"Augmented Reality" Topic

Is anyone using Augmented Reality like Aurasma in their games to supplement the game learning experience and to have real time rules access? I'm not talking about Occulus Rift, headgear hardware or a video game experience. I'm talking about using AR apps on a cell phone or iPod.
Example: YouTube link

Wolfhag

Someone needs to let Catalyst Games Lab know about this. I could see them using this to enhance every Shadowrun product they have. Fitting too, considering the game has AR as part of the system.

Thanks Wolfhag, I wasn't aware this was out there. What a great idea.

Sajiro,
I've developed a few apps already for my Treadheads WWII system. I mainly see it as a way to jump start people into the game using short instructional videos, examples and online digital files that they access through their cell phone or iPad. Somewhat like a "Just in Time Instruction System". No need to look up rules in the middle of a game.

Right now I plan on having a card about 8.5 x 11 inches configured like a menu with an icon and description. Aim your cell phone or iPad at the icon and a short instructional video will pop up with an area you can double tap on that will take you to digitized text, images or diagrams for additional information.

You can also link to pretty much any info in the cloud or generate your own videos and images. The only thing you need to do is download the free Aurasma app and then follow the game as a channel. There are no other file to download.

This is great for game developers as you can update your Aurasma application digital and video content with new versions and the players on the other end will automatically access the update without needing to download new versions.

Wolfhag

This also has a great potential to simulate limited intel and hidden set up with miniatures but will take a little work and advance planning.

Here's how I think it could work: After setting up the table the GM/umpire uses his cell phone to take pictures of ground level views of areas of "interest". Things like buildings, looking down roads, landmarks, etc. That involves setting the cell phone on the table and snapping the pictures from the point of view of the attacker (not the defender). Use these pictures as a "trigger" in the Aurasma app. You can link the trigger to pop up and give an intel report or description to what the player is looking at. Pictures taken from different angles can be linked to the same information.

So during the game to conduct a "recon" the player activates the Aurasma app and puts his cell phone on the table where his unit is just like how the trigger picture was taken and actually "scans" horizontally with the app the area to his front just like he would with a pair of binoculars. If the Aurasma cell phone app gets a view that "triggers" one of the images an intel report or additional information will pop up on the screen telling him what he sees. The opposing player will not be aware of this. If there are no triggers the recon player can act like he just got some juicy information.

You could also do this to simulate photo recon before a game. The player conducting the air recon would take his cell phone or iPad and actually "fly" it over the table to see if any of the images trigger and give him additional information or intel on the enemy.

Let's say the defending player has an artillery battery set up behind his lines by a cross road. Before the game take a picture of the location by the cross road, that will be the "trigger" image. Then set up the battery and take a picture of it from the same viewpoint as the first picture and remove the battery before the game starts. That will be what displays if the photo recon "triggers" after the game has started. What is shown after triggering is the artillery battery set up by the cross roads but it is not on the table because it is hidden. The opposing player does not know if it was spotted or not. Of course a simple die roll would suffice but what fun is that?

Wolfhag