Digital Assets

The key to a full Augmented Reality experience is making sure assets in the digital world integrate well with the real world.

Always consider the relationship of the asset to the real world. Unlike objects in the real world, there are many graphical techniques that can be used to create interest.

• For digital assets that are integrated into the real world, make sure that they are rendered opaquely and cast a shadow on the surface they are sitting on. These assets should feel like they have weight and are taking up space in the real world.
• Information labels or dialogs can be rendered with a light weight treatment such as being semi transparent to emphasize the virtual nature of these items.
• There can also be assets that exist in the middle of the virtual and real spectrum that can be used as pointers to objects in the real world. An example of this would be markers indicating other players in a networked multiplayer game.
• Shader effects can be conferred on digital assets to show a state on a digital asset such as showing an outline when selected.

Make sure assets are visible when have enough contrast to stand out!

Always be aware of the scale of digital objects placed in the world. Because the digital world is overlaid directly over the real world, keeping a proportional sense of scale is important in making objects seem real and believable.