VR-NaSty - VR character narrator with story based suspense support

Abstract

We describe the VR-NaSty system as well as its evaluation and discuss some implications for the presentation of information. The VR-NaSty is a virtual narrator, which gets its content information enriched with metainformation about a underlying story structure. It uses this information to calculate the expressiveness (or intensity) of its facial expression and its hand gestures. We designed the system to be adaptable to all kind of information presentation - management information systems, tale presentation for children or narration at an exhibition. We describe the evaluation of the system and therefore proof its usefulness. By interpreting the evaluation results we derivate implications for the use of gestures by virtual characters.