What's Beyond Presence? Dimensionality, Control, and Information Spaces

What's after presence? Spatial presence, the sense of “being there,” will become less of a primary objective; instead, it will become a baseline expectation of VR. More than six decades after its invention, virtual reality is evolving from a technical endeavour into a cultural, social, and phenomenological medium, offering experiences that can be considered distinct modes of reality. Existing theories focused on perceptual illusions are insufficient to evaluate the depth of these emerging experiences. A framework that guides the design and assessment of immersive environments, identifying key technical and abstract dimensions afforded by the virtual environment, has become necessary. These dimensions include spatial, placeness, temporal, social, cultural, cognitive, and psychological parameters. The central argument of the paper is that virtual environments should move beyond the technical dimension to explore other information channels that can enhance the user's experience. This shift in focus from presence to the orchestration of experience invites creators beyond the technical fields into the design, development, and evaluation of meaningful immersive worlds.