Top Uses For Augmented Reality-based Gaming

In the last one year, the augmented reality gaming industry has exploded from an unknown term to a key buzzword. The specifics of the category, however, remain largely unknown to many consumers and marketing teams. The basic, overarching concept behind augmented reality is a program that allows you to see virtual content cast against the real, physical world. The technology itself can be applied to both video games and traditional games. The two largest applications of it in gaming are location-based games and card/board games.

Location-based Games



There is debate surrounding how exactly to classify recently popular games such as PokemonGo and Ingress. While they certainly can be broadly described as augmented reality games due to the fact that they combine virtual and real elements to provide a uniquely ‘augmented’ experience, there is a need for a more precise description. In light of this, it has become increasingly common to cross-reference some as “location-based games”.

The key factor of location-based games is the use of geographic positioning services (GPS). This allows the game to tailor the user’s experience to their specific environment. If for example, the user is in New York City then the game will use his location and the real-world around him to locate objectives, tasks, and activities. This, in turn, incorporates the notion of ‘geocaching’, which is a principle component of many AR location-based games. Geocaching began as a non-video gaming phenomenon in which players hide objects in hard to find places and challenge others to find them.

Geocaching can be applied to the video game context to describe games in which key objects are virtually dispersed across real locations and users must find them in order to improve their status/abilities in the game. This combination of GPS and geocaching elements broadly defines location-based games but does not necessarily make it an augmented reality experience.

A location-based game becomes an augmented reality experience when there is a visual overlay of the physical world by the virtual elements imagined in the game. To continue with the geocaching example, let’s imagine the user looks on his phone and sees there is a key treasure to be found at the corner of 14th Street and Main Street. When he gets there in real-life and directs the camera of his mobile device at the corner, he would see on the screen the virtual treasure as part of the real physical surrounding. This aspect is augmented reality. The two together form a location-based augmented reality game.

Card/Board Games
There was a fear that with the advent of video gaming, traditional card- and board-based games would suffer. To a large extent this fear has been well-founded but the former has survived thanks to strong communities whereas the latter due to its continued relevance as a casual option for families and friends. Augmented reality is increasingly being utilized to boast the experience of these gaming types. For these industries it has dual benefits: first, it offers a competitive advantage versus other games of both types and secondly, it provides a digital aspect to attract a younger generation that expects virtual components in games.

Augmented reality supports these traditional gaming formats by introducing a whole new level of visual engagement and dynamism. Imagine you are playing a classic game such as Monopoly. With AR technology, you can simply direct your camera at a spot on the board and on your screen will appear all the relevant information, such as cost, landing rates, and trade value. Or if you are playing a trading card game, by pointing your camera at the cards, you can see a full 3D model of your hero and their attacks. For an industry looking for ways to stay relevant with younger, more technologically-savvy crowds, the advent of AR-based solutions for card/board games is proving to be very effective.

How to Make AR Dreams A Reality
Using augmented reality components in interactive game development is clearly the way forward for products hoping to gain a competitive edge. AR, however, is a new field and requires teams of specialized experts to make the most of it. As a result, many industry leaders are turning to outside companies to outsource their augmented reality development to save precious time and resources while at the same time receiving top-tier solutions.

Author’s BIO

Anastasiia Bobeshko
Chief Editor,
Program-Ace
https://program-ace.com/

Anastasiia Bobeshko is a chief editor at Program-Ace by day and a technology lover by night. She writes and talks about mixed reality, VR, AR, and new technologies. Featuring her broad experience, Anastasiia loves to explore what influence technological solutions have of various business aspects and verticals and shares her thoughts at @Program_Ace_Ltd.

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