Storytelling and VR: Inducing emotions through AI characters

Abstract

Recent forms of virtual reality (VR) have changed the way people interact with moving images in the entertainment and the games industry, as well as the way the content is created. Technological advances in VR have given an opportunity to create simulated environments that users can immerse themselves in, and sense almost as a real experience by combining film techniques and interactive media approaches. Storytelling in VR presents various challenges due to the spatial properties of the medium. Research suggests that engaging Non-Player Characters (NPCs) enhance storytelling and can do so by communicating emotions. Most VR war experiences use the concept of morale and emotions applied to a group of soldiers or individual characters. To address the need for more believable AI characters in VR, this project will investigate how emotions can be communicated more effectively in a VR war application. VR companies are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies to develop a stronger ecosystem for NPCs. However, there are still significant number of limitations in terms of technology and immersive storytelling for VR with characters and props paying significant role for creating convincing VR experiences. This project will therefore aim to enhance storytelling in VR by inducing emotions through AI characters in a war environment inspired by realistic events from WWII.