An introduction to the Aris gaming server, editor and client and an overview of how we are using Aris in the NYIT Library. Presented May 6, 2017 at the NYIT SpeedTech Conference.

1. GAMING IN THE NYIT LIBRARY:
Creating an Interactive Scavenger
Hunt Using ARIS
NYIT SpeedTech Conference 2017
Naomi Binnie

2. HELLO!
I’m Naomi Binnie
I am a librarian at NYIT Manhattan. I’m here to talk about Aris.
You can find me at @LibNaomi

3. What is ARIS?
Open source gaming software used to create
and play augmented reality experiences on
iOS devices.

4. Experiences like...
Interactive Stories
Scavenger Hunts
Tours
Data Collection Activities

5. A LITTLE MORE...
⊡Create, play and share interactive tours and stories
⊡Used in museums and classrooms
⊡Created initially for authoring location-based
games (like PokemonGo)
⊡Created by team at University of Wisconsin,
Madison

6. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS!

7. THREE PIECES OF SOFTWARE
CLIENT (APP)
The app you
download, lets
you play games
EDITOR
How you create the
content, organize the
Aris gaming experience
SERVER
Games live on a
database in the cloud.
The client and editor
read from and write to
it.
PRO: no need to install
individual games to
device
CON: need an internet
connection to play
games

8. GAME INTERACTION BASED ON...
⊡Player location (GPS)
⊡QR codes
⊡Bluetooth beacons
⊡Navigation of the on-screen map
⊡Entering alphanumeric codes (e.g. "enter the price
of a coke from the vending machine”)
⊡Media collection (like taking pictures)
⊡Social interaction around media collection
(commenting on someone’s picture)

9. DESIGNING THE GAME
Can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be!

10. THE EDITOR

11. GAME INTERACTION
⊡The basic conceptual model for ARIS authoring
involves objects, triggers, and scenes.
□ Objects = media content
□ Triggers = How a player accesses content
□ Scenes = Organizational units for triggers

12. “You create one or more scenes, and add
triggers to these scenes to move action along
within them. Every moment of the experience
you’re creating for a player will take place
within one of your scenes.
Quote: manual.arisgames.org/

13. Image credit: manual.arisgames.org/
THE EDITOR

14. A LITTLE MORE INFO...
Location (aka GPS): ARIS places a trigger at a
location in the world using geospatial coordinates. A
player can access the object pointed to by being
close enough to this location.
QR code: Players can scan an image to access an
object in ARIS using their scanner (in ARIS).
Locks: Internal game logic. Things that a player has
done before, or not yet done, can trigger further
interactions. No action in the physical world is
needed. Paraphrased information from manual.arisgames.org

15. A LITTLE MORE INFO...
Timer: A self-refreshing timer that triggers an
object each time it counts down to 0.
Beacon: Another form of location detection.
Instead of GPS coordinates, this trigger works
on player proximity to small devices called
iBeacons or Bluetooth beacons.
Paraphrased information from manual.arisgames.org

17. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS!
Plaque in Scene Student Scans QR Code Scan Triggers Gold Coin

18. Using ARIS in the NYIT
Manhattan Library

19. The library ARIS game is a virtual mobile
scavenger hunt that will also act as a tour
through the library. Students will walk
through library floors with library iPads
or personal iPhones in order to complete
the game.

20. Each floor will feature different learning
objects and location points. The game is
QR code based, rather than GPS based
(because the library only takes place on 3
floors of one building). Students will
locate QR codes while learning about
services available to them.

21. The game will feature training videos
(created with Camtasia). These will
instruct students on locating books by call
number, finding peer-reviewed articles
through the library databases, and on
detecting trustworthy sources.

22. Outcome: Students will learn to recognize the services and
resources on the three floors of the library as well as the online
resources available online.
Instructional Objectives: NYIT students will recognize and
define physical resources within the three floors of the NYIT
Library, including the location of books, periodicals, printers, and
various services. NYIT students will learn to effectively utilize the
NYIT Library website, databases, and journals in order to access
books and peer-reviewed articles.

23. THANKS!
Any questions?
You can find me at
@LibNaomi
nbinnie@nyit.edu

24. CREDITS
Special thanks to all the people who made and released these
awesome resources for free:
⊡ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
⊡ Photographs by Unsplash