Circulation and Narrative in a Virtual Environment

Taking the notion of narrative space as a point of departure, this paper looks into possibilities of ‘spatializing narrative’ in virtual environments based on natural walking. One way to approach the workings of narrative space in virtual environments is through the lens of circulation. In ‘real-world’ architectural environments, the circulation space consists of multiple elements that program movement through space, connect spaces in a sequence, and direct the gaze. These circulation elements carry an expressive potential that can be brought into use in the design of narrative spaces. Circulation principles from ‘real-world’ architecture, however, do not readily translate to virtual environments. In a virtual environment, the notion of circulation itself needs revisiting. This paper examines to what extent, and how circulation principles come into play in an immersive narrative game called Lavrynthos. It examines the tactics that were used to create a continuous circulation space and assesses how circulation is brought into use in the narrative of the game. It identifies several ways in which the circulation space is deployed as a narrative device. The paper, finally, describes a dynamic wherein the circulation space changes as the player moves through the environment, opening up in the direction of movement. This spatial dynamic produces a range of creative possibilities for designing immersive narrative spaces based on natural walking.