Exploring AR Game Platforms Tutorial

1. Introduction

1.1 Tutorial's Goal

This tutorial aims to introduce you to various Augmented Reality (AR) game platforms. The goal is to familiarize yourself with these platforms and understand their features, pros, and cons. This will help you choose the right platform for your AR game development needs.

1.2 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this tutorial, you will:

• Understand what AR game platforms are
• Be familiar with several popular AR game platforms
• Have practical knowledge to choose the right platform for your needs

1.3 Prerequisites

This tutorial is beginner-friendly. However, having a basic understanding of AR and game development in general will be beneficial.

2. Step-by-Step Guide

2.1 AR Game Platforms

AR game platforms are development environments designed to create AR-based games. These platforms provide tools and libraries that make it easy to integrate AR technologies into your games.

2.2 Examples of AR Game Platforms

Here are some popular AR game platforms:

2.2.1 Unity with AR Foundation

Unity is a versatile game development platform that supports AR game development through a package called AR Foundation. AR Foundation allows developers to build AR apps that can run on both Android and iOS.

2.2.2 Unreal Engine with ARCore

Unreal Engine is a powerful game development platform that supports AR game development through Google’s ARCore. Unreal Engine allows for high-fidelity visualizations which is a plus for AR game development.

2.3 Tips and Best Practices

• Choose a platform based on your game's needs and your team's skill set.
• Consider the platform's compatibility with different devices.
• Keep in mind the support and community around the platform.

3. Code Examples

3.1 Unity with AR Foundation

Here's a simple code snippet to place an object in an AR scene in Unity:

using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.XR.ARFoundation;

public class PlaceObject : MonoBehaviour
{
    public ARRaycastManager raycastManager;
    public GameObject objectToPlace;

    void Update()
    {
        if (Input.touchCount > 0)
        {
            Vector2 touchPosition = Input.GetTouch(0).position;

            List<ARRaycastHit> hits = new List<ARRaycastHit>();
            raycastManager.Raycast(touchPosition, hits, TrackableType.Planes);

            if (hits.Count > 0)
            {
                Pose hitPose = hits[0].pose;
                Instantiate(objectToPlace, hitPose.position, hitPose.rotation);
            }
        }
    }
}

This script first gets the position of the touch on the screen. It then performs a raycast from that position into the AR scene. If the raycast hits a detected plane, it places the specified object at the hit position.

3.2 Unreal Engine with ARCore

Here's a simple blueprint to place an object in an AR scene in Unreal:

This blueprint gets the location of the touch on the screen. It then performs a line trace from that position into the AR scene. If the line trace hits a detected plane, it spawns the specified actor at the hit location.

4. Summary

In this tutorial, you were introduced to AR game platforms. You learned about Unity with AR Foundation and Unreal Engine with ARCore. You also saw code examples for placing objects in an AR scene on both platforms.

Next, you can start building your own simple AR games. Choose a platform that fits your needs and start experimenting. There are plenty of resources and tutorials available for both platforms.

5. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Create a Unity project and add AR Foundation. Place a cube on a detected plane when the screen is touched.

Exercise 2: Create an Unreal project and add ARCore. Spawn an actor on a detected plane when the screen is touched.

Exercise 3: Expand on exercise 1 or 2 by adding interaction to the placed object or actor. For example, you could change the color of the object when it is touched.

For further practice, try making a simple game like tic-tac-toe or checkers in AR. You can start by placing game pieces on a detected plane. Then, add rules and win conditions. Don't be afraid to experiment and try different things!