Project time
8 weeksTeam size
8Tags
Experimental game co-op AR Arcade Twin stick shooterTools
Unity SVN C#Sphere Shifter
Introduction
Sphere Shifter was a fun project. The goal was to make a game using new technology. For our tech, we chose the Sphero; a phone-controlled sphere that can roll around autonomously or remote-controlled. We used the Sphero in combination with a projector that projected the level on the ground and a webcam to track the Sphero’s location. With these elements, we created an augmented reality two-headed twin stick shooter, where one player drove the Sphero around and the other player shot the asteroids and enemy ships using smart phones as controllers.
What I learned
- This was my first Unity 2D game.
- I learned C# during this project.
Development
Unfamiliar territory
This was my first Unity project and C# project. I spent a lot of my time learning the engine and assisting where I could. We had a lot of programming challenges: the Sphero, mobile phones as controllers, and visual tracking. One senior programmer focused on the visual tracking of the Sphero for the character position. Another senior programmer took the task of the mobile app and Sphero controls. A programmer with Unity experience and I worked on implementing the gameplay and UI.
Making the rig
We needed to design and build the platform to attach the projector and webcam on. Our team lead had some spare wood and we constructed a three-legged rig. It was designed to be foldable but the hinges proved to be a problem. We used hinges that were too weak and would bend under the weight of the construction. In the end, we just had to screw the legs into the base.