Rune Wars is the first competitive multiplayer AR game to be built on the Spectacles that connects people to each other and their bodies.
2024
Overview
This project was created during the Immerse the Bay 2024 hackathon at Stanford, where we were one of the first people who had the opportunity to develop for the Snapchat Spectacles.
In this hackathon, we wanted to make real world AR be more engaging and fun, which led to us creating a game that focuses on connecting people through a friendly, competitive environment while also encouraging them to exercise and move around. We wanted to capitalize on the unique opportunity provided by the Spectacles to develop an experience that can be used outdoors and retain the user’s freedom of movement. The Spectacles also provided us with the perfect platform to blend the physical and digital worlds in a seamless way, so we wanted to explore how we can bring fantastical elements and stories of magic into the real world.
Problem
Within the realm of XR, there is one thing that repeatedly draws people in: gaming. While some of the most successful XR games do implement features to connect people to each other, they often lack a physical component that is a critical foundation of human connection.
Solution
Rune Wars transforms XR gaming by introducing physical PvP to foster connection through competition, where users actively move and compete in shared spaces. Through Spectacles’ true AR, the game seamlessly blends the real with the fantastical to create an enhanced reality.
Process
I mainly worked on creative direction and design for the project, creating the models and coming up with a compelling narrative for the game. We wanted to merge the competitive nature of PvP games with the mysticism and intrigue that fantasy games often bring to bring a unique experience to the players. Because Lens Studio is still a relatively new platform, each of us on the team ended up taking on a few features to develop and implement in the game.
Left runes done by my teammate. Original runic system designed by u/orbnus_ on Reddit.
Next steps
We envision Rune Wars to be a game that redefines the way sports and eSports are played, bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. The Snap Spectacles is the first of its kind to provide a platform that is so versatile and accessible in everyday life. We imagine a future where players form teams to play against one another in eSports that involve real, physical movement tied in with strategy and skill.
Reflections
Everything is about the people
This is reaffirmed again and again with each event I go to. When you have motivated people to work with and figure things out together, the project becomes a lot more than just the end product. I am able to stay persistent so much more easily when I know I have others who will not give up either, and the whole project becomes a shared experience that we can all look back on and be proud of. A hackathon is the best place to learn with, about, and from others. Working so persistently on a project with a team that is just as driven as you are is an experience that I will always cherish. I love how connected we become when we are all working towards the same goal, and this is how strangers suddenly transform into what feels like friends of many years.
Special thanks to…
Steven Le - for being an amazing teammate and friend and letting me crash at your place for the hack. Your energy and enthusiasm for everything is always something I look forward to, and I’m so glad we got to work together again.
Rylan Pozniak Daniels - for being the best Snap rizzler ever. We’ve competed against each other a few times now, and I’m so glad we finally got to work together! I love how your brain works—you always keep things interesting and fun.
Cole Lee - for being the most cracked creative I could ever ask to work with. The video you made for the opening ceremony will be a core memory of mine. You come IN CLUTCH and elevated our project to a whole new level.
Aidan Wolf - for developing ShortStack and giving THE most useful tool to make Lens Studio so much easier to work with. Your enthusiasm for mentoring and helping out us hackers is extremely appreciated. I cannot express enough how thankful we are for your presence.
StanfordXR - for hosting such an amazing event. I am so glad to have finally met everyone in person! You all are so kind and welcoming, and I am so, so, so happy to be a part of the XR community because of you. I want to make it known that it is precisely because of YOU guys that I love the XR community so much. Not because of SpatialSC, not because of the tech, not because of other cool professionals within the field, but because of StanfordXR. You guys are the best. I can’t wait to see you all again.
admission to reality hack as a winning perk!
post-hack beat saber tourney
Cole resting on the table after our hack...
the stanford dining experence :o
