Augmented Reality and ARKit Tutorial

Where to Go From Here?

You can download the final project for this tutorial here.

Congratulations! At this point you have an almost playable game, and you’ve experimented with 2D ARKit. I hope I’ve whet your appetite for the potential of augmented reality, so you’ll move into the more exciting third dimension. Our book 3D iOS Games by Tutorials, available here will teach you how to work with SceneKit so you’ll be comfortable using 3D objects in 3D space.

Using ARKit and SceneKit, you’ll be able to move 3D models around the scene instead of attaching them to a stationary anchor. You’ll be able to walk around them and examine the model from behind. You’ll also be able to gather information about flat surfaces, place your models on a surface and measure distances accurately.

If you enjoyed what you learned in this tutorial, why not check out the complete 2D Apple Games by Tutorials book, available on our store?

Here’s a taste of what’s in the book:

• Section I: Getting Started: This section covers the basics of making 2D games with SpriteKit. These are the most important techniques, the ones you’ll use in almost every game you make. By the time you reach the end of this section, you’ll be ready to make your own simple game. Throughout this section, you’ll create an action game named Zombie Conga, where you take the role of a happy-go-lucky zombie who just wants to party!
• Section II: Physics and Nodes: In this section, you’ll learn how to use the built-in 2D physics engine included with SpriteKit. You’ll also learn how to use special types of nodes that allow you to play videos and create shapes in your game. In the process, you’ll create a physics puzzle game named Cat Nap, where you take the role of a cat who has had a long day and just wants to go to bed.
• Section III: Tile Maps: In this section, you’ll learn about tile maps in SpriteKit and how to save and load game data. In the process, you’ll create a game named Pest Control, where you take control of a vigorous, impossibly ripped he-man named Arnie. Your job is to lead Arnie to bug-fighting victory by squishing all those pesky bugs.
• Section IV: Juice: In this section, you’ll learn how to take a good game and make it great by adding a ton of special effects and excitement — also known as “juice.” In the process, you’ll create a game named Drop Charge, where you’re a space hero with a mission to blow up an alien space ship — and escape with your life before it explodes. To do this, you must jump from platform to platform, collecting special boosts along the way. Just be careful not to fall into the red hot lava!
• Section V: Other Platforms: In this section, you’ll learn how to leverage your iOS knowledge to build games for the other Apple Platforms: macOS, tvOS and watchOS. In the process, you’ll create a game named Zombie Piranhas. In this game, your goal is to catch as many fish as possible without hooking a zombie — because we all know what happens when zombies are around.
• Section VI: Advanced Topics: In this section, you’ll learn some APIs other than SpriteKit that are good to know when making games for the Apple platforms. In particular, you’ll learn how to add Game Center leaderboards and achievements into your game. You’ll also learn how to use the ReplayKit API. In the process, you’ll integrate these APIs into a top-down racing game named Circuit Racer, where you take the role of an elite race car driver out to set a world record — which wouldn’t be a problem if all this debris wasn’t on the track!
• Section VII: Bonus Chapters: On top of the above, we included two bonus chapters. You can learn about the new ARKit framework by reworking the Pest Control game and turning it into an Augmented Reality game. If you liked the art in these mini-games and want to learn how to either hire an artist or make some art of your own, there’s a chapter to guide you through drawing a cute cat in the style of this book with Illustrator.

By the end of this book, you’ll have some great hands-on experience with how to build exciting, good-looking games using Swift and SpriteKit!

And to help sweeten the deal, the digital edition of the book is on sale for $49.99! But don’t wait — this sale price is only available for a limited time.

Speaking of sweet deals, be sure to check out the great prizes we’re giving away this year with the iOS 11 Launch Party, including over $9,000 in giveaways!

To enter, simply retweet this post using the #ios11launchparty hashtag by using the button below:

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We hope you enjoy this update to one of our most-loved books. Stay tuned for more book releases and updates coming soon!