Stephanie Riggs presents 'Unlocking Quantum Narratives in XR' on VRARA Storytelling call, 10.01.26

Stephanie Riggs, noted author/experiential innovator/former Disney Imagineer, joined the VR AR Association (VRARA) Storytelling Committee, on Thursday, October 1st, when she presented ‘Beyond the Pyramid: Unlocking Quantum Narratives in XR.’ Michael Owen, co-chair of the Storytelling Committee, hosted Stephanie. Stephanie explores the centuries-old Western storytelling reliance on linear Aristotelian frameworks - including three-act structures and the Hero’s Journey - to build narrative arcs. But, when applied to immersive, spatial, and interactive media, these classical models create an unavoidable conflict: the Narrative Paradox. The more control an author exerts over the plot, the less agency the participant retains. This is the paradigm shift for spatial storytelling Stephanie draws from physics human-computer interaction, and decades of boundary-pushing experimental design, breaking down how to design narrative systems instead of scripts, forces instead of beats, and emergent worlds where user agency is built directly into the fabric of the story.