Augmented Reality Game Development

Key Features

• Create your own augmented reality game from scratch and join the virtual reality gaming revolution
• Use the latest Unity 5 VR SDK to create pro-level AR games like Pokémon Go
• Innovate and explore the latest and most promising trend of AR gaming in the mobile gaming industry

Book Description

The heyday of location-based augmented reality games is upon us. They have been around for a few years, but the release of Pokémon Go was a gamechanger that catalyzed the market and led to a massive surge in demand. Now is the time for novice and experienced developers alike to turn their good ideas into augmented reality (AR) mobile games and meet this demand!

If you are keen to develop virtual reality games with the latest Unity 5 toolkit, then this is the book for you. The genre of location-based AR games introduces a new platform and technical challenges, but this book will help simplify those challenges and show how to maximize your game audience.

This book will take you on a journey through building a location-based AR game that addresses the core technical concepts: GIS fundamentals, mobile device GPS, mapping, map textures in Unity, mobile device camera, camera textures in Unity, accessing location-based services, and other useful Unity tips. The technical material also discusses what is necessary for further development to create a multiplayer version of the game. At the end, you will be presented with troubleshooting techniques in case you get into trouble and need a little help.

What you will learn

• Build a location-based augmented reality game called Foodie Go
• Animate a player’s avatar on a map
• Use the mobile device’s camera as a game background
• Implement database persistence with SQLLite4Unity3D to carry inventory items across game sessions
• Create basic UI elements for the game, inventory, menu, and settings
• Perform location and content searches against the Google Places API
• Enhance the game’s mood by adding visual shader effects
• Extend the game by adding multiplayer networking and other enhancements

About the Author

Micheal Lanham is a solutions architect with petroWEB and currently resides in Calgary, Alberta in Canada. In his current role he develops integrated GIS applications with advanced spatial search capabilities. He has worked as a professional and amateur game developer building desktop and mobile games for over 15 years. In 2007, Micheal was introduced to Unity 3D and has been an avid fan and developer ever since.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Mapping the Player's Location
3. Making the Avatar
4. Spawning the Catch
5. Catching the Prey in AR
6. Storing the Catch
7. Creating the AR World
8. Interacting with an AR World
9. Finishing the Game
10. Troubleshooting