1. Introduction Interactive narratives place players in a position where their actions, explorations, or decisions shape the story. Traditionally, game design has framed this as player “agency,” emphasizing branching paths, dialogue options, and quest structures. As Salen and Zimmerman (2004, p. 2) note, “games are systems in which players engage in artificial conflict,” with agency often framed around how those conflicts branch and resolve. This essay argues that interactiv

Introduction Environmental storytelling, a staple in games, architecture, and art, often relies on static elements like textures, ambient details, and animations to establish a narrative. These components, while vibrant and atmospheric, typically serve as passive backdrops, setting a scene without truly engaging within it. But imagine if the objects themselves could participate in the story; contributing to it actively, responding to human presence, and evolving over time. Ne