What is a good AR concept design 1
Through our case studies and user testing of our own HoloKit product and teaching at the Chinese Academy of Art, we have come to appreciate the significance of good AR concept design. Good AR concept design can evoke excitement and imagination in users. We aspire to explore and create more "good AR concept design".
Technical constraints for AR Design
While we understand some basic AR design guidelines, it is essential to consider the following principles:
1. OST Limitations: OST (Optical See-Through) devices cannot render black or dark colors effectively, as they may appear transparent or poorly rendered. However, presenting colors such as red, orange, yellow, and green yields better results. Additionally, tone shaders, glowing particles, and lines tend to display well. VST (Video See-Through) devices do not have these limitations.
2. Non-Realistic Rendering: AR is well-suited for non-realistic rendering, especially on OST devices. Attempts to mimic real-world objects in AR often fall short due to the detailed contrast with reality, leaving users with a subpar experience. However, cartoonish or particle-based rendering can easily convey a high-quality feeling.
3. Avoiding Haptic Discrepancies: It is crucial to refrain from creating visual designs that give users a tactile sensation when there is no physical feedback. For instance, rendering a sword held in a user's hand can be misleading. Instead, consider rendering a glowing orb on the hand.
Defining "Good"
Apart from taking into account these obvious technical limitations, how can we design a good concept for AR experience or content?
We believe that a "good" AR experience should possess the following qualities:
1. Engaging and Meaningful: The experience should be interesting and enjoyable or hold significant value for the user.
2. Leveraging the AR Medium: The AR medium should enhance the experience, making it more immersive and unique compared to other mediums. AR should not make the experience more challenging or inconvenient.
The essential requirement to meet "Good"
Our conclusion for the essential requirement of successful AR ideas is real-time interaction with the physical world.
When contemplating AR ideas, it is essential to prioritize real-time interaction with the physical world. That is the irreplaceability of this medium.
The best AR experiences have the power to transform the world through virtual content. For instance, AR games that prompt immediate physical movement or alter the environment in controlled exhibition spaces. Games like AR-based martial arts (e.g., Mofa) and Pokemon Go have successfully influenced real-world activities, encouraging players to walk and compete in real world. Ingress, a location-based AR game, has even reimagined cities as a massive game board for virtual territorial conquest. From repairing aircraft to constructing buildings or even aiming in warfare simulations, the ability to manipulate real-world objects through AR enhances the immersive experience and adds practical value.
Following that, a good experience is when reality can change the virtual, where actions in the real world immediately impact the virtual world. Although not as exciting as virtuality changing reality, it still has its merits. However, it may not be as efficient as directly interacting with a smartphone screen, as certain tasks are better suited for VR and screen-based interactions.
On the other hand, the worst scenario is when there is no ability to change anything, resulting in a lack of interaction。
The content must establish an interactive relationship with reality. It should fulfill at least one of the following:
1. This AR content enables interaction beyond screen input, such as recognizing user gestures or detecting information from other people's body movements. The sources of interaction can vary, including gestures, controllers, smartwatches, or any technology that can track human body movements.
2. This AR content can recognize and interact with specific elements of the real environment. For example, when a virtual object collides with a physical obstacle, its motion should be affected accordingly.
3. This AR content can recognize and utilize geolocation, establishing a relationship with real-world coordinates. This includes location-based AR experiences, like AR sculptures anchored to city landmarks or interactive points of interest in your neighborhood.
4. This AR content is able to interact with other devices present in the real world. This can involve controlling machinery, assembling components, or even managing stage performances, among other possibilities
Cases
It is crucial to consider whether a particular concept truly benefits from its relationship with reality. If not, alternatives like screens or VR might be better platforms for them! Check these cases:
Negative case: AR Tank
1. Replicating a classic shooter game in AR may not necessarily be a great idea. Let's consider a relatively unknown game I found on the Apple App Store: AR Tanks. While it boasts well-designed gameplay mechanics and aesthetics, I felt that it would be more enjoyable without AR. The game simply projects traditional 3D gaming onto your desk, limiting your engagement to observing the action solely through a smartphone screen. In addition to the absence of real-world interactions and embodiment, it brings additional adverse effects on the overall gaming experience:
1. The AR settlement results in a fragmented experience where you see your cluttered desktop, thereby diminishing the immersive nature of tank battles taking place in an alternate world.
2. The limited field of view, typically less than 30 degrees depending on the phone screen size and distance from your face, creates a restrictive "peephole" effect that can be uncomfortable.
In such cases, VR could potentially offer a more suitable platform. Shooter games like AR Tanks would benefit from interactions with the real environment, such as allowing projectiles to bounce off walls.
Negative case: MOFA the Training
2. The single-player practice mode in HoloKit app, known as MOFA the Training, is not particularly effective as an AR practice. Without the subsequent MOFA the Duel, it lacks meaningful existence. In fact, the single-player mode primarily serves as a tool for teaching and previewing AR spells and functionalities.
Positive case: MOFA the Duel
3. On the other hand, the Duel mode is a great AR concept. In this game, 2 players fight against each other by casting AR spells when waving hands(wands). One player needs to dodge the attacking spells from the other player. It provides each user with a continuous embodied AR feedback from another player in the real world throughout the gameplay.
The capability to seamlessly and instantly engage with the real environment is a crucial requirement for compelling AR experiences. This ensures that users can actively and dynamically interact with virtual content overlaid on the real world, enhancing their perception and engagement. It is a fundamental requirement for a successful AR idea.
However, this criterion alone does not guarantee a strong AR concept design. To further enhance AR experiences and make them truly exceptional, we have identified several additional key elements to consider. Check the "Extra Points" in the next article.