How To Make Your Own Augmented Reality Game For Less Than $100
After my post last month, “How a Pokémon Go Type of Design Using NFC Can Enhance Training Experiences”, I received several requests asking for more detailed instruction on how to create the augmented reality-like exercises proposed. While there certainly seems to be a growing interest in creating AR training exercises, especially with the recent popularity of Pokémon Go, there are not many step-by-step guides currently available to help instructional designers. So I decided to document one of my proposed ideas from that post, capturing on video my actual reality (MAR) of going through the steps to program an NFC tag. Click the link at the end of this post to watch the video.
NFC, or near field communication, is a way for electronic devices like a smart phone or tablet, to interact wirelessly with another NFC enabled device from about an inch apart. Both devices involved can send and/or receive information from the other. Wi-Fi, 3G, LTE or otherwise is not needed, and data transfer does not cost anything.
Most Android devices have NFC functions already built in. Sorry iPhone users, Apple was not an early adopter of NFC tech (probably because they couldn’t monetize it). Hopefully Tim Cook will get the ball rolling over at Cupertino. To see the latest list of NFC compatible devices, CLICK HERE.
Let’s get to it shall we? Here is the quick and dirty recipe for creating an AR scavenger hunt exercise using NFC tags.
Resources:
• NFC compatible device with access to YouTube (1) • NFC tags (3) • YouTube Videos (3) – preferable videos you created, but feel free to use mine if you want. • NFC Tools App (1)
Programming Directions:
1. Get a pack of NFC tags. You can get a pack on Amazon.com for less than $15. I use NTAG216 tags because data transfer is fast and they hold 888 bytes of memory.
2. Download the NFC Tools App to your NFC compatible device. You can download it free from Google Play. (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wakdev.wdnfc&hl=en)
3. Produce at least three videos with content for your exercise.
4. Upload the videos to YouTube.
5. Write down or copy the URLs of your YouTube videos. (if you were too lazy to do steps 3 and 4, you can use my videos for your test – click here)
6. Turn on the NFC function in your NFC compatible device.
7. Open the NFC Tools App. a. Select the “WRITE” menu. b. Select “Add a record”. c. Select “Add a URL record”. d. Add the URL of your first video, and then press OK. The URL is added to the Write list within the NFC Tools app.
8. Take one of the new NFC tags and hold it next to your NFC device.
9. Within the NFC Tools app, write to the NFC tag by pressing “Write”. When the NFC tag has been programmed a “Write complete!” message will appear.
10. Press OK.
11. The NFC tag is now programmed. To test the NFC tag, place the tag about half an inch from the NFC device. Your device will open a browser and go to the YouTube video you programmed.
12. Follow steps 7 – 10 to program the other NFC tags with the two other YouTube videos.
How to Set Up The Hunt:
1. Stick the first NFC tag containing the first video, on to or next to a door.
2. Stick the second NFC tag containing the second video, on to or next to a window.
3. Stick the third NFC tag containing the final video, on to or next to a computer with Internet access.
4. Write the first clue on a piece of paper. CLUE #1: “You open this flat, knobby gatekeeper to enter or exit buildings, rooms, closets or cars.” OR for a variation, prepare to text (SMS) the clue to the NFC device.
To Start the Hunt
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Franz Villa is an expert in organizational development, business management and learning technologies. He has helped drive strategic initiatives in human resources, training, talent management, operations, communications and governance for companies such as Home Depot, Sony, HD Supply, Jack-In-The Box, and Big 5 Sporting Goods.
Twitter: @LnDFranz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franzvilla
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