Wizard Quest

💡 Inspiration

We were inspired by classic adventure stories and the dream of turning everyday spaces into a playable quest. We wanted to blur the lines between reality and fantasy, transforming a simple walk through the neighborhood into a high-stakes magical journey.

🎮 What it does

Wizard Quest is a location-based AR experience that turns the real world into a magical game board. Players use their smartphones to:

Explore: Navigate physical spaces using GPS-anchored spawning to find hidden magical nodes.
Collect: Discover and gather rare enchanted items rendered in immersive AR.
Battle: Engage in duels using a custom, Computer Vision (CV)-powered fight screen that reacts to player movements and spells in real-time.

🛠️ How we built it

The project was built on a Next.js foundation to create a cohesive UX that manages real-time camera feeds and sensor inputs.

Technical Highlights:

Multi-Platform AR: We integrated AR.js for interactive web elements and for high-fidelity 3D model viewing.
Geospatial Logic: We implemented GPS-anchored spawning to ensure magical items appear at precise real-world coordinates.
CV Engine: A live camera overlay processes user input for the battle system.

We designed the game loop around a specific equation for engagement: $$Exploration + Collection + Battle = Immersion$$

🧗 Challenges we ran into

Platform Fragmentation: Handling the functional differences between WebXR and iOS AR capabilities required robust platform detection.
3D Pipeline: Navigating strict model format requirements and perfecting the AR pipeline for mobile was a steep learning curve.
Mobile UX: Fitting a rich UI (inventory, maps, and battle HUD) onto small screens without obstructing the AR view required multiple design iterations.

🏆 Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are incredibly proud of successfully stitching together a live CV overlay with GPS-based spawning. Overcoming the "drift" in AR and seeing a digital item remain anchored to a real-world landmark was a massive milestone for us.

📖 What we learned

This project taught us how to balance ambitious game design with the physical constraints of the real world. We gained expertise in cross-platform AR deployment, 3D asset optimization, and how to utilize device sensors to create a seamless user experience.

🚀 What's next for Wizard Quest

We hope to expand the "Bestiary" of monsters, implement multiplayer dueling via web sockets, and refine our CV gestures for more complex spell-casting.