We’re so pleased that the prototype of our latest AR game, Coping Card Battles, is complete! This project has been a fantastic experience, and its development has provided invaluable insights into building engaging Augmented Reality experiences.

As a direct consequence of the work and lessons learned from Coping Card Battles, we’ve solidified a clear path forward for future AR projects: the development of a bespoke Custom AR Toolkit. While Unity’s AR Foundation provides a robust underpinning, our experience has highlighted a need for a development workflow precisely tailored to our specific methods. Off-the-shelf SDKs, though comprehensive, often introduce complexities or features that don’t align with our core requirements, potentially impeding efficiency.

This planned custom toolkit aims to address these points directly. By developing a suite of modular, intuitive components, it will allow us to:

• Quickly prototype and deploy interactive AR content: Reducing manual setup so ideas can move from concept to testable experience in rapid time.
• Achieve precise control over object behaviour and scene integration: Fine-tuning how virtual elements blend and respond within the real world, ensuring a high-quality user experience.
• Build consistent, scalable AR applications across all projects: Establishing a unified framework that streamlines development and simplifies future maintenance.

The toolkit’s development is structured into six distinct phases. The foundational elements required for its Phase 1 have effectively been completed as a direct outcome of our work on Coping Card Battles. This establishes a stable and robust core, enabling swift iteration on innovative AR concepts moving forward. Its ongoing development will also focus on refining underlying algorithms and methods for improved performance and accuracy in areas like environmental understanding.

This toolkit is anticipated to make developing our forthcoming AR projects much faster and more efficient.