Client • Interdigital
Client • Interdigital
XRoom - Disco Arena
XRoom - Disco Arena
A room-scale multiplayer AR game played on mobile.
A room-scale multiplayer AR game played on mobile.
AR
MULTIPLAYER GAME
NATIVE APP
ROLE
ROLE
Designer & Artist
Designer & Artist
TEAM
TEAM
Sally Im, Brendan Valley, Guimin Ren, Ye Wu, Dongmeng Zhang
Sally Im, Brendan Valley, Guimin Ren, Ye Wu, Dongmeng Zhang
YEAR
YEAR
2020
2020
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Create a multiplayer AR mobile game Disco Arena that uses mobile to turn any space into a shared playground
Create a multiplayer AR mobile game Disco Arena that uses mobile to turn any space into a shared playground
Create a multiplayer AR mobile game Disco Arena that uses mobile to turn any space into a shared playground
XRoom creates a multiplayer game experience that lets people use their phones to jump into fun, fast-paced mini-games together. Whether it’s dancing in Disco Arena or teaming up to solve challenges, players interact through simple mobile controls while sharing the same physical space. Built to be flexible and easy to set up, XRoom shows how everyday devices can connect people in playful and engaging ways.
XRoom creates a multiplayer game experience that lets people use their phones to jump into fun, fast-paced mini-games together. Whether it’s dancing in Disco Arena or teaming up to solve challenges, players interact through simple mobile controls while sharing the same physical space. Built to be flexible and easy to set up, XRoom shows how everyday devices can connect people in playful and engaging ways.
Client and Needs
Client and Needs
Client and Needs
Interdigital expects to leverage their AdvantEDGE - edge computing platform to create a multiplayer mobile experience that can be showcased in public venues while highlighting the power of Edge technology.
Interdigital expects to leverage their AdvantEDGE - edge computing platform to create a multiplayer mobile experience that can be showcased in public venues while highlighting the power of Edge technology.
Project Summary
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
What's Edge Computing?
What's Edge Computing?
What's Edge Computing?
Edge computing brings data processing closer to users instead of relying only on distant cloud servers. This reduces delay, makes networks more efficient, and allows faster, smoother experiences for apps and games. It’s especially useful when low latency is critical, like in multiplayer mobile play.
Edge computing brings data processing closer to users instead of relying only on distant cloud servers. This reduces delay, makes networks more efficient, and allows faster, smoother experiences for apps and games. It’s especially useful when low latency is critical, like in multiplayer mobile play.
GAME DESIGN
GAME DESIGN
What's Disco Arena?
What's Disco Arena?
What's Disco Arena?
Disco Arena is a 2-player competitive game where players use their phones as mirrors to reflect light into their opponent’s face. The design focuses on cooperation, competition, communication, and shared emotions. The game is played in a room-scale arena, split in half with a QR code at the center. Light racks are placed at the back of each player’s side of the room.
Disco Arena is a 2-player competitive game where players use their phones as mirrors to reflect light into their opponent’s face. The design focuses on cooperation, competition, communication, and shared emotions. The game is played in a room-scale arena, split in half with a QR code at the center. Light racks are placed at the back of each player’s side of the room.
IDEATION
IDEATION
Game Loop
Game Loop
Game Loop
IDEATION
IDEATION
User Flow
User Flow
User Flow
DESIGN CHALLENGE 1
DESIGN CHALLENGE 1
How might we solve AR drift in a room-scale space?
How might we solve AR drift in a room-scale space?
How might we solve AR drift in a room-scale space?
Relying on a single QR code anchor caused frequent tracking loss, forcing players to rescan and breaking the flow of gameplay.
Relying on a single QR code anchor caused frequent tracking loss, forcing players to rescan and breaking the flow of gameplay.
Placing QR code around the space
Placing QR code around the space
Placing QR code around the space
Placed multiple QR codes around the space as anchors, ensuring smoother tracking and uninterrupted play.
Placed multiple QR codes around the space as anchors, ensuring smoother tracking and uninterrupted play.
DESIGN CHALLENGE 2
DESIGN CHALLENGE 2
How might we help players distinguish where light beams come from?
How might we help players distinguish where light beams come from?
How might we help players distinguish where light beams come from?
Playtests showed that players struggled to identify the source and direction of light beams, making gameplay confusing.
Playtests showed that players struggled to identify the source and direction of light beams, making gameplay confusing.
Clear vector lines with directional indicators
Clear vector lines with directional indicators
Clear vector lines with directional indicators
Placed multiple QR codes around the space as anchors, ensuring smoother tracking and uninterrupted play.
Placed multiple QR codes around the space as anchors, ensuring smoother tracking and uninterrupted play.
DESIGN CHALLENGE 3
DESIGN CHALLENGE 3
How might we design a comfortable physical interface for players?
How might we design a comfortable physical interface for players?
How might we design a comfortable physical interface for players?
Attaching the phone to the head limited feedback and interaction, making it difficult for players to know when they were hit or to engage with the game screen.
Attaching the phone to the head limited feedback and interaction, making it difficult for players to know when they were hit or to engage with the game screen.
Using a handheld harness
Using a handheld harness
Using a handheld harness
We shifted the interface to a handheld harness, positioning the phone like a mirror in landscape mode. This gave players clearer feedback, easier control, and room for enhancements such as haptic feedback or a shield-like second device.
We shifted the interface to a handheld harness, positioning the phone like a mirror in landscape mode. This gave players clearer feedback, easier control, and room for enhancements such as haptic feedback or a shield-like second device.
