AR Cameras
In augmented reality (or AR for short) games, virtual characters “appear” in the real world when the player points the camera in the right direction. Since the introduction of cameras in mobile devices and camera-based controllers like the EyeToy and Kinect, AR games such as Wonderbook: Book of Spells (Sony, 2012), Star Wars Falcon Arcade Gunner (THQ, 2010), AR GAMES (Nintendo, 2011), and AR Defender 2 (BulkyPix, 2012) have become increasingly popular—promising to blur the line between the game and reality.
There are two styles of AR games. The first requires a printed card—much like a QR code—for the camera to look at. As long as the player keeps the camera trained on or near the patterned image, the game’s elements can be displayed. If the player moves the camera, the characters will disappear and gameplay will suspend.
The other style of AR games displays virtual characters, vehicles, and effects “on top of” the camera...