Abstract
We observe that a Mixed Reality Performance called Better Than Life gave rise to novel dramaturgical and ludic possibilities that have not been observed elsewhere. Mixed Reality Performance is an emergent genre that takes many forms, in this case a live experience for a small group of physical participants (PP) and a larger group of online participants (OP). Both groups were offered individual and collective interactions that altered the narrative in real time. A mixed methodology approach to data generated during the performance has identified two key moments where both physical and online participant groups are split into many subgroups by ongoing live events. These events cause tensions that affect the trajectories of participants that make up their experience. Drawing on literary, theatre, cinema and digital game criticism we suggest that the possibilities for engagement in Mixed Reality Performance are exponentially greater than those available to previous media.
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Notes
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- 2.
The Adventure Game BBCTV, UK 1980.
- 3.
Knightmare ITV, UK 1987.
- 4.
The Last Remake of Beau Geste. Marty Feldman, Universal Pictures, US (1977).
- 5.
A Nightmare on Elm St. Wes Craven, New Line Cinema, US (1984).
- 6.
Alan Wake. Remedy Entertainment, Finland ( 2010).
- 7.
In the UK, a traditional Xmas panto is a theatre show invariably including a sequence where the villain appears behind the hero, prompting the audience to cry out “he’s behind you!” The hero turns but the villain has hidden. The hero berates the audience for interrupting, then the sequence is repeated.
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Donald, N., Gillies, M. (2015). Novel Dramatic and Ludic Tensions Arising from Mixed Reality Performance as Exemplified in Better Than Life. In: Schoenau-Fog, H., Bruni, L., Louchart, S., Baceviciute, S. (eds) Interactive Storytelling. ICIDS 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9445. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27036-4_28
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