Interaction effects of virtual structures

Complex Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) are usually partitioned into a structure of discrete or nested graphical objects and spaces. The use of a structure for managing graphics and spaces allows users to perform certain actions. For example, objects can then be picked up and moved around; spaces can be separated into discrete units and individually broadcast to certain users, reducing network bandwidth requirements. However, the effects of providing particular structures on users' interaction have not been investigated. In this paper, we present an analysis of pairs of users interacting in a CVE. Our analysis highlights behaviours that are caused by the simple virtual structures it provides. We derive design issues to be considered when defining the structure of a shared virtual world.