Patterns of Sculptural Hypertext in Location Based Narratives

Location based narratives are an emerging form of digital storytelling that use location technologies to trigger content on smart devices according to a user's location. In previous work on the Canyons, Deltas and Plains (CDP) model we argued that they are best considered as a form of sculptural hypertext, but sculptural hypertext is a relatively unexplored medium with few examples, and limited critical theory. This means that there is little guidance for authors on what is possible with the medium, and no common authoring tools, both of which impede adoption and experimentation. In this paper we describe our work to tackle this problem by working with creative writing students to create 40 location based sculptural hypertexts using an approach similar to paper-prototyping, and then analysing these for common patterns (structures of nodes, rules, and conditions used for a poetic purpose). We present seven key patterns: Parallel Threads, Gating, Concurrent Nodes, Alternative Nodes, Foldbacks, Phasing, and Unlocking. In doing so we see some overlap with the patterns identified in traditional (calligraphic) hypertext, but in many cases these patterns are particularly suited to sculptural hypertext, and hint at a different poetics for the form. Our findings refine our original CDP model, but also present a starting point for educating writers on how to approach sculptural stories, and form a foundation for future location-based authoring tools.