Supporting AREA15 build an immersive AR treasure hunt game
AREA15 is an immersive entertainment venue in Las Vegas, US. We worked with AREA15 to create an engaging AR app and add another layer of interactivity to the experience.
AREA15 was created by Michael Beneville and Winston Fisher. The venue is located just two miles from the Las Vegas Strip. AREA15 combines multiple different forms of expression and entertainment to deliver lasting immersive experiences. AREA15 ranked number one in Best Immersive Art Experience of 2021 by USA Today.
AREA15 is home to the second permanent Meow Wolf exhibition as well as retail facilities, events, and various counterculture initiatives.
The idea behind AREA15 was to blur the boundary between the imagined and the real through technology, art, and entertainment. AREA15 creators also wanted the venue to breathe interactivity. To do this, the company needed tech solutions that enable cross-reality immersion and engagement.
Scope of Work
AREA15 was a complex process where we were responsible for evaluating proper devices to fit in the project's context.
Technical Feasibility
Before development, we ran extensive research as to the proper devices suitable for the project that also took into account the dark and unique lighting conditions of the venue.
Designing for User Experience
The AR experience relied heavily on impeccable graphics. Our task was to build the 3D models that helped the player go through the journey.
Development in Difficult Light Conditions
To make the application work in difficult conditions, our developers approached development from multiple angles, ensuring a proper viewing experience.
Solution
Augmented reality (AR) lets users plunge into the virtual and blend it with the surrounding world. AR apps offer highly interactive experiences where users can expand their perception for a more visceral engagement. AREA15’s founders looked to AR to add to the disruptive nature of their venture — and win the hearts of guests seeking alternative tech-inspired experiences.
The creators of AREA15 came to us with a project to build an AR scavenger hunt app. When we started working, we saw a huge potential hidden in the idea. Our team decided to expand the project and include gaming features, going beyond the initial assumptions.
Nomtek used Azure Kinect DK to record 3D models of a person and bring the main character from the AR experience to life. The 3D rendering helped us boost realism and special effects in the game.
AREA15: Particle Quest is a highly engaging location-based AR app that gives guests an additional level of immersion inside AREA15. The app also contains three types of games that further amplify the experience. Full of Unity-based special effects with quality gameplay, the games, AR scavenger hunt, and backstory all create an arresting narrative.
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