Exploring collaborative approaches: a practice-based study of interactive collaborative storytelling in virtual environments
Chang, Jingyue (2025) Exploring collaborative approaches: a practice-based study of interactive collaborative storytelling in virtual environments. PhD thesis, University for the Creative Arts.
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This study explores how collaborative storytelling can be effectively conducted in virtual environments (VE), with a particular focus on nonlinear and interactive storytelling experiences. By envisioning a collaborative relationship between storytellers and participants, this study introduces creative strategies for co-constructing non-linear collaborative storytelling in VE provided by desktop virtual reality (VR) systems. While much of the existing research explores what and why in understanding and facilitating storytellers and interactors to reshape interactive storytelling, less attention has been given to how storytellers and participants can collaboratively reshape the storytelling process. This study highlights this gap and argues that it can be addressed through accessible, user-friendly, and affordable software and by following certain collaborative practice processes. To address this, the study employs design research and action research methodology to develop a collaborative storytelling work process and approaches in VE. This framework equips storytellers and participants with practical strategies for collaborative interactive storytelling, contributing to both theoretical and applied advancements in the field. A series of practice-based projects (using VE and web platforms) were conducted to test the feasibility of collaborative work and the proposed approaches. To overcome equipment limitations—such as enabling participants without head-mounted displays (HMDs) to engage in collaborative activities—these projects explore alternative methods for participation in VE. The findings demonstrate how participants can collaboratively organize, edit, and expand their story branches.
Thesis submitted in partial requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham.
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