Create your own augmented reality games from scratch with Unity 5

About This Book

Create your own augmented reality game from scratch and join the virtual reality gaming revolution

Use the latest Unity 5 VR SDK to create pro-level AR games like Pokemon Go

Innovate and explore the latest and most promising trend of AR gaming in the mobile gaming industry

Who This Book Is For

This book is for those who have a basic knowledge of game development techniques, but no previous knowledge of Unity is required. Some basic programming knowledge would be desirable, but the book is an introduction to the topic. The book is also suitable for experienced developers new to GIS or GPS development.

What You Will Learn

Build a location-based augmented reality game called Foodie Go

Animate a player’s avatar on a map

Use the mobile device’s camera as a game background

Implement database persistence with SQLLite4Unity3D to carry inventory items across game sessions

Create basic UI elements for the game, inventory, menu, and settings

Perform location and content searches against the Google Places API

Enhance the game’s mood by adding visual shader effects

Extend the game by adding multiplayer networking and other enhancements

In Detail

The heyday of location-based augmented reality games is upon us. They have been around for a few years, but the release of Pokemon Go was a gamechanger that catalyzed the market and led to a massive surge in demand. Now is the time for novice and experienced developers alike to turn their good ideas into augmented reality (AR) mobile games and meet this demand!

If you are keen to develop virtual reality games with the latest Unity 5 toolkit, then this is the book for you. The genre of location-based AR games introduces a new platform and technical challenges, but this book will help simplify those challenges and show how to maximize your game audience.

This book will take you on a journey through building a location-based AR game that addresses the core technical concepts: GIS fundamentals, mobile device GPS, mapping, map textures in Unity, mobile device camera, camera textures in Unity, accessing location-based services, and other useful Unity tips. The technical material also discusses what is necessary for further development to create a multiplayer version of the game. At the end, you will be presented with troubleshooting techniques in case you get into trouble and need a little help.

Style and approach

This book shows you how to create every step of the game and gives practical examples.