Lost In Web

An interactive experiment that explores how text can generate living, evolving characters.
The project began with my fascination for using code as a tool for creative drawing. Inspired by Harold Cohen’s pioneering work in computational art, I sought to explore how abstract characters and environments could be generated, driven by narrative text, using L-systems, LLM like Llama, and Inverse Kinematics. I started by studying L-systems, to generate characters based on their depiction in the story. The goal was to create evolving characters that adapted directly from the narrative text. To structure this, I used the Tracery library, which organized the data into small paragraphs, each assigned a numerical representation. This number guided the L-system to make real-time decisions about character design according to the context of the narrative. A similar process was applied to sound, using the Tone.js library to create an auditory counterpart to the text-based story.

Created using JavaScript, p5.js
Creative coding, LLM
Next, I integrated Inverse Kinematics (IK) algorithms to enable the characters to move in response to environmental inputs. This introduced an emotional and reactive layer to the characters, allowing them to "come alive" through movement. Connecting the L-system with the IK algorithm opened up new interaction possibilities. A key challenge arose: communicating to users that they do not control the characters, but instead exist within their world. This became both a communication challenge and a creative opportunity. I experimented with different interaction models, including integrating Facebook Llama, an LLM, to enhance character responses. I also created a shared space where characters, each from their narrative universe, interacted with one another while responding to the user’s presence. After several rounds of user testing, I focused on deepening each character’s personality and expanding the interaction between the user and the characters. I explored how characters respond differently, what triggers their behaviors, and how to define the boundaries of the shared world.