Ebook: Virtual Interaction: Interaction in Virtual Inhabited 3D Worlds

Lars Qvortrup The world of interactive 3D multimedia is a cross-institutional world. Here, researchers from media studies, linguistics, dramaturgy, media technology, 3D modelling, robotics, computer science, sociology etc. etc. meet. In order not to create a new tower of Babel, it is important to develop a set of common concepts and references. This is the aim of the first section of the book. In Chapter 2, Jens F. Jensen identifies the roots of interaction and interactivity in media studies, literature studies and computer science, and presents definitions of interaction as something going on among agents and agents and objects, and of interactivity as a property of media supporting interaction. Similarly, he makes a classification of human users, avatars, autonomous agents and objects, demon­ strating that no universal differences can be made. We are dealing with a continuum. While Jensen approaches these categories from a semiotic point of view, in Chapter 3 Peer Mylov discusses similar isues from a psychological point of view. Seen from the user's perspective, a basic difference is that between stage and back-stage (or rather: front-stage), i. e. between the real "I" and "we" and the virtual, representational "I" and "we". Focusing on the computer as a stage, in Chapter 4 Kj0lner and Lehmann use the theatre metaphor to conceptualize the stage phenomena and the relationship between stage and front-stage.

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Virtual Interaction: Interaction in Virtual Inhabited 3D Worlds answers the basic research questions involved in the development of new, user-friendly interfaces. Containing the edited research papers resulting from an ambitious, cross-disciplinary research project, this volume examines the core activity of interfaces: interaction. (Two other volumes look at Space Construction, and Staging.) This book takes the reader all the way from general theories and conceptualisations of interaction aspects of virtual inhabited 3D worlds, through theories of and methods for the design of autonomous agents, ending in specific design methodology considerations and suggestions for management in the multimedia industry.

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Virtual Interaction: Interaction in Virtual Inhabited 3D Worlds answers the basic research questions involved in the development of new, user-friendly interfaces. Containing the edited research papers resulting from an ambitious, cross-disciplinary research project, this volume examines the core activity of interfaces: interaction. (Two other volumes look at Space Construction, and Staging.) This book takes the reader all the way from general theories and conceptualisations of interaction aspects of virtual inhabited 3D worlds, through theories of and methods for the design of autonomous agents, ending in specific design methodology considerations and suggestions for management in the multimedia industry.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Introduction — Welcome into the Interface....Pages 1-18
Front Matter....Pages 19-22
Virtual Inhabited 3D Worlds: Interactivity and Interaction Between Avatars, Autonomous Agents and Users....Pages 23-47
Three Types of Multimedia Interactions — and Beyond....Pages 48-75
Uses of Theatre as Model: Discussing Computers as Theatre — Some Additional Perspectives....Pages 76-93
Front Matter....Pages 95-99
Agents: Dependent Autonomy and Transparent Automatons?....Pages 101-118
Enhancing the Usefulness of Community Chat Rooms: Application of Autonomous Agents....Pages 119-131
Agents as Actors....Pages 132-165
Games and Stories....Pages 166-181
Aspects of Interactive Autonomy and Perception....Pages 182-208
Discussion....Pages 209-213
Front Matter....Pages 215-220
Interacting with a Virtual World Through Motion Capture....Pages 221-234
Linguistic Interaction in Staging — a Language Engineering View....Pages 235-249
Exploiting Recent Research on Dialogue to Model Verbal Communication in Staging....Pages 250-267
Narratives: Different Narratives, Different Theories for Different Media?....Pages 275-291
Front Matter....Pages 269-274
The Limits of Narration....Pages 292-310
Film Theory Meets 3D: A FilmTheoretic Approach to the Design and Analysis of 3D Spaces....Pages 311-328
Shaping Meaning: On Action and Content in Unreal Worlds....Pages 329-344
Constructing the Concept of the “Interactive 3D Documentary” — Film, Drama, Narrative or Simulation?....Pages 345-370
Temporal Logic as a Tool for the Description of the Narrativity of Interactive Multimedia Systems....Pages 371-384
Front Matter....Pages 385-388
Experimental Design of an Interactive Installation....Pages 389-403
Front Matter....Pages 385-388
Using Software Engineering Approaches to Model Dynamics in Interactive Software Systems....Pages 404-421
Managing Narrative Multimedia Production....Pages 422-442
Back Matter....Pages 443-443

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Virtual Interaction: Interaction in Virtual Inhabited 3D Worlds answers the basic research questions involved in the development of new, user-friendly interfaces. Containing the edited research papers resulting from an ambitious, cross-disciplinary research project, this volume examines the core activity of interfaces: interaction. (Two other volumes look at Space Construction, and Staging.) This book takes the reader all the way from general theories and conceptualisations of interaction aspects of virtual inhabited 3D worlds, through theories of and methods for the design of autonomous agents, ending in specific design methodology considerations and suggestions for management in the multimedia industry.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Introduction — Welcome into the Interface....Pages 1-18
Front Matter....Pages 19-22
Virtual Inhabited 3D Worlds: Interactivity and Interaction Between Avatars, Autonomous Agents and Users....Pages 23-47
Three Types of Multimedia Interactions — and Beyond....Pages 48-75
Uses of Theatre as Model: Discussing Computers as Theatre — Some Additional Perspectives....Pages 76-93
Front Matter....Pages 95-99
Agents: Dependent Autonomy and Transparent Automatons?....Pages 101-118
Enhancing the Usefulness of Community Chat Rooms: Application of Autonomous Agents....Pages 119-131
Agents as Actors....Pages 132-165
Games and Stories....Pages 166-181
Aspects of Interactive Autonomy and Perception....Pages 182-208
Discussion....Pages 209-213
Front Matter....Pages 215-220
Interacting with a Virtual World Through Motion Capture....Pages 221-234
Linguistic Interaction in Staging — a Language Engineering View....Pages 235-249
Exploiting Recent Research on Dialogue to Model Verbal Communication in Staging....Pages 250-267
Narratives: Different Narratives, Different Theories for Different Media?....Pages 275-291
Front Matter....Pages 269-274
The Limits of Narration....Pages 292-310
Film Theory Meets 3D: A FilmTheoretic Approach to the Design and Analysis of 3D Spaces....Pages 311-328
Shaping Meaning: On Action and Content in Unreal Worlds....Pages 329-344
Constructing the Concept of the “Interactive 3D Documentary” — Film, Drama, Narrative or Simulation?....Pages 345-370
Temporal Logic as a Tool for the Description of the Narrativity of Interactive Multimedia Systems....Pages 371-384
Front Matter....Pages 385-388
Experimental Design of an Interactive Installation....Pages 389-403
Front Matter....Pages 385-388
Using Software Engineering Approaches to Model Dynamics in Interactive Software Systems....Pages 404-421
Managing Narrative Multimedia Production....Pages 422-442
Back Matter....Pages 443-443
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