Posts Tagged AR Games
Conquar – The Layar Based Strategy Game
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on August 17, 2010
Today my wife and kids were ignoring me so I hijacked my wife’s new iPhone. I’d been curious to try the game on Layar called Conquar. The idea sounded simple–take control of your city using troops. Unfortunately, the game IS that simple.
The way the game works is this: when you create an account, you’re randomly put into a team and given around fourteen armies to conquer your enemies. My favorite colors are blue or red, so therefore, I got stuck with yellow. Boooo! Then I used my fourteen armies to conquer the municipalities around St. Louis. There are only five control points in St. Louis and I now own four of them. Hazelwood, I’m coming for you next!
The game promises me more troops each day, so I can continue my smackdown of the Greater St. Louis area. However, once I’ve beat the tar out of Hazelwood tomorrow, what else will I have to do? I’m an old grognard who’s played countless strategy games, so you’re going to have to do better than one button war. I expect to have armies to train, resources to manage, supply lines to protect, a wedding to plan, Gilder to frame! Oh wait, got carried away there.
I recognize that AR gaming still has a long way to go, but if it wants to take off, it’s going to have to offer more than two minutes of fun. Add some options, give me blood dammit! The makers have posted that “Conquar Updates will soon follow!” Here’s to hoping we see some soon. Until then, if you’re in the St. Louis area and you log into Conquar, don’t forget pay homage to Emperor Carpenter.
Popularity: 8% [?]
5 Things To Do With Junaio Glue and LLA Markers
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on July 7, 2010
With the live video access on the iPhone OS 4.0, Metaio is looking to make a splash with its Glue technology in the Junaio AR browser. They would like to show how the iPhone can do more than GPS AR browsing with both image processing and their indoor LLA marker tracking.
LLA Markers
The LLA markers are designed for indoor spaces when GPS becomes unusable. By attaching the latitude, longitude and altitude to a unique pattern, the iPhone can reposition itself without having access to satellites. Since the compass and gyroscope still work, you can point your phone away from the LLA marker and get navigation to the next POI.
This case shows how AR can be superior to map based location using the LLA marker technology. In underground malls when GPS becomes useless, AR can help bridge the gap. I’ve spent considerable time in Japan and often have been lost once I strolled far from my starting location. I would have to go up to the surface to get my barrings occasionally. If they installed LLA markers, it would allow the iPhone to become a useful navigator.
Junaio Glue
In addition to indoor GPS locations, Metaio has improved AR by adding live optical image processing. By uploading a tracking image to the Junaio servers, anyone can create an optical image that 3D content and information can be attached. To check out the technology, downloadJunaio and view this Glue comic character to see how it works.
This image processing along with a standard browser opens up a wealth of possibilities for Junaio. Now content providers can be more creative with their applications, utilizing visual clues along with GPS and directional ones.
Here are a few ideas that might spur your interest:
1) Using available 3D content on the web, turn your run-of-the-mill picture book into a 3D pop-up with your iPhone. Just upload each page as a marker and attach the image to it.
2) Create an augmented menu based on the logo of your restaurant. Or just have it link to your webpage. Make the world your Internet.
3) Location based treasure hunts using actual pictures of locations to find the next clue.
4) Turn your face into a business card.
5) Turn your logo into a charity event. Every time someone checks your logo using Junaio and it pulls the image or link from your server, give them a chance to donate, or make a small donation on their behalf.
If you have other ideas, feel free to comment!
Popularity: 21% [?]
Kickball AR App
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on June 24, 2010
I guess I feel compelled to post this app because of the World Cup. It’s a cute idea worth a few minutes of play time, but after that, I’m not sure what the appeal would be. Personally, I’m ready for the next phase of smartphone AR which requires more awareness of objects and the world. Floating augmented objects just isn’t tickling my fancy anymore.
Popularity: 14% [?]
Augmented Reality’s Console Upgrade
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on June 15, 2010
I’ve been watching the news from E3 with keen interest. First off, I’m a gamer, if you can’t tell. But I’m also wildly curious how augmented reality will shape the future of gaming. Now I haven’t seen any games that strictly use AR, but the direction consoles are taking shows how AR is shaping them.
Microsoft’s Kinect
The formally named Project Natal previews have shown how the dual camera system would allow for gesture based gaming. The concept doesn’t change with the new name, but we have more information about it. One of the cooler parts of the system doesn’t even deal with gaming. Gestures and words will now access the interface like Minority Report.
While we’re a long way from invisible AR systems that travel with us and connect us to the world in new and unique ways, the Kinect system certain raises the bar on how machines can see the world. The AR smartphone gives us a tiny magic window into the data driven world, while the AR console brings the magic to our living room.
The announced games for Kinect are pretty limited to a racing game, an adventure game involving white water rafting, sports, and dancing. The only brand name was a Star Wars game that seems like a perfect fit for Kinect and a virtual pet game Kinectimals that gives us the only true augmented reality experience like the PS3 EyePet. The system is due out in November, just in time for the holidays.
Playstation Move and EyeToy
PlayStation is rightly packaging the Move controller along with the EyeToy (for promotional as much as technical reasons.) While it doesn’t quite compare to the gesture based Kinect, it is a step forward. However, if I were buying a system for its AR inclusion, the Kinect wins hands down (pun intended.)
Popularity: 17% [?]
System Flaw Trailer for DSi
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on May 19, 2010
The radar screen on top makes me think of Aliens.
“Look, I’m telling ya, there’s somethin’ movin’ and it ain’t us! Tracker’s off scale, man. They’re all around us, man. Jesus!”
“Hicks: Remember, short controlled bursts.
Hudson: 9 meters, 7, 6.
Ripley: That can’t be, that’s inside the room.
Hudson: It’s reading right man, look.
Hicks: Then, “you’re” not reading it right.
Hudson: 5 meters, man. 4, what the hell?”
Never look in the egg… all I’m saying… never look in the egg.
Popularity: 17% [?]
Gigaputt – Augmented Reality Golf
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on May 10, 2010
Make the world your golf course.
That’s the tagline of the new iPhone app Gigaputt from Gigantic Mechanic. Instead of clubs, you swing your iPhone in a Wii-like manner (though the accuracy is no where near the same) and hit your ball. Unlike most AR iPhone games, this one actually requires you to interact with your surroundings rather than just spin in place and hit random buttons. I’m sure there’s some way to include drinks and bar hopping into the game for the adult readers of GA.
The game is also being featured in the Come Out and Play Festival 2010 in New York on June 14th.
Popularity: 21% [?]
Augmented Reality Racing
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on May 5, 2010
A group of students at Technische Universitat Munchen, under the direction of Gudrun Klinker, created this augmented reality racing game. The setup is similar to the AR Drone game in that it uses a real vehicle, however, using the illusions of AR, they turned their LEGO Mindstorm robots into cars.
The students had two (analog) radio cameras and mounted each on one Lego Mindstorm Robot. With this constellation the player was presented the view on the world from a robot’s perspective. The students also placed markers on top of the robots which were being used to calculate the pose of each camera in relation to a common coordinate system (using one ceiling mounted camera). With this pose, the view of the virtual camera was matched to the real camera’s view. The students augmented the real camera images with virtual graphics such as the race course and some special items (speedup, rockets, etc). The goal was to drive as fast as possible four laps or to hunt down the other player before he can finish the race.
The calibration of the tracking system and the tracking itself was done using Ubitrack and its MarkerTracker Component developed at our chair.We think because of some aspects this game is very special:
- The game is a twoplayer game, so you share the same virtual (and real) world between the two players.
- There are no markers in the camera view of the player since the cameras for showing the graphics and doing the tracking are not the same.
- The (real) robots are being overlayed with car models in the camera images so you do not get the the impression of playing against Lego robots. (O.K. sometimes you can see the robot due to a lag in the tracking or since it is not overlayed completely)
- And best: It was playable and is not only a concept
Good job Christian Waechter, Eva Artinger and Markus Duschl. I think you’ll have a career in augmented reality.
Popularity: 20% [?]
10 Cool Things Going On Right Now in Augmented Reality
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on May 3, 2010
Augmented reality has come a long way in a years time. Last year I got excited by research projects and gimmicky AR webcam advertising, but that quickly faded on the tenth plus iteration. It wasn’t until July that we starting having real AR products in the form of apps. Nearly a year later and still early in the development of the AR ecosystem, we’re seeing a more diverse use of the technology and that has me excited again. So I want to take a moment to go over ten cool things going on right now in augmented reality.
1. Battle of the AR Browsers
Wikitude, Layar, Tonchidot, Junaio, TagWhat and others hope to be the standard for the AR browser market. Layar has recently upped the ante with an AR content store and TagWhat takes it in a new direction by combining lessons learned with Foursquare and Twitter. I suspect one of the big boys like Google, Twitter or Facebook will eventually either create their own or co-opt the ideas from these early browsers into their current products. I’m not sure which horse to bet on in this race, but in the end we customers are the winners.
2. DIY Portable Augmented Reality Headset
Using an Eye-Trek video headset, the guy at Tailormadetoys made a pair of AR glasses. I love the DIY culture and while they’re not see-through, I think all the right parts to make one are out there. This post from Team Hack-a-Day proves that the DIY makers are getting close, so why can’t one of the big makers get it done?
3. The AR phone – Ouidoo
The specs on this Ouidoo QderoPateo smartphone are in the WTF!? zone. While the phone won’t be out until the fall, the company claims it’ll have a 26-core CPU capable of 8-gigaflop floating point operations and include 512MB RAM, 4GB ROM, 28GB of built-in storage, microSD expansion, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, built-in 3D map, accelerometer, digital compass, 5-megapixel camera with flash, 220 hours of standby battery life, and a sharp 3.5-inch 800 x 480 screen. Whew.
While I’m not completely believing the hype, and it could end up being vaporware, it certainly looks promising. Though it’ll have to work hard to compete with the likes of the iPhone and Droid.
4. Eyeborg
Bionic eyes and augmented reality. It’s like peanut better and chocolate! Rob Spence is putting a camera into his eye to make movies with (and because its just plain cool.) And he’s also interested in combining augmented reality with his eye camera. They’ve come up with a promotionalAR eyeborg t-shirt in the meantime.
Eyeborg’s New AR shirt in action! from eyeborg on Vimeo.
5. ARE2010
Bruce Sterling, Will Wright, Marco Tempest, and the list goes on. It pains me to say that I won’t be able to make the inaugural event. I had a work conflict with that week, so I have to bow out of hosting the panel on AR glasses. But for the rest of you, I hope you’ll be able to make it. With AR on the rise and viable business options a-plenty, it’s a good time to network and see what everyone is doing with the nascent technology. This is the “can’t miss” AR event of the year.
6. ARWave
Our favorite interviewer Tish Shute and longtime commenter Thomas Wrobel have been sheparding the AR Wave project and collaborating with people all over the globe. While it’s still too early to tell, this could end up being one of the most important AR developments out there if they can truly create an open source way of using AR. As they’ve been telling everyone, they’re trying to make a system that:
* Anyone can make content
* Anyone can make a browser
* Anyone can run a server
7. iPhone OS4.0
It almost pains me to get excited about an iPhone update that promises video access to make real AR work on that smartphone. We got fooled last September with the OS3.1. I’m hoping we don’t get fooled again (unless you’re the Who.)
I’m not even entirely sure if haptic floors fit into the augmented reality spectrum, but it’s so crazy weird and true, that I had to include it. I seriously doubt we’ll be seeing a commercial product anytime soon though (or ever.)
9. AR Drone
While the news on the AR drone is a stale few months old, I still think it warrants inclusion because it was a great product. The hovercraft alone was worth the price of admission, but the AR added a creative twist to it. I have no idea if it sold well, but it sure did capture the imaginations of a lot of geeks.
10. You choose!
Let us know what you think is the coolest thing going in augmented reality right now. Whether it’s a product only hinted at or one currently residing on your smartphone, we’d like to hear it. So let us know over at Games Alfresco in the comment section (pointing the conversation over there to keep the comments together)!
Popularity: 45% [?]
Collectibles and Augmented Reality
Posted by Tom Carpenter in AR Games, augmented reality on April 14, 2010
It was only a matter of time. Virtual goods make up a $1.4 Billion (that’s with a ‘B’ folks) business and the demand is growing. We have Chinese gold farmers and Farmville exclusive goods, so augmented goods can’t be far behind.
Right now augmented goods are tied to purchased toys as an “add-on.” Metaio has teamed up with Bandai Co. to create AR extensions to their real world collectible cards.
I believe the next step will be adding augmented only items that exist in certain locations as a reward. Combine foursquare and Pokemon and you have a potent combination. Hit all fifteen Starbucks in your area and you unlock a “Coffee Critter” that shows up on your smartphone when you’re in the store (and you get a discount on the Double Latte Supreme.) Are you listening TagWhat, Layar, Junaio and the rest?
And keep in mind augmented goods as status symbols don’t count unless other people can see them. Other patrons should be able to see your critter following you or floating above your head just like a non-combat pet in World of Warcraft. Trust me, people will go to unbelievable lengths to earn a baby dragon or talking penguin. Value is all about scarcity and that works even in the virtual or augmented world.
Popularity: 28% [?]
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