germane metrics from prior research on attention, enjoyment, presence and flow. I submit the following as possible, unconfirmed indicators of narrative engagement in physically embodied media: Physically acting out within the context of the story (such as taking a swing at a character) Ability to recall story plots and specific dialogue from the narrative (speaks to implications for learning) Emotional reactions (such as laughing, smirking, etc.) High user ratings of enjoyment, captivation, and interest in the outcome of the story Underestimating the amount of time that passed Limited reactions to distractions outside of the narrative experience Physiological responses, such as increased heart rate and raised galvanic skin response In essence, I am exploring the multi-dimensional concept of narrative engagement by placing people in physically embodied narrative situations and observing them. One expected outcome of my work is a set of design guidelines for future physically embodied narrative experiences.