First and Last Names
Ryan Whearty

Link to Demo Video (YouTube or Vimeo)
https://youtu.be/3Kzuu-FdDLk

Briefly describe your project
The PARKCADE is a fun place to meet up with your friends and play classic inspired video games while getting fresh air and a dose of vitamin D! The current build is testing ground for the core game loop, which is go to the park, play some games, collect tickets and trade them in for prizes. It’s like Dave and Buster’s with a picnic basket and a duck pond!

How did you innovate on this product (VPS/ARDK features)?
I think the using the Screen Render Material as a “monitor” is pretty innovative. It really opens the door to new types of AR interaction. The old school game cabinet was a way for me to visualize it in a familiar way but I think the basic concept could be fine tuned and expanded quite a bit. You could take a game like Breakout /Arknoid and overlay it on a brick wall. Or take the existing Space-Game and play it laying on the grass with the clouds as a backdrop. VPS was used to activate and position the arcade cabinets. I switched to the floating Tron Cube seen in some of the footage for two reasons. To make positioning easier (it’s hard to judge exactly where the floor would be). The other reason is because it’s AR, so why not? And it looks cool. The shared AR template rocket was used as well because I wanted at least some multiplayer feature.

How did you use Remote Authoring or Maps Beta? (Optional)
I used remote authoring to set up the in person experiences. Once I got the hang of the workflow it was really fun. I never ran into any scale or positions issues. I think the key is to nest your object into an empty before you make it a prefab. If you want to adjust the scale, open the prefab and then select the object (not the empty above it) and scale that. I wanted to have the app open the way ARVoyage does, with a top down map and Wayspots highlighted. In the end I just went with the Remote VPS list so that I could concentrate on other elements like designing the menus.

How does it speak to Niantic's mission? (Optional)
PARKCADE encourages people to get out of the house by dangling the incredibly delicious carrot of video games. The current build is Wayspot VPS activated which means you HAVE to get out of your house to play Space-Game. The PRIZE that’s included is a shared experience toy rocket which motivates players to interact with each other.

How complete is your project? (Optional)
Well, it’s definitely a work in progress but it does have a strong skeleton. Having only one game and one prize is a bit of a limitation but I really want to dial in what I have before I add more features. The biggest bug is the discrepancy between what I get in Unity with the Virtual Studio and out in the field and even from spot to spot. Future iterations would include 2 player PONG (I tried to get in but just couldn’t get it to work) and a photo booth, because what arcade doesn’t have air hockey and a photo booth? Just go to your local arcade. That’s what I want to put in there. Claw Machines, Skee Ball, Hoops, Whack-A-Mole, maybe even those weird coin drop fountain machines. I learned a lot doing this and it feels really great to have a functional game.