Virtual Environments and the Varieties of Interactive Experience in Information and Communication Technologies

Abstract

The development of virtual reality (VR) has seen a proliferation of technologies and applications This paper argues that the types of experience which VR systems currently provide are closely linked to the kinds of expectations which users bring to them and to the context in which they are used This can be shown by examining the experience of one particular virtual environment in detail (in this case, the multi-user Virtuality game Legend Quest) in order to highlight the fact that there are a number of factors which shape the experience of virtual worlds Much can be gained in this case by identifyng how the user, from a subjective viewpoint, experiences the sense of 'presence', the awareness of another user, and the mode of navigation Although research in these areas is still at an early stage, a comparison with research into the uses of other information and communication technologies suggests that valuable clues about interaction with virtual environments can be gained from systematic investigation and comparison of the context, both social and technical, in which the experience of VR systems is embedded - with important implications for future VR development