Augmented Portal

Welcome to the ZapWorks Augmented Portal competition. Submit your entry before Wednesday 24th January for the chance to win $500!

Augmented Portal

Theme: Portal
Start: 4th Dec 2017
Deadline: 24th Jan 2018
Prize: $500 and a ZapBox Mixed Reality Kit

What’s an augmented portal I hear you ask? An augmented portal can be anything from a doorway, gateway or window intoanother world, moving a user seamlessly from one environment to the next. if you’ve ever watched Harry Potter or played the game Portal then you’ve probably seen one before.

Sweet. So how the heck do I make one? Augmented portals are created using augmented reality and masking. Masking is a technique that hides parts of a scene, making the objects behind appear invisible. Masking can be effectively applied to your AR projects to create hidden scenes within experiences,usually framed around a square or circle object - almost like a portal...hint, hint ; )

To help you get started, we recommend that you work along with our Step-by-Step Augmented Portal tutorial.

Using ZapWorks Studio we’re challenging you to build an augmented portal experience into another world. Where you take people is entirely down to you - create a sci-fi experience by building a portal into the future, or take users on a journey to a lost, forgotten city under the sea - the choice is yours.

Whatever you decide you’ll need to consider that your target image will act as the portal, and once scanned will provide the backdrop for your experience. Make sure these two work in tandem to ensure your audience believe they’re being transported to another world.  

Tools

To createyour portal you’ll be using:

  • ZapWorks Studio

  • Any 3rd party designer software: Blender, 3ds Max, Photoshop.  

Entry requirements

Make sure your entry meets the requirements below:

  • Include some form of AR (digital content overlaid on the target image)

  • Add a new layer, functionality or interface to the experience

  • Incorporate a 2D or 3D element

  • Be activated from a target image

  • Follow the augmented portal theme

  • Use some form of masking

  • Be built in ZapWorks Studio (although you can use 3rd party tools to develop your content before importing it into Studio)


Remember: If you’re using the 'Augmented portal.zpp', please ensure your submission adds a new mechanic, functionality or interface to the experience.

Don't have Zapworks Studio? Don't worry you can download it now

Criteria for judging

Submissions will be judged on the creativity of the entry and use of masking within the experience. Our judges are looking for something that will transport them into another realm, whether that’s using depth on thez-axis within a 2D experience or a custom built 3D model.

Entrants will be judged on:

  • Masking - how well the mask is incorporated into the tracking image and how effectively the content is hidden by the mask

  • Complexity - how complex the project is, in terms of scripting, interactivity, etc.

  • Tracking - how well the content tracks to the image

  • Polish - SFX, nice animations, target events

  • Assets - quality of the 3D models, 2D images/UI

  • UX - how well the user journey is communicated

  • Theme - how consistently the theme is applied throughout the experience

  • Immersive - how effectively immersion is maintained throughout the experience

  • Target image - quality of the target image

Bonus points will be awarded for:

  • Narrative structure - how effectively the experience tells a story

  • Hiding an Easter egg within the experience

  • Including a 360 panorama within the experience

  • Include a call to action somewhere on the tracking image

  • Documenting your progress in a WIP (Work In Progress) topic on the forum

Judging Panel

Your augmented portal creations will be judged and critiqued by Zappar’s in-house team of AR experts, including  Connell Gauld, co-founder & CTO at Zappar, Simon Taylor, co-founder & Research Director and creator of ZapBox.

Deadline

Submit your experience before Wednesday 24th January to be in with a chance of winning $500.

Project assets

Zapworks Augmented Portal Competition

Discover where to source additional assets for your competition entry.RESOURCES