What are the best tips for animating characters in augmented reality?

2 Optimize for performance

The second tip is to optimize your characters for performance, as AR can be demanding on the device's resources. This means reducing the polygon count, texture size, and animation complexity of your characters, as well as using efficient shaders and lighting. You should also test your characters on different devices and platforms, and adjust the quality and resolution accordingly. You can use tools such as Unity or Unreal Engine to create and export your characters for AR, and use their built-in features to optimize and preview them.

4 Interact with the environment

The fourth tip is to interact with the environment , as AR can enable your characters to blend in and interact with the real world. This means using features such as plane detection, occlusion, shadows, and physics to make your characters appear more realistic and natural. You should also consider how your characters can interact with the environment, such as walking on the floor, hiding behind objects, or jumping on the furniture. You can use libraries or plugins such as ARCore or ARKit to access the environment data, and use triggers or events to activate your characters' actions.

5 Tell a story

The fifth tip is to tell a story, as AR can offer new and creative ways to narrate and express your characters' personality and emotions. This means using elements such as dialogue, animation, music, and effects to create a compelling and memorable story. You should also consider how the user can influence and participate in the story, such as choosing different paths, outcomes, or roles. You can use tools such as Twine or Ink to create and export your story, and use variables or conditions to branch and adapt it.

6 Experiment and have fun

The sixth and final tip is to experiment and have fun, as AR can offer endless possibilities and opportunities to animate your characters. This means trying out different ideas, techniques, and platforms, and learning from your mistakes and successes. You should also seek feedback and inspiration from other animators, users, and sources, and keep improving and updating your characters. You can use online platforms such as Sketchfab or ArtStation to showcase and share your characters, and join communities and forums to learn and collaborate.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?