A story environment is a physical, adaptive, augmented 3D reality

3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...

 or virtual space that can become host to narrative

Narrative

A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...

s. Distinct from a story world, these environments can be in close proximity and even overlapping, and may have quite different narrative themes. The stories may be heavily scripted, or be created and shared by the space's users.

A story environment has potentially five levels:

Level 1 - Shared

Inhabitants create their own stories and shared mythology

Mythology

The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...

 in a non specific narrative space.

Level 2 - Seeded

Catalyst writer/actor role plays and brings others into their story world in a generic narrative space

Level 3 - Influenced

1. Static - The environment is rich but only communicates in a visual static way
2. Living - The environment speaks to the participant, a monologue
   Monologue
   In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
   
   , pushes story at the participant e.g.; ghosts, residual lives, placed signage etc.:
3. Dynamic - The participant has a dialogue with the environment which responds to most things they do. E.g.: objects and bots
   Chatterbot
   A chatter robot, chatterbot, chatbot, or chat bot is a computer program designed to simulate an intelligent conversation with one or more human users via auditory or textual methods, primarily for engaging in small talk. The primary aim of such simulation has been to fool the user into thinking...
   
    respond to chat

Level 4 - Character

Environments that are richly rendered

Rendering (computer graphics)

Rendering is the process of generating an image from a model , by means of computer programs. A scene file contains objects in a strictly defined language or data structure; it would contain geometry, viewpoint, texture, lighting, and shading information as a description of the virtual scene...

 with strong back-stories and require the participant to improvise around a range character definitions with others who are also role playing.

1. Improvised - human
2. Non-player characters are key role players

Level 5 - Scripted

The most passive where the participant inhabits a scripted part using two methods depending on the technology

1. Automatically animating the participant and talking for the participant with others (automated) in group scenes
2. The participant delivers a pre-set script as actor

External links

• Laboratory for Advanced Media Production Definitions
• IBM Physically Interactive Story Environments
• Hamlet on the Holodeck