Research on Interactive Co-creation in Horror and Thriller TV Series
#Interactive Media, #Horror & Thriller, #User Co-creation
Research on Interactive Co-creation in Horror and Thriller TV Series
This research explores how interactive media features can be embedded into horror and adventure TV series without breaking narrative immersion. The case study is Candle in the Tomb: The Lost Caverns, a suspense-adventure drama directed by Fei Zhenxiang and starring Pan Yueming, Zhang Yuqi, and Jiang Chao.
Case Selection
The selected drama has a clear genre structure: a strange incident disrupts everyday life, the protagonist group assembles, danger escalates during exploration, the group discovers a key object, and the ending returns to daily life while leaving a larger mystery unresolved. This structure creates multiple points where interaction can support comprehension, emotional anticipation, and social sharing.
The story begins with a strange coffin incident in Gution County. Hu Bayi, Wang Pangzi, Da Jinya, and Shirley Yang are gradually brought together by clues related to the coffin, the Fishbone Temple, the eye-shaped mark, and the Dragon Bone Book. The rhythm is well suited to interactive checkpoints: setup, team formation, danger, discovery, return, and a larger hook for the next journey.
Narrative Beat Map
Beat | Narrative Function |
|---|---|
1 | A small local incident starts the story: villagers open a coffin during a drought, and greed around the coffin's objects triggers the later plot. |
2 | The main trio appears when Hu Bayi, Wang Pangzi, and Da Jinya meet Li Chunlai and follow the clue to Gution County. |
3 | Shirley Yang investigates the secret of the eye-shaped mark in the United States. |
4 | The team reaches Longling, learns the terrain is dangerous, and becomes suspicious of the Fishbone Temple. |
5 | A first underground accident confirms that the area likely hides a major tomb. |
6 | Ma Dadan's group threatens the protagonists and the conflict becomes physical. |
7 | The complete team forms; Shirley Yang explains the eye, the Muchen Bead, and Partridge Whistle's story. |
8 | Chen Yulou provides additional explanation about the Fishbone Temple. |
9 | Wang Pangzi and Da Jinya are captured, forcing the tomb-raiding thread forward. |
10 | The team enters the tomb under pressure, and the “Mojin Iron Triangle” reforms. |
11 | Inside the tomb, the group encounters human-faced ghost spiders. |
12 | The climax layers spiders, bats, endless stairs, mercury chambers, and interlocking mechanisms. |
13 | Hu Bayi finds the Dragon Bone Book, but escape remains difficult until an unexpected goose leads them out. |
14 | The clue points to the Tomb of King Xian in Yunnan, setting up the next journey. |
Interaction Opportunity Map
The research identifies recurring interaction points across the genre timeline:
Bullet comments during high-intensity scenes.
Meme creation during scenes with strong reusable lines.
Shareable posters, ticket stubs, or check-in cards at clue-heavy moments.
Guided bubbles that help viewers understand foreshadowing, maps, props, and ritual details.
These points are especially useful in horror-adventure series, where maps, artifacts, prophecies, hidden clues, and ritual moments are central to viewer comprehension and anticipation.
Concept 1: Check-in Image / Creative Ticket Stub
At key moments, the viewer can tap an interaction button to generate a shareable card. The card highlights the plot point and explains the clue, such as a divination scene between Hu Bayi and Chen Yulou that foreshadows later events.
Value:
Helps viewers organize dense plot information.
Turns clue discovery into a collectible ticket-stub experience.
Encourages repeat watching through random appearances or quiz-based unlocks.
Works well for horror-adventure dramas because they often depend on maps, artifacts, prophecies, and foreshadowing.
Image: Creative ticket visual
Concept 2: Special Bullet Comments With a Glitch Style
When a scene shifts into an abnormal perspective, such as a bat's vision inside the cave, the bullet comments can automatically transform into a glitch style. The effect returns to normal after the scene ends.
This design can also work for animal, robot, surveillance, peeping, network, or other non-human viewpoints. It reminds viewers that the camera perspective has changed and strengthens immersion.
Image: Glitch bullet comment concept
Concept 3: Meme Creation
Some scenes contain lines that travel well beyond the original drama. In the example scene, Da Jinya unknowingly eats bat droppings as medicine and says it tastes surprisingly good; Wang Pangzi responds that his taste is unusually heavy. The lines are short, flexible, and expressive enough to be used outside the drama fandom.
The interaction lets viewers capture a screenshot or GIF, customize text, and save or share the meme. This supports community activity and off-platform promotion.
Image: Meme creation concept
Concept 4: Special Bullet Comment Bubble Skin
When Hu Bayi and Wang Pangzi put on the Mojin amulets again, the scene marks the formal return of the tomb-raiding adventure. The interaction turns this ritual into a collective bullet-comment moment: viewers tap three character avatars, merge them into a Mojin amulet, and send a themed comment bubble.
The design increases ritual value, raises bullet-comment activity, and can support sponsored skins or branded effects.
Image: Mojin bubble skin concept
Emotion Model: Fear + Anticipation
The emotional curve of The Lost Caverns resembles a Cinderella pattern: it begins from relative calm, descends into danger and fear, then rises again through discovery, escape, and a new clue. The main emotional drivers are fear, tension, curiosity, excitement, and satisfaction.
Social Emotions
The drama connects with three social emotions:
Believing in fate without surrendering to it: young audiences are interested in mysticism, but the stronger emotional appeal is resisting a fixed destiny.
Searching for personal value: the protagonists move from profit-driven treasure hunting toward a mission connected to survival, death, and meaning.
The unbreakable “iron triangle” friendship: the group dynamic embodies a rare form of emotional trust and shared risk.
Scientific Basis for Fear
Fear in horror entertainment often comes from death anxiety, unknown spaces, blind spots, mirrors, sudden threats, and the suggestion of destruction. Tomb spaces are powerful because corridors, stairs, hidden chambers, and unseen backsides all activate spatial suspicion.
For viewers, horror also creates psychological release. A controlled fictional threat lets the audience experience danger while remaining safe in reality.
Scientific Basis for Anticipation
Anticipation depends on identification with the protagonist, the protagonist's goal, pressure, obstacles, and visible or invisible rewards. Horror becomes enjoyable when the viewer feels they can control the experience: they can look away, pause, mute, or stop watching.
Application A: Emotional Route Map
For a Cinderella-type narrative, the platform can display a route map outside the video frame. A small character advances along the route, gains props or coins when clues are found, and falls into traps when danger appears. Across episodes, the route gradually extends until the final destination is reached.
Application B: Brave / Timid Viewing Modes
Before watching, the audience answers a short fear-preference questionnaire. The platform assigns a brave or timid mode.
Brave mode:
Automatically blocks warning comments such as “high-energy warning.”
Keeps bullet comments from covering characters.
Adds special surprise comments in selected moments.
Awards an “Adventurer” badge after viewing.
Timid mode:
Provides jump-scare warnings or reduces frightening moments.
Uses prompt bubbles and bullet-comment warnings.
Awards a “Courage” badge after viewing.
Monetization Extensions
The interaction system can support commercial value through:
Sponsored prompt bubbles during key plot points.
Merchandise based on props, character memes, and fan-created content.
Paid advanced interactions with permanent badges, skins, or small gifts.
Online-offline campaigns such as check-in walls, immersive scenarios, or VR experiences.
Short-form derivative videos based on interactive moments.
Visual Appendix
Selected extracted visuals from the original deck:
Image: Narrative timeline
Image: Emotion map
Image: Cinderella curve
Image: Application concept
Image: Brave and timid mode
Image: Check-in ticket design
