Jump to content

Augmented Reality Caches


Recommended Posts

My ROAR based cache got thrown back not becasue there is anything wrong with using it but just because the reviewer wanted clarification about the 'Free plan' I was using. It says it allows 200 'recognitions' but it's not clear if it's 200 in total or 200 per month.

Out of desperation, I had a quick look at Metaverse again but it just doesn't seem to do what I want.

I don't want characters and questions. Is it possible just to do a simple image overlay with Metaverse?

M

 

Link to comment
5 hours ago, wanrex said:

Just wonder, does anyone created a public bookmark to include all AR_ cache published so far?

Shame it, i can't search it without PM membership.

Don't have a bookmark list, but right now, these are all AR_ caches so far:

 

GC7R1BG,GC7QZPT,GC7R300,GC7QWVZ,GC7QH4Y,GC7R116,GC7QWX6,GC7QZNM,GC7QZFD,GC7QZNE,GC7H2JH,GC7P9V9,GC7QWKD,GC7QVY7,GC7QX96,GC7R0ER,GC7QXWD,GC7QXNJ,GC7PK6X,GC7R1C9,GC7QWAG,GC7QXNZ,GC549PM,GC7QWM0,GC7QZHM,GC7QZKE,GC7R28T,GC7R0CJ,GC7QXCX,GC7R3ND,GC7QZ0E,GC7QYKG,GC7QWX4,GC7K8RE,GC7QXBP,GC7QWDN,GC7R08V,GC7QGCJ,GC7QZPQ,GC7QWGB,GC7QWWJ,GC7QXAR,GC7R4DQ,GC7QV59,GC7R3AE,GC7R1HK,GC7R32M,GC7R053,GC7QY39,GC7R3PJ,GC7R1M1,GC7QQH0,GC7QZ0B,GC7QYV8,GC7QWQ4,GC7R4KW,GC7QYJ4,GC7QZ2P,GC7NG3A,GC7QYRD,GC7FGTM,GC7PXXY,GC7QP0E,GC7QW66

Link to comment

Anyone had any luck with HP Reveal?

I've created the 'Aura', downloaded app to my phone and tried to test it. The app doesn't recognise the trigger image.
I thought that perhaps I had to log in to my account on the phone (I had to do this with ROAR prior to making it public) but the HPReveal app  just keeps erroring

M

Link to comment

I asked my reviewer about other AR apps as well, and he said the same thing; it'd be denied because it's not one of the two approved apps, but that HQ would be the people to ask about the app and whether it could be approved. I want to set up an example AR to fire it up to HQ so they can look at it.

Link to comment

Tale Blazer seems to be the one I have the most success with, and it also appears to be designed to be as simple or as complex as one might want.  Anyone know if it meets the requirements set aside by GS?  I'm emailing my reviewer as well, but thought I'd see if anyone has already done the legwork here.  I know someone posted about it earlier.

Link to comment
Just now, coachstahly said:

Tale Blazer seems to be the one I have the most success with, and it also appears to be designed to be as simple or as complex as one might want.  Anyone know if it meets the requirements set aside by GS?  I'm emailing my reviewer as well, but thought I'd see if anyone has already done the legwork here.  I know someone posted about it earlier.

 

It feels almost as though we're being allowed to do all the legwork for something that might get archived in a matter of weeks.

 

Seems like a very poor deal.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
1 minute ago, coachstahly said:

Tale Blazer seems to be the one I have the most success with, and it also appears to be designed to be as simple or as complex as one might want.  Anyone know if it meets the requirements set aside by GS?  I'm emailing my reviewer as well, but thought I'd see if anyone has already done the legwork here.  I know someone posted about it earlier.

I submitted a cache using TaleBlazer and was initially rejected by my reviewer. We have discussed, and I am currently waiting to hear back from him, and he is currently waiting to hear back from HQ.

Link to comment
1 hour ago, thebruce0 said:

I asked my reviewer about other AR apps as well, and he said the same thing; it'd be denied because it's not one of the two approved apps, but that HQ would be the people to ask about the app and whether it could be approved. I want to set up an example AR to fire it up to HQ so they can look at it.

 

Which is odd, considering one was already published using TaleBlazer, so I would assume that would denote its acceptance already by HQ so long as its covered in the guidelines.

 

2 minutes ago, Team Christiansen said:

I submitted a cache using TaleBlazer and was initially rejected by my reviewer. We have discussed, and I am currently waiting to hear back from him, and he is currently waiting to hear back from HQ.

 

Crossing my fingers for you. TaleBlazer was going to be the app I used after toying with it and seeing how well it worked for others.

Edited by mimaef
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
4 minutes ago, coachstahly said:

Tale Blazer seems to be the one I have the most success with, and it also appears to be designed to be as simple or as complex as one might want.  Anyone know if it meets the requirements set aside by GS?  I'm emailing my reviewer as well, but thought I'd see if anyone has already done the legwork here.  I know someone posted about it earlier.

And by the way, there is already a cache published in San Diego a few days ago using TaleBlazer. Mine was nearly an identical copy (with cache owner's permission).

Link to comment
5 minutes ago, Team Microdot said:

 

It feels almost as though we're being allowed to do all the legwork for something that might get archived in a matter of weeks.

 

Seems like a very poor deal.

I don't mind as it has been a fun experience and I have learned a new skill setting up an AR experience for my grandkids. My cache is a fun scavenger hunt.

Link to comment

Regardless of whether the idea as a whole is a poor one to some people, many are enjoying it and are taking up the chance to play with it, even if the caches may be getting archived quickly. So yay!  I'm working on an idea as well, but with Zappar. So we'll see how that works out. I think the idea is awesome, and this is a great way to test out the AR concept.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment

How can I get this to work on my Oregon 450?  From what I've seen so far, this only works on cell phones with a data signal connected at that moment/location.  It also seems like the new deal is less than what's available in Wherigo.

 

That said, I would likely give away more of my personal information & privacy to get an app to find one of these (unless a caching friend is more willing to do it.)

Link to comment
3 minutes ago, K13 said:

How can I get this to work on my Oregon 450?  From what I've seen so far, this only works on cell phones with a data signal connected at that moment/location.  It also seems like the new deal is less than what's available in Wherigo.

 

That said, I would likely give away more of my personal information & privacy to get an app to find one of these (unless a caching friend is more willing to do it.)

No camera = no AR overlay.

Link to comment
5 minutes ago, K13 said:

the new deal is less than what's available in Wherigo.

Although this tech is new for geocaching, comparing the Wherigo cartridges I experienced to the AR games I've tinkered with, at least with the apps I am using, it offers everthing Wherigo offers and much more. The programming is also much easier. Although the more popular app Metaverse doesn't offer you the ability to save the program on your device (like Wherigo), others do, so you won't have to worry about internet connectivity while playing the game.

Link to comment

I found my first AR cache today, this one.    Great fun!  It was based on the game "Cluedo" ("Clue" in North America).     I've done a Wherigo based on the same game, and this was similar, but added the "AR" aspect.    It used Metaverse.

 

I may have a go at creating one myself.

 

I am one who likes caches which tell a story.     They can be multi caches or multi stage puzzles, with stages matching the story.   Or a Wherigo, which adds an interactive element.   This AR builds on that.   

Link to comment

Ok, so keeping notes of various tools mentioned, this is what I understand so far...

 

Approved:

Metaverse

    Type: Location based scripted experience with 3D graphics overlay. Rendering can be anchored to a surface or auto-positioned and -oriented by device gyroscope. No tracking image recognition.

    Location: Individuals experiences can be locked to work within 40m of GPS waypoint

    Offline ability: Not possible. Online required to load most recent package by QR link or keyword/account search

    Discovery: Browsable catalog, or QR code scan for individual or groups of experiences

    Sharing: QR link to an individual experience or a group of experiences, opens in-app.

 

HP Reveal (Aurasma)

 

    Type: Tracking image overlay (2D and 3D).

    Location: Auras tracking images can be locked to vicinity of a GPS location

    Offline ability: Not possible. Online required to load most recent version of any experience recognized.

    Discovery: Browsable catalog, or user must 'follow' an account to load all its tracking images (available experience identifiers) locally.

    Sharing: Links to accounts can be shared which load into the app for following.

 

TaleBlazer

    Type: Location-based scripted experience; multiple waypoints with adjustable detection proximity. Heads-up display approximating location of waypoints over camera view.

    Location: Used to determine triggering waypoints within the experience
    Offline ability: Downloaded packages are cached in-app for offline use.

    Discovery: Browsable catalog, list of nearby experiences, providing a text game code

    Sharing: Shareable text game code

 

Unapproved:

ROAR

 

    - tracking image recognition, no marker code
    - online required for package loading by visual scan
    - AR: 3D design overlaying tracking image
    - 200 limited free scans

    - no GPS location use
Zappar
    - download package in app by scanning marker code
    - tracking image/marker code recognition
    - AR: widgets over marker code, interactive script overlaying tracking image, complex interactive 3D design over markers/tracking images
    - Free: 5 Codes, 250 scans/mo

    - no GPS location use
 

Each of these seem to be either a scripted location-based experience with auto-oriented elements, or a camera-view-scanning tracking image-based overlay, variants, but not both.

Want both!

Personally, at this point I'm more a fan of Zappar, but the free use limitation may be the deal breaker...

 

EDITs:

1] to Metaverse and TaleBlazer

2] locative limitation details added to Metaverse and TaleBlazer

3] updated HP Reveal package loading

4] adjusted list to identify approved and unapproved apps and their features (TaleBlazer now approved)

Edited by thebruce0
  • Upvote 2
  • Helpful 2
Link to comment
4 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

Ok, so keeping notes of various tools mentioned, this is what I understand so far...

 

Great write up!! This really helps.

 

One bullet to add to your comparison chart -- you mentioned ability to load a program on each, but how about ability to save a program to your device (like a Wherigo cartridge) in case you end up in a place with poor reception. I can't speak to the other apps, but Metaverse requires a constant connection to run, while TaleBlazer allows you to save earlier and then run without connectivity.

 

10 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

TaleBlazer
    - location-based interactive script
    - download package in app by browsing nearby experience catalog

 You can also download from anywhere by typing in game code.

Link to comment
40 minutes ago, Team Christiansen said:

you mentioned ability to load a program on each, but how about ability to save a program to your device

 

Yeah without confirmation about whether an app can 100% work offline, I just left it to [down]load to the device; only one afaik is confirmed as requiring online.  If we can have confirmation about which work entirely offline once the package is downloaded, I can add that expicitly to the list :)

 

edit: just tested Metaverse, which I wasn't sure about, and tried turning on airplane at various points of one experience I'd used previously, and yeah it shows a network error with pretty much any interaction... so that's definitely online only.

 

43 minutes ago, Team Christiansen said:

You can also download from anywhere by typing in game code.

 

Right, good catch; forgot that way.

 

41 minutes ago, Team Christiansen said:
55 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

no no marker code

What is a no no marker code?

 

lol, a finger wave maybe? :P

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment

TaleBlazer seems like the best overall to me for what it offers, though the camera 3d character overlay would be very welcome. TB would work best out here too, since a lot of areas have minimal cell reception so it can be used in the forests. A lot of these seem best suited to urban hunting and their branding appears to hint toward that goal as well.

Link to comment
10 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

Ok, so keeping notes of various tools mentioned, this is what I understand so far...

 

Metaverse
    - online required to load package by QR link or browsing catalog, and execute package
    - location-based interactive script
    - no marker code, no tracking image recognition
    - AR: surface-anchored 3D design auto-oriented (by device or ARKit)

HP Reveal (Aurasma)
    - download a package in app by browsing catalog of cover images
    - tracking image recognition, no no marker code
    - AR: 3D design overlaying tracking image

ROAR
    - tracking image recognition, no no marker code
    - online required for package loading by visual scan
    - AR: 3D design overlaying tracking image
    - 200 limited free scans

TaleBlazer
    - location-based interactive script
    - download package in app by browsing nearby experience catalog or providing a text game code
    - AR: waypoint labels located and auto-oriented (by device)

Zappar
    - download package in app by scanning marker code
    - tracking image/marker code recognition
    - AR: widgets over marker code, interactive script overlaying tracking image, complex interactive 3D design over markers/tracking images
    - Free: 5 Codes, 250 scans/mo

 

Each of these seem to be either a scripted location-based experience with auto-oriented elements, or a camera-view-scanning tracking image-based overlay, variants, but not both.

Want both!

Personally, at this point I'm more a fan of Zappar, but the free use limitation may be the deal breaker...

 

Currently only the first two are listed as allowable, though 1 published AR cache uses TaleBlazer.

 

EDITs: 1) to Metaverse and TaleBlazer

 

Thanks.. though I don't understand most of this!  E.g. "AR: surface-anchored 3D design auto-oriented (by device or ARKit)"

 

I'll have a play with Metaverse, as that is what the one I found used, and the CO is a friend of mine so I can ask her for help!

 

 

Link to comment

My first AR attempt is to just go to a noticeboard, scan it and an overlay of final co-ordinates appear. So far I have not achieved this successfully

Metaverse
    Does not seem possible to do what I want

 

HP Reveal (Aurasma)
 Worst one so far - phone app won't find anything
 

ROAR
   This works well but the 200 free scan limit means it's a no-no

 

TaleBlazer
  Have yet to try this

 

Zappar
  Works well but use of marker code makes it unsuitable

The cacher would have to open app , scan marker code then scan target.

It is not even possible to  scan marker at home, close app, arrive at gz, open app and scan target object.

YouAugment
I like this one becasue no app download or scanning of marker code is required

However, I did a test just overlaying text on a calling card and it was fine but when I tried the target image and overlay I have used in the other tests, it just wouldn't load :(

Any other suggestions?

 

Link to comment

I live quite close to GC7R116 (it's on a hillside where there are already 2 early Wherigoes - both of the "now navigate to this point" type rather than answering a Q at each point) - it's had one successful find so I'm willing to give it a go with Mrs OS and OS Junior in tow. Might be this Sunday, probably the one after - I'll report back. App downloaded OK on Android phone.

Link to comment
5 hours ago, Delta68 said:

Zappar
  Works well but use of marker code makes it unsuitable

The cacher would have to open app , scan marker code then scan target.

It is not even possible to  scan marker at home, close app, arrive at gz, open app and scan target object

 

Actually as an example, you can put the code on the cache listing for the user to zap before going to the coords.

At gz, even if airplane mode is on, the user could A] re-select the code they already zapped then begin looking for the tracking image and it'll work, or B] re-scan the code if say they printed it or scan it from another screen, and continue from there looking for the tracking image. All offline.

In short, Zappar does work offline as long as you've downloaded the package by zapping the code.

 

(eta: I'm using iphone 8+, so these are ios11 results in case that matters)

Edited by thebruce0
Link to comment
6 hours ago, redsox_mark said:

Thanks.. though I don't understand most of this!  E.g. "AR: surface-anchored 3D design auto-oriented (by device or ARKit)"

 

heh, tried to keep technical details to a short, terse sentence.  Those are just descriptions of the type of augmented reality the app uses as far as my knowledge.

 

'By device' I mean uses hardware features to determine location/orientation in 3d space (gps location, accelerometer, magnetometer, etc).

 

'ARKit' is Apple's iOS package that constantly scans the camera view while shifting the camera around a bit to generate a live 3D virtual environment representation that's accessible for use in the app; commonly used to determine where surfaces are, without needing to use hardware features or marker anchors.

 

Auto-oriented is pretty much a necessary component of AR: on-screen assets are visually adjusted with the camera to appear relative to what it sees in the real world. That could be done by visual analysis of camera view (ie, ARKit) or estimating by parsing the hardware readings (gps, orientation, etc). The former is typically more accurate than the latter.

 

Link to comment
15 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

 

Actually as an example, you can put the code on the cache listing for the user to zap before going to the coords.

At gz, even if airplane mode is on, the user could A] re-select the code they already zapped then begin looking for the tracking image and it'll work,

 

The app would suggest that that's possible as it has a menu with 'Recents' but when I select one it just starts scanning for a zapcode again :(

Testing on Andoid app on Samsung Galaxy S4

I might have to go with Zappar for now as it seems best of a bad bunch closest to what I want :)

 

Link to comment
20 minutes ago, Delta68 said:

The app would suggest that that's possible as it has a menu with 'Recents' but when I select one it just starts scanning for a zapcode again :(

Testing on Andoid app on Samsung Galaxy S4

 

Hm, well that's odd. You mean, you select an item for the Recents list, and it shows you the 'scanning' animation again? If it's plain camera view then it's looking for whatever is next for that particular experience (ie tracking image).

I just tried with airplane mode on, again, selected a recent, it loaded, and the AR worked when I used the tracking image.  Maybe it's something with the Android version? =/

Link to comment
17 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

Ok, so keeping notes of various tools mentioned, this is what I understand so far...

 

A couple more suggested bullets -- Location Settings and Proximity Settings.

 

Metaverse will open an experience within 40 meters of a set location. The proximity is fixed and cannot be adjusted. No further subsequent locations can be programmed. To have an adventure with multiple waypoints requires the user to open several experiences. Tale Blazer allows you to set the proximity that you can open a program or interact with characters and objects at any distance (like Wherigo). And you can program several subsequent waypoints to further along the game or story. Metaverse = 1 location and fixed proximity. TaleBlazer = multiple locations and adjustable proximity.

Link to comment
13 minutes ago, Team Christiansen said:

A couple more suggested bullets -- Location Settings and Proximity Settings.

 

Good points, added

 

22 minutes ago, Delta68 said:

Zappar with a 'deeplink' link in the cache page seems the way forward for now B)

 

Only issue with Zappar is the 250 scan /month limit, free, and the next 'upgrade' is going all out business which is $45/mo or $35/mo paid annually ($420/year) to get unlimited codes and scans. That's a big difference (I've raised the concern to Zappar, but slim chance of anything changing, lol). I'd pay a few bucks a month for a couple of codes with no scan limits.  But if you want to go all out 3D models you need the pro business package which is triple the cost. :(

It costs because yeah every zap scan downloads the entire package (which may have heavy graphics/video), and more complex ones may have live content hosting and whatnot...  I wish the pricing was more relevant to the content.

Link to comment
13 minutes ago, Team Christiansen said:

 

A couple more suggested bullets -- Location Settings and Proximity Settings.

 

Metaverse will open an experience within 40 meters of a set location. The proximity is fixed and cannot be adjusted. No further subsequent locations can be programmed. To have an adventure with multiple waypoints requires the user to open several experiences. Tale Blazer allows you to set the proximity that you can open a program or interact with characters and objects at any distance (like Wherigo). And you can program several subsequent waypoints to further along the game or story. Metaverse = 1 location and fixed proximity. TaleBlazer = multiple locations and adjustable proximity.

 

I've only been looking at Metaverse so far.   The one AR cache I did worked around this limitation by somehow "linking" 6 different "experiences".    So the app would show the 6 locations, initially grayed out.   When I got within range (40 meters) of a location, it would show non-greyed.   Not as flexible as Wherigo where a single experience can be created and entering locations causes an action; but it worked OK.     With this one you can visit them in any order; I don't think you could force a certain order. 

 

I haven't yet figured out how to "link" multiple experiences so they all show on the one screen like this, but I'll ask the CO.   

IMG-5096.PNG

Link to comment
7 minutes ago, redsox_mark said:

The one AR cache I did worked around this limitation by somehow "linking" 6 different "experiences".

 

Yes, the programmer can "group" related experiences. Although grouped (linked), they are still 6 different programs (experiences). But the programmer can't force the sequence.

Edited by Team Christiansen
clarification
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
25 minutes ago, redsox_mark said:

I haven't yet figured out how to "link" multiple experiences so they all show on the one screen like this, but I'll ask the CO.

 

On the Experience Storyboard, click on the entry block (dark with a gear icon), then on the far right, click on the group arrow. There is a video tutorial on it. 

Edited by Team Christiansen
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
17 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

Only issue with Zappar is the 250 scan /month limit, free


I can't see where it says this limit.
If the limit is scans of the Zapcode it might be a problem as I can imagine people just playing with it to see what happens.
If it's actual target scans, then the limit won't be a problem because I only anticipate about a dozen finders in total... :)

M
 

Link to comment
10 minutes ago, Delta68 said:
32 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

Only issue with Zappar is the 250 scan /month limit, free


I can't see where it says this limit.

 

Yeah I saw it once and can't remember where :P but I got confirmation from support that it is 250 scans / month, and from what I can tell and what I would assume is that is zapcode scans, not tracking image scans.

 

11 minutes ago, Delta68 said:

If the limit is scans of the Zapcode it might be a problem as I can imagine people just playing with it to see what happens.
If it's actual target scans, then the limit won't be a problem because I only anticipate about a dozen finders in total... :)

 

Yep, if the code is on the listing I would anticipate a much higher scan rate than if the code were say hidden in the container at posted, then only the dozens who might go to it would count as scanners.  Still, just having the limit would be a deal breaker. I haven't gleaned what happens when 250 is hit - one person said it wasn't a hard limit but they (Zappar) are notified, and the support reponse just said it's a 250 limit. If it's a hard limit and the code will not work at 251, that'd be a deal breaker.

Link to comment

HQ's official policy on new AR apps:

 

Quote

 

Hi Team Christiansen,

 

Thanks for your message.

 

When an AR cache is submitted that requires the use of an app that is not mentioned in the article, the local reviewer will alert Geocaching HQ to make a decision. This review can take several days. TaleBlazer has gone through this process and we have added information about it to the Help Center article about the AR experiment.

 

Happy Geocaching,
Geocaching HQ Admin

 

 

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...