The intersection of narrative, hypertext, and mixed reality is an exciting frontier in the world of digital storytelling and interactive experiences. During the ACM Hypertext 2023 conference this year, two esteemed consortium members, Dr. Charlie Hargood from Bournemouth University and Prof. David Millard from the University of Southampton, organised a workshop that delved into this innovative and timely topic. The workshop, known as NHT23 (Narrative and Hypertext ’23), brought together researchers and practitioners to explore “Mixed Reality Narrative Hypertext” in the context of the LoGaCulture project.
About the workshop
NHT23 took place on Tuesday morning, September 5th 2023, with the physical workshop being hosted at the conference venue Villino Stroganoff in Via Gregoriana 22, just across the road from the Hertzian Library.
The workshop’s primary goal was to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together individuals from both the humanities and technological communities. This alignment with the LoGaCulture project’s ethos of blending narrative and technology made it an ideal platform for discussing state-of-the-art research on narrative from technical and aesthetic perspectives.
This year’s theme, “Mixed Reality Hypertext,” was chosen to align with the growing interest in immersive and interactive storytelling experiences that combine elements of the physical and digital worlds. The workshop featured keynote speakers who are experts in this field and encouraged submissions related to mixed reality narrative. However, NHT23 remained open to a broader range of topics within the hypertext narrative domain.
The workshop invited submissions that contributed to the broader conversation within the field, including but not limited to models of narrative, systems for presenting narratives, adaptive and personalized narratives, narrative analysis, narrative generation, and more. This inclusive approach allowed for a rich and diverse set of discussions.
LoGaCulture and NHT23: A Synergy of Ideas
The LoGaCulture project’s exploration of how narratives can be enhanced and enriched through technology finds a fitting synergy with the themes of NHT23. As the project delves into mixed reality and interactive digital narratives, the workshop provided an ideal platform to exchange ideas, collaborate, and explore the frontiers of narrative and hypertext in the digital age.
NHT23 served as a testament to the commitment of researchers like Dr. Charlie Hargood and Prof. David Millard in advancing the field of narrative and hypertext. Their dedication to providing an open interdisciplinary forum for discussion has undoubtedly contributed to the growth and evolution of this exciting field.
As we look to the future, the intersection of narrative, hypertext, and mixed reality promises to yield even more captivating and immersive storytelling experiences. NHT23 was a significant step in this direction, and it is poised to inspire further research and innovation in the years to come.