Varan AR

4-player game of Catch. The Next Generation of outdoor handheld gaming.

In this free version of Varan AR, you gather a group of 4. Download the app, find 4 shirts with distinct colors, connect by Wifi-hotspot, teach-your-device about the colors and play within a 12x12 meter square.

Three players carries devices, while the fourth - The Wild Wanderer - hunts other players on commands from attacking device-carriers using Image Processing/Computer Vision to inflict damage in the AR layer.

Device-carriers' objective is games that last below 22 local attack rounds, while The Wild Wanderer use sounds from the AR layer actions, to aim for a game that last less than 12 or more than 22 local attack rounds.

A detailed concept summary ...

Choose 4 shirts with distinct colors, and use these color differences to track your opponents by Computer Vision/Image Processing. These colors have to be distinct from each other, as well from the environment, and the game also has a Environment Analysis tool to help you in that regard. You start by connecting your devices by Wifi Hotspot, and once you have played once you can rely on up to 3 different saved game setups, the next time you play. Be aware that player initials and shirt colors, in a saved setup, has to be exactly the same.

Environment colors and weather conditions (light from sun or cloud cover) also affects the tracking effect of the device cameras. As such the settings and tools of Varan responds to these challenges, while also helping the player to manage the gyroscopic handling by menu and intuitive aids.

Various information areas guides the progression, and keeps the initial user aware of the special technical challenges associated with GPU and battery performance within AR video and rendering.

The gameplay also contains the concept of a non-carrying player. This 4th player is called the Wild Wanderer, and acts as the side-shifting weapon with a parallel agenda of either a short or a long game. The three other players will, on the contrary, try to aim for a medium long game, while seeking to maintain as many hitpoints as possible at the end of the game.