Contributors
Last name: Breeze First Name: Mez
E-mail: mezbreezedesign@gmail.com
Submission Details: Virtual Reality/Extended Reality Artwork

Titles: The Thing Tableau

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Short Note

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        While studying for a degree in Applied Social Science in the early 1990’s, Breeze started using the Internet to create interactive digital works. Since 1994, Breeze has published over 100 seminal works including award
winning electronic-based writing, games, XR literature, VR sculptures, books and experimental digital fiction.

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Short Biography​

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        Since the 1990’s Mez Breeze(https://www.patreon.com/mezbreeze) has created digital works, books, award-winning digital literature, games, and other genre-defying output (all while teaching/mentoring, archiving, and supporting digital art and writing). Mez’s recent awards include ‘Inanimate Alice: Perpetual Nomads’ winning the inaugural 2020 Woollahra Digital Literary Award Readers’ Choice Prize, while ‘V[R]ignettes’ won the QUT Digital Literature Award as part of the 2019 Queensland Literary Awards(https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/get-involved/fellowships-awards-residencies/queensland-literary-awards/2019-queensland-literary-awards-winners-and-finalists).

        In 2019, Mez also received the Marjorie C. Luesebrink Career Achievement Award which: “…honours a visionary artist and/or scholar who has brought excellence to the field of electronic literature.” To know more, jump to patreon.com/mezbreeze, mezbreeze.itch.io(https://mezbreeze.itch.io/) and mezbreezedesign.com(https://www.mezbreezedesign.com/).

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Artist’s Statement​

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        The Thing Tableau is a 3D/VR work conceived and designed in Virtual Reality. Its story unfolds through a digital narrative that can only be viewed online. The story references insomnia and the thoughts and language that can creep and reoccur when in this twilightish state. The project is designed for audience interaction through click-based annotations, and can be viewed in multiple ways: as a text-based narrative that unpacks when an audience member interacts with it, or as an automated playthrough (though it’s preferred that audience members get to interact with the model in a 3D or even VR space).

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Instructions and Navigation:
– If viewing with a Desktop PC Browser:
1. Load The Thing Tableau here(https://sketchfab.com/models/3a6f8f31dbb74754bcf8ec6c353f1503/embed) on your desktop computer using a WebVR-enabled browser (Firefox preferred).
2. Start navigating through the work by pressing the large white arrow. For optimal reading/viewing, please make sure to click the bottom right diagonal arrows icon to expand to full screen. To finish, please press the white top right “x” in the Chapter Window. There’s also an option to share or embed the Chapter using the share icon to the left of this “x”.
3. Click and hold with your mouse to rotate to explore all aspects of the work. Use the annotation bar located at the bottom of the display window to click through/progress through each annotation. This annotation bar displays short title text, which when clicked may reveal a box containing additional text for that annotation. When clicking on this
annotation bar with your right mouse button, options pop up allowing you to choose to hide all annotations, or choose autoplay to have the text automatically play.
4. For additional help and options, please click on the icons listed at the bottom of the work display window. The icons on the bottom right hand side include:
– The “?” icon which shows additional help instructions including Navigation Basics, Resetting the Camera View, and All Controls
– The Volume icon which toggles the audio on or off and shows a volume adjustment slider
– The Settings “Cog” icon which allows you to toggle the navigation between “Orbit” and “First Person”
– The Model Inspector “PageStack” icon which brings up an information menu about the 3D model in the Chapter
– The View in VR “White Mask” icon, which, when clicked, allows the Chapter to be explored and read using a VR headset
– The Fullscreen “Double Arrows” icon which, when clicked, does what it says (surprise!).

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– If viewing with a VR Headset (recommended option if VR Hardware is available):

1. Load The Thing Tableau here(https://sketchfab.com/models/3a6f8f31dbb74754bcf8ec6c353f1503/embed) on your desktop computer or mobile phone using a WebVR- enabled/Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Press the large white arrow. For VR viewing (with a Vive headset/controller for teleportation if possible), please now click the bottom right-hand “View in VR” white mask icon at the bottom of the display window before putting on your VR headset. If using a Headset with controllers, you can teleport around the VR space (and even teleport into the model) using the same annotation selection process as is described above.
3.To go back to viewing via the browser, remove your headset and again press the “View in VR” white mask icon at the bottom of the display window.

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– If viewing with a Mobile Device without VR Hardware (experimental option: if viewing using a horizontal orientation please follow the instructions for Desktop PC Browsers instead):

1. Load The Thing Tableau here(https://sketchfab.com/models/3a6f8f31dbb74754bcf8ec6c353f1503/embed) on your mobile phone using an up-to-date WebVR enabled/ Mozilla Firefox browser (note: contains audio).
2. Start navigating through the work by pressing the large white arrow. For optimal reading/viewing, please make sure to click the bottom right diagonal arrows icon to expand to full screen. You may also be prompted to tap to play the soundtrack. To finish, please press the white top right “x” in the Chapter Window. There’s also an option to share or embed the Chapter using the share icon to the left of this “x”.
3. Use the white arrows located in the mid point of the left and right hand sides of the display window to read through each annotation. Using these arrows displays text with “+ more info” text lines which (when tapped) may reveal a textbox containing additional text for that annotation: please close this window using the white top right “x” after reading.
4. For additional help and options, please click on the icons listed at the bottom of the work display window. The icons on the bottom right hand side include:
– The “?” icon which shows additional help instructions including Navigation Basics, Resetting the Camera View, and All Controls
– The Volume icon which toggles the audio on or off and shows a volume adjustment slider
– The Settings “Cog” icon which allows you to toggle the navigation between “Orbit” and “First Person”
– The Model Inspector “PageStack” icon which brings up an information menu about the 3D model in the Chapter
– The View in VR “White Mask” icon, which, when clicked, allows the Chapter to be explored and read using a VR headset
– The Fullscreen “Double Arrows” icon which, when clicked, does what it says (double surprise!).