Hamlet on the Holodeck Chapter 3

Taking one of Murray’s four principle properties of digital environments, how do you see VR representing that property?

Looking at the property of digital environments being spatial, I think VR represents it perfectly. The very point of Virtual Reality is to present a digital space in the real world, and make us feel as though we are in that space. Murray uses the term “navigable space”, which I think is accurate for VR. The quality of being spatial is determined by our interactions with the space, of navigating it. VR puts you in a space rather than simply telling you about it. There’s a level of objectivity to it, as put by Murray, since everyone would experience the same space, as opposed to if it were being described and would then be open to interpretation.

Murray also mentions “experiential drama” which I think encapsulates the VR experience very well. The point is to be there rather than imagine being there or hearing about it. It’s a direct, active interaction with the environment.

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