ADAPTING STAGE PLAY TO VIRTUAL REALITY COMICS

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

150

Abstract: The digital revolution has given rise to hybrid mediums and a digital culture

constructed through new communication technologies. This has created opportunities

for sequential storytelling to expand from its conventional form towards immersive

mediums. Comics, conventionally developed in codex book form, are currently exper-

imenting with new media tools, where screens often replace pages. This phenomenon

is considered the meta-panel, which has the exibility to take any form, shape, or size.

Virtual reality comics can immerse viewers in unique ways such as immersion in a

360-degree space, ambisonic sound, motion, and interaction with the content. Studies

suggest that cinematic virtual reality and stage plays have several similarities, such

as long takes, exaggeration in performance, and the viewers being located at a con-

siderable distance from the performance. Therefore, designing for virtual reality can

benet from stage methods. This study experiments with the adaptation of theatrical

storytelling into comics. This paper adopts a practice-based research method to devel-

op a virtual reality comic, The Great Golden Gang. This paper includes a discussion on

the design process for developing such a virtual reality comic. To test the engagement

of the virtual reality comic, Chapter One was previewed by selected participants using

head-mounted displays. A participant survey demonstrates the viewer’s readiness for

virtual reality comics and suggests the potential of hybrid mediums of a stage play,

comics, and virtual reality. The Great Golden Gang is an example of the meta-panel

and highlights the potential of virtual reality to contribute to new ways of experiencing

the stage and comics.

Keywords: stay-play adaptation; virtual reality; immersive comics; visual narra-

tive.

Received December. 06, 2023; Revised December. 18, 2023, Accepted December. 26, 2023.

Introduction

The digital revolution has provided a

platform full of possibilities, such as aug-

mented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR),

and virtual reality (VR), which gives sto-

rytellers an innite canvas to experiment

with and explore its potential beyond one’s

imagination. The Virtual Reality Comics

(VRC) titled: The Great Golden Gang is

the result of one such experiment in VR

undertaken by adopting practice-based

research to explore the adaptation of

stage play to virtual reality comics (VRC).

This paper discusses the conceptualiza-

tion and production processes followed to

design the narrative experience in virtual

reality.

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Ved Sanjay Waliokar is a student of Visual Commu-

nication at The Department of Design Indian Institute

of Technology, Hyderabad.

Delwyn Jude Remedios is an Assistant Professor at

The Department of Design Indian Institute of Tech-

nology, Hyderabad.

e-mail : [email protected]

e-mail: [email protected]

Ultimart: Visual Communication

Journal Vol 16 No. 2, December 2023

ISSN: 1979 - 0716, e-ISSN 2615-8124

Faculty of Art and Design

Universitas Multimedia Nusantara

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

151

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Whether it’s a stage play, lm, or

graphic narrative, storytelling is a medi-

um of communicating with its audience,

Storytelling has been shaped by the ef-

fects of the dominant communication

technologies of its age. As a reection of

this dominance, comic books have created

opportunities for sequential storytelling

to expand from its conventional form to-

wards new immersive mediums.

This introduction of new technology

has not only given rise to a new storytell-

ing landscape but has also broadened the

concept of co-authorship, thereby push-

ing the boundaries of sequential storytell-

ing in an ever-evolving digital culture.

In the new technological collabora-

tion, traditional elements such as sequen-

tial pictures and speech balloons featuring

motion and interactivity are also integrat-

ed. For instance, in the experimental VR

Comics (VRC) titled “The Great Golden

Gang,” these components were realized

through the use of minimal animation

for transitions. This approach involved

displaying close-up shots following a pan

view, accompanied by speech bubbles

presented one after the other to advance

the narration.

Comic books which were convention-

ally developed in codex book form are

now open to being reinvented with new

media tools. The codex book form brings a

new formula: “Print, though, presented a

landscape of tiny cul-de-sacs, asking read-

ers to leap to new paths every few panels

based on a complex protocol” (McCloud,

2000, 220).

In contrast to the xed pages of a tra-

ditional codex book, a computer monitor

serves as a dynamic window, oering an

expansive canvas, as articulated by Mc-

Cloud (2000, 222). McCloud also delves

into the concept of interactivity within

digital comics, highlighting the myriad

possibilities for engagement with se-

quential art in a digital context, whether

it involves choosing a narrative path, un-

covering hidden content, or zooming in

on specic details (2000, 229). This shift

from physical pages to screens ushers in a

novel notion of the meta-panel, as eluci-

dated by Will Eisner

The meta-panel can take the form of

various sizes and layouts within a single

scene. (Eisner, 1990), This was achieved

in VR Comics (VRC) The Great Golden

Gang, using small frames for close-up

shots along with pan shots in the back-

grounds all in a single scene.

Comics have existed inside the shell

of print for hundreds of years, now shift-

ing from print to new digital formats

such as motion comics, interactive com-

ics, hyper-comics, comic-based games,

webcomics, and even virtual reality. This

study explores the potential of comics

adapted from stage play to virtual reali-

ty. To understand more about the estab-

lished media of stage play and comics,

this study examines the advantages and

limitations of each medium.

Pros and Cons of Stage Play and

Comics

The purpose of any medium of com-

munication is to convey ideas, regardless

of their apparent dierences. Whether it

is a memory, a philosophy, or a story, the

goal is to transmit concepts. In the world

of art, the unique methods that are select-

ed to convey concepts contribute to its

overall retention. Stage play and comics

are both mediums of communication that

have their strengths and weaknesses.

The key dierence between comics

and stage plays as communication medi-

ums lies in their composition. Comics are

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

152

composed of hand-drawn or digital draw-

ings, while later ones consist of real-life

objects and human beings. Though both

are capable of storytelling, their methods

of presentation vary. Comics convey sto-

ries through sequential panels, allowing

for the simultaneous depiction of multiple

actions in dierent locations. This juxta-

position of panels can connect stories in

a way that is unique to comics For exam-

ple, “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” (2020)

started as a comic book series before be-

coming a movie. The lm used comic book

techniques, like showing three-way pan-

els, to display the relationships between

the main characters all at once. Perform-

ing this narrative in a stage play would

oer its challenges.

Stage plays and comics employ vastly

dierent storytelling tools. A stage play

can depict various scenes, even in dier-

ent locations, all within a single stage ob-

served by the viewer from a distance, de-

manding considerable imagination from

the viewer. In contrast, Comics can con-

vey motion with simplicity by adding extra

lines, exaggerating expressions, and hav-

ing the exibility to utilize various angles

and close-up views, which makes comics

a potent medium when compared to stage

plays, which are often constrained to sin-

gle-angle perspective. (Celebi, Y. 2015,

July 6).

Chang (2016) mentions that stage plays

use a variety of acting and lighting tech-

niques to guide where the viewer should

look, and incorporate open body position

and gesture more with dynamic horizon-

tal and vertical character movements.

Furthermore, similar to stage plays, the

use of exaggerated character gestures,

expressions, and eective line strokes in

graphic narratives helps to guide readers’

attention to where and what they should

observe.

Taking into account these dierences

and advantages, adapting stage plays into

graphic narratives could bring to light

new aspects of the story, such as expres-

sions and thrilling moments. It oers the

potential to add more details to the story

that might have been missed or not high-

lighted during a live stage performance.

For these reasons, the interplay between

the stage and the graphic narrative is in-

triguing, oering numerous creative pos-

sibilities and exciting interpretations. As

both mediums evolve and push boundar-

ies, the future of storytelling oers new

ways to experience a variety of possibili-

ties. When venturing into Virtual Reality

Comics (VRC), it is crucial to have a solid

understanding of cinematic techniques,

and storytelling is essential for creating

compelling virtual reality comics. The fol-

lowing section examines the possibilities

of comics in cinematic virtual reality.

The Potential of Comics in Cinemat-

ic Virtual Reality

When creating a Virtual Reality Com-

ic (VRC), it’s essential to grasp the tech-

niques and limitations involved in pro-

ducing a 360-degree lm. VRC combines

the features and methods of Cinematic

VR, presenting a more immersive and

interactive experience to its viewers. To

explore eective storytelling in Cinematic

VR, it’s important not to overlook tradi-

tional storytelling mediums like lm and

stage plays, as the transfer of skills from

these mediums is evident in the early at-

tempts at VR storytelling.

From a comic artist’s perspective,

the innite canvas of the digital medi-

um oers liberation. This stands in con-

trast to the constraints of printed comics,

which limit viewer-driven engagement

compared to recent digital platforms.

The actor’s body language, such as an

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

153

open body position, prolonged orientation

towards the viewer, and exaggerated body

movements and gestures, become critical

components that are also incorporated

in Cinematic VR, just as they are in tra-

ditional stage play practice. In contrast, a

360-degree virtual reality video allows the

viewer to look wherever and at anything

they like, whenever they like, further en-

hancing their sense of immersion.

Virtual reality (VR) is distinct from

traditional cinema since the user watches

360-degree video while wearing a headset.

The viewer is no longer a passive observ-

er, staring at a two-dimensional screen;

instead, they are fully immersed in the

action. This means the spectator assumes

the role of narrator and actively partic-

ipates in the story by selecting the focus

of their attention. This way of perceiving

stories diers from the authoritarian ap-

proach of traditional lmmaking.

Perspective is one aspect that drasti-

cally shifts when moving from a 2D vid-

eo to an immersive medium. Instead of

looking at a at, rectangular screen, the

spectator in an immersive media becomes

part of the action. Virtual reality puts the

viewer in charge of the narrative, giving

them control over what they see and how

they interpret it. It’s a big change in how

viewers participate in stories, from being

on the sidelines to being integral parts of

the action. Wooksang (2016) suggests that

cinematic virtual reality and stage plays

have a few similarities such as long takes

and exaggerated acting. Therefore, de-

signing for virtual reality can benet from

stage methods. Table 1. summarizes the

similarities and dierences between stage

play, comics, and VR comics.

Table 1. Similarities in the mediums that are helpful

while creating VR Comic

Considering all these advantages and

limitations, these mediums have raised

the question:

1. What factors should be consid-

ered in adapting a stage play to a VR

Comic?

2. What is the viewer experience of

the VR comic, The Great Golden Gang?

Methodology

Comics, a form of sequential art,

narrates stories through multiple pan-

els. While creating a traditional comic it

contains elements like symbols, frames,

panels, and icons. These frames can be

presented as a single entity or a sequence

of interconnected frames, weaving a nar-

rative. When these components come

together, they shape a visual narrative

where the whole denes its appearance.

Therefore, when crafting a virtual reality

comic, it’s essential to incorporate these

elements in a manner that remains famil-

iar to the reader to avoid any confusion

with virtual reality comics or animated

lms.

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

154

Figure 1. Sketch in Equirectangular Projection Grid

(Source: Research Documentation)

icant emphasis was given to the imagina-

tive part while drafting the perspective.

This included determining where the

characters would be placed, at what dis-

tance, and their positions, considering

the horizon and the location of vanishing

points on the left and right sides of the

360-degree environment.

A practice-based research method that

emphasizes the creation of tangible arti-

facts as a means of inquiry was adopted

to create virtual reality comics as part of

the experiment to adapt theatrical story-

telling into a comic. This research method

allows us to explore and address questions

through the process of making, doing, or

creating, with the resulting artistic work

serving as a central component of the re-

search output.

This approach recognizes that the

act of creating something can be a valu-

able form of research, providing insights,

knowledge, and understanding that may

not be as eectively conveyed through tra-

ditional academic writing. An old Marathi

play titled The Great Golden Gang, writ-

ten by the renowned Marathi playwright

Ratnakar Matkari, was selected for this

experimental VRC. This play was selected

based on suspense in the narrative and the

vibrant settings which were suitable for

exploring immersion in VR comics.

Discussion

Adapting The Great Golden Gang

into a VR Comic

The plot of the play revolves around

two teenage brothers named Vikram and

Raman, as well as their orphaned friend

Sudkya. They refer to themselves as the

leaders of their three-member gang,

known as The Great Golden Gang. Their

rst team mission leads them to visit their

village graveyard, where they witness

something that forever changes their lives.

Initially, all the main characters in

the story were designed, and according-

ly, character sheets were prepared. For

drafting the virtual comic, an equirectan-

gular projection grid was used. In addition

to the illustration sketching skills, signif-

The traditional method of producing

comics has been through print, which is

immobile. They imply movement with

things like motion lines. Therefore, in the

case of VRC, the medium is very interac-

tive and can use animation and sound ef-

fects while creating new forms of sequen-

tial storytelling.

Comic-like animation in VRC is not

achieved by the use of animation loops.

Instead, this kind of animation contrib-

utes to established comic book standards

by emphasizing the importance of the

moving line. The story stays as true to the

comic book medium as feasible through

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Figure 2. Equirectangular projection grid, adapted for

the VR Comic “The Great Golden Gang.”

(Source: Research Documentation)

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

155

the use of still images and speech balloons

to move the plot using animation to pro-

duce smooth transitions between frames.

Instead of using movement to get the point

through, the focus is on static images with

explanatory text in speech bubbles. To en-

sure the user has a seamless experience

exploring the conversations taking place

in the 360-degree environment, we took

into account the codex book format while

positioning the speech bubbles.

When creating scenes for a 360-de-

gree viewing experience, it is vital to con-

sider that the viewer can move 360 de-

grees around the room simply by moving

their head or body and also the amount

of time viewers might spend in various

areas of the space. It’s important to note

that not all directions around the viewer

carry equal importance. This 360-degree

space can be divided into three main parts

based on the viewer’s position, as depicted

in Fig. 3: the primary front area, the rear

area (typically situated on the extreme

right and left sides of the viewer), and the

blind spot (mostly located at the back of

the viewer).

Viewers tend to concentrate more on

what was within the front zone, the 180-de-

gree area in front of them, and were less

likely to pay attention to objects or details

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Figure 3. Area division based on time spent by the

viewer in 360-degree space.

(Source: Research Documentation)

in the rear zone, which required them to

turn their heads signicantly. The blind

spot was where viewers were most likely

to overlook or miss important elements,

even if they were relevant to the narrative.

To mitigate eective staging and directing

cues, this can also be employed to encour-

age viewers to explore the rear zone, but

it is still preferable to place all essential

elements in the front zone. Consequent-

ly, while crafting this VR comic all char-

acter movements were positioned within

the 180-degree frontal area. Speech bub-

bles and close-up, medium, and full-pan

frames with exaggerated expressions and

gestures, were also strategically placed in

the front area as the viewer in VR Com-

ics has the unique ability to traverse the

Z-axis close-up frames (Fig. 4) ensuring

that viewers are immersed in the virtual

space did not miss any important events.

This dynamic exploration is entirely un-

der the control of the viewer, with no in-

put from the creator.

Figure 4. A Headset View Scene

(Source: Research Documentation)

One of the biggest problems with

360-degree video is that viewers could

be too enamored with the environment

to pay attention to the plot, leading to

FOMO (fear of missing out) and a lack of

investment in the tale as a result. Design

features like brush strokes, colors, and

lighting can be especially useful in virtual

reality comics.

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

156

Lighting draws the eye with contrast-

ing levels of illumination. Furthermore,

the hue and intensity of lighting xtures

improve one’s disposition. This method of

directing the viewer’s gaze initially made

its way from real-world theatres to com-

puter-generated settings. Directing the

reader’s attention in virtual reality com-

ics is made easier with the use of lighting,

blackout, or color eects.

One of the primary benets of creating

virtual reality comics is the incorporation

of sound eects and narration into graph-

ical storytelling. The addition of back-

ground music and narration enhances the

viewer’s immersive experience, similar

to that of watching a lm or a stage play,

which would not have been possible in tra-

ditional printed comic books.

Sound in VR can not only enhance the

viewing experience but also aid in naviga-

tion. The viewer can identify the source of

the sounds and direct their attention to

them. In VR, narration or voice-over can

help the viewer naturally understand the

entire story even if they are looking else-

where.

With all of these considerations in

mind, the nal draft of The Great Golden

Gang, Chapter One, was prepared with

text bubbles, various frames, sound ef-

fects, and voice-overs, ready to test the

eectiveness of this experimental design.

In addition, as is typical while watching

360-degree videos, test viewers sat down.

We found that seated audiences paid the

most attention to the front, which is where

the focus should have been all along. They

were also less curious than usual.

In this conguration, the spectator

watches a 360-degree lm while seated in

a swivel chair and outtted with a virtu-

al reality headset. The spectator can spin

across 360 degrees by turning both the

chair and their entire body. It provides

greater ease and comfort than simply

turning their neck. The swivel chair indi-

cates the possibility of rotation and serves

as a pivot point for smoother rotation.

When compared to standing and viewing,

the swivel chair method improves overall

comfort and safety.

Observation

To improve comprehension and guar-

antee the achievement of accurate results,

the success of this project is dependent

on external observations and construc-

tive input from third parties. Participants

used VR headsets to see 360-degree video

excerpts of an experimental stage perfor-

mance based on the VR comic The Great

Golden Gang, Chapter One.

Changing the perspective of the au-

dience from passive observers to active

participants and from standard screen-

based media to immersive media neces-

sitates allowing the audience to decide

for themselves what they want to see. The

primary goal of this research is to exam-

ine how well people respond to virtual

reality comics to determine the viability

of combining them with live theatre and

computer-generated imagery.

Subjective evaluations looked at how

involved people were with the material,

Figure 5. Utilizing light and contrast to direct the

user’s attention towards the scene.

(Source: Research Documentation)

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

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Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

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how much fun they had, and how well

the interface worked. 20 participants

volunteered for the face-to-face inter-

views in a comfortable environment (8

females, 12 males) at the Indian Institute

of Technology, Hyderabad. These par-

ticipants had areas of interest in visual

design (like illustration, comics, anima-

tion, and painting) and performing arts

(like dance and drama). They ranged in

age from 19 to 26. They claimed varying

degrees of familiarity with virtual reality

and 360-degree video. Nine of the twenty

participants had either never used VR or

had only done so a handful of times in the

previous 12 months, while one reported

using VR daily for schoolwork. Ten out of

twenty claimed to have never experienced

a 360-degree video. 14 out of 20 partici-

pants mentioned their interest in comics

as readers, like manga, Detective Comics,

Marvel, and some Indian comics like Cha-

cha Chaudhary, Champak, Chintu, and

Tinkle comics. 4 participants had never

read comic books but had only been ex-

posed to printed comic strips in newspa-

pers like Henry, Calvin, and Hobbies, and

2 participants reported being active comic

content creators.

During the experiment, individual

participants viewed the 360-degree videos

wearing an Irusu VR Plus Headset with

Headphones, a 40-mm High Denition

lens for mobiles with an interpupillary

distance (IPD) adjustment, Built-In ad-

justable headphones with a connector, an

adjustable headband, and a touch button,

ensuring smooth playback of 4K videos

for experiencing the immersive world.

When the participants nished watch-

ing the experience, they were requested

to remove the head-mounted device and

participate in a semi-structured interview

using the following prompts:

1. Can you provide an objective over-

view of the entire experience?

2. What specic aspect of the video

left the strongest impression on you?

3. In your opinion, which medium—a

VR headset or a regular TV—is more suit-

able for experiencing this type of content

in the future?

4. Are there any additional observa-

tions or insights you would like to share?

The interview revealed that seven view-

ers out of a total of twenty focused primar-

ily on either the experience, the content,

or the technology. While the remaining

13 said things like, “It feels like a 360-de-

gree experience, an immersive tour...I can

look around,” they were more interested

in the user experience and novelty of the

360-degree comic than the video’s actual

content. One participant said, “I feel as if

I was transported to the space of a com-

ic and being there with the character in

the graveyard.” This immersive quality is

highly favored by participants. I’d rather

employ it.

The VR technology itself was a topic of

discussion among the participants. They

discussed how the headset is easy to use,

comfortable, and blocks o the user’s sur-

roundings to provide a more immersive

experience, something that is not feasible

when reading a comic book or seeing a

stage play. A small number of participants

provided constructive criticism by outlin-

ing what they would like to see changed

in the nal product: “I do not want to use

the VR headset frequently...not for a long

period due to the motion sickness factor.”

Many viewers shared sentiments like,

“I felt like the adaptation of the stage play

in a comic that too in VR is very interest-

ing,” highlighting the importance they

placed on the video’s central messages.

The utilization of frames was one aspect

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

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Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

158

of the video that one viewer found very

intriguing. Someone who took part in the

discussion remarked, “The use of frames

to highlight specic elements as used in

comics is quite impressive because I think

it is interesting and cool to see this hy-

brid.”

Some of the participants didn’t pro-

vide details about the system, but rather

their general impressions, such as how the

viewer is completely involved in the vir-

tual scenario and can freely look around

or select the next episode to watch. They

cited this as a benet over other mediums

(theatre, movies, and comic books): “I felt

I was in the graveyard and lakeside all the

time, and I did not get distracted by other

things...Seeing myself actually standing

in the graveyard is better than seeing it

through a screen or as a video.”

One of the common feedback items re-

ceived by all the participants was for the

background music and audio dialogue

narration added, which contributed tre-

mendously to enhancing the overall ex-

perience. This is one of the advantages

of this medium, as even if the viewers are

distracted while looking at the 360-degree

immersive environment, they won’t miss

any important dialogues and will be con-

nected to the plot of the graphic narrative

It was observed that due to the shift of

the comic experience from a traditional

print medium to an immersive 360-de-

gree environment (VR), the viewer’s nat-

ural tendency to explore and incentives

to invoke exploratory behaviors were also

noticed. The viewer’s tendency to active-

ly explore an immersive environment can

be mediated, demonstrating the viewer’s

readiness for virtual reality comics, there-

by suggesting the potential of hybrid me-

diums of stage play, comics, and virtual

reality. Therefore, the participants’ results

were eective as the narrative was able to

transport the viewer into the story itself,

bringing it to life in a dierent manner

than traditional stage play.

Conclusion

The digital revolution has unleashed

a realm of limitless possibilities, epito-

mized by the exploration of virtual reality

(VR) comics in The Great Golden Gang.

This transformative era not only redenes

the storytelling landscape but extends the

boundaries of sequential narratives in

the ever-evolving digital culture. The fu-

sion of traditional elements with digita-

lization has given rise to new storytelling

mediums, oering dynamic canvases for

creators to navigate. From the metamor-

phosis of comic books in codex form to

dynamic screens and the concept of the

meta-panel, the journey from print to dig-

ital has opened doors to interactivity and

multimedia, enriching the narrative expe-

rience. As comics continue to evolve and

adapt to the digital age, the integration of

VR, motion, and interactivity marks a sig-

nicant leap forward, promising exciting

possibilities for storytelling in the immer-

sive realm.

The essence of communication lies

in the transmission of ideas, regardless

of the medium chosen. Stage plays and

comics, while distinct in their composi-

tion and presentation, each bring their

unique strengths to storytelling. Comics,

with their sequential panels and exibili-

ty, excel in conveying complex narratives

and emotions, while stage plays leverage

acting techniques, lighting, and sound to

guide the viewer’s focus within a single

stage. The convergence of these mediums

holds the potential to unearth new dimen-

sions of storytelling, unveiling hidden

facets of stories and captivating viewers

in innovative ways. As narratives venture

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

159

into the realm of Virtual Reality Comics

(VRC), understanding the nuances of cin-

ematic techniques becomes paramount,

ensuring the creation of immersive and

compelling narrative experiences. The in-

terplay between these evolving mediums

promises exciting possibilities and inter-

pretations for the future of storytelling.

VRC combines elements of Cinematic

VR to oer a highly immersive and inter-

active storytelling experience. This shift

from traditional media to VR brings a sig-

nicant change in perspective, where the

viewer becomes the narrator, freely choos-

ing what to focus on and engage within the

virtual environment. Unlike conventional

cinema, VR empowers the viewer with a

more active role in the storytelling pro-

cess, fundamentally altering the dynamics

of narrative engagement. Additionally, in-

sights from traditional mediums like stage

plays and lm prove valuable in crafting

compelling VR narratives, as they share

common elements such as long takes and

exaggerated acting, providing a bridge be-

tween the traditional and immersive sto-

rytelling worlds.

This rst research question aimed to

understand the factors considered for

adapting a stage play to a VR comic. To

address this question, the study adopted

practice-based research to create a VR

comic, The Great Golden Gang. The fu-

sion of traditional comic elements, such as

symbols, frames, and panels, with the im-

mersive capabilities of VR, required care-

ful planning to maintain reader familiarity

and prevent confusion.

Furthermore, the unique potential of

VR comics was harnessed, by incorporat-

ing animation, sound eects, and narra-

tion to enhance the immersive experience,

thus expanding the storytelling possibili-

ties beyond traditional printed comics. To

guide viewer attention in the expansive

VR environment, techniques like lighting

control and contrast were borrowed from

theater stages, while strategically placed

sound cues and narration helped main-

tain narrative comprehension.

The second research question aimed

to validate the eectiveness of The Great

Golden Gang, Chapter One, in selected

participants. Participants conrmed that

the adaption of the stage play in a VR

Comic was achieved successfully and ap-

preciated the freedom it gave to explore

the 360-degree environment. They em-

phasized the value of background mu-

sic and audio narration in enhancing

the overall experience. This experience

demonstrated the readiness of viewers

for virtual reality comics, arming the

potential of blending elements from stage

plays, comics, and virtual reality to create

engaging and captivating narratives that

transcend traditional storytelling bound-

aries.

This project explores the convergence

of stage play, comics, and virtual reality

(VR) to create an immersive narrative ex-

perience, showcases a strong preference

for the immersive nature of VR, and high-

lights its ability to transport viewers into

the story’s world. The Great Golden Gang

is an example of the meta-panel that tran-

sits from traditional print mediums to im-

mersive VR. In conclusion, comics have

evolved tremendously with the advent of

virtual reality and digital technologies,

oering boundless creative possibilities

in both 2D and 3D formats. This rapidly

advancing eld presents endless potential

for storytellers and creators. This digital

revolution has ushered in a new era of hy-

brid media, shaping new ways to commu-

nicate and tell stories. The diversity and

creativity of these evolving mediums oer

fresh avenues for self-expression and sto-

rytelling.

Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios

Vol. XVI, No. 2 December 2023

160

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Adapting Stage Play to Virtual Reality

Comics

Ved Sanjay Waliokar

Delwyn Jude Remedios