47 Countries Playing Our New Game Within a Week!

SMPIA Announces Augmented Reality Game Results

SMPIA, in partnership with Saskatchewan's Talking Dog Studios is happy to announce that Trilight Entertainment is the winner of Multi-PlatFORUM - The Game, an augmented reality mobile experience launched at the Multi-PlatFORUM conference on April 14th in Regina. Playable on either Android phones or the iPhone, the game superimposed a constantly changing random selection of the logos of all the companies and associations participating in the Multi-PlatFORUM event onto the phone's camera view so that it appeared as if the logos are really floating in space around the player. Within 6 hours of launch the game was being played in 26 countries. To date, over 10,000 logos have been displayed in 47 countries around the world.

The contest finished at 8 am (CST) this morning. While players will continue to be able to play for fun, Trilight Entertainment of Regina, SK had collected 615 logos by contest close to claim the first prize Augmented Reality package worth $500 from Talking Dog Studios.

Talking Dog Studios president Rob Bryanton had this to say about the game: "When we saw that people all over the world were playing, it really opened up the possibility that the winner was going to be from the other side of the planet! But Trilight took the bull by the horns, they grabbed the lead early and managed to outwit their competition all week. Way to go Trilight, we're looking forward to seeing how you want to use your prize."

"We are excited to explore the potential of using Augmented Reality and Digital Media to compliment the Film projects we have in development, "said Trilight Entertainment's Shayne Putzlocher upon learning of his win, "and we had a lot of fun participating in the game".

SMPIA Digital Media Initiative Manager Nova Alberts was thrilled with the response to the game. "This was a wonderful way to demonstrate the speed and reach of digital media when you engage your audience. And I love that we were able to put Saskatchewan and Canadian logos in front of so many international players."

Just a reminder, the game can still be played by using the browser on your iPhone or Android phone to go to this link: http://www.bit.ly/multiplatforum. An added feature is that all companies and sponsors participating in the event will now have a fixed logo floating at their business location.

Pirate Attack: Talking Dog takes ScavengAR Hunt to the next level

Avast ye land lubbers! There be rotten, no good pirates in these here waters! Arrrrrrr!

The scurvey scallywags here at Talking Dog Studios have stirred up trouble and this time we have engaged the wrath of the feisty pirates from ScavengAR Hunt!

Ok not really, but what we have done is develop a little interactive demo with Unity 3D (a game development environment) using a few pirate themed objects from our ScavengAR Hunt game. We have been curious about Unity for some time and thought now was a great time to get in and try something fun with it. Also, it seemed like a logical next step to take some of the things we made for ScavengAR and put it into more rounded out game scenario.

In our Pirates demo, you try to sink the pirate ship by pointing the cannon and firing at it. You have to hit that ship 10 times in order to sink it and we've provided a limited number of cannon balls to take it out. The demo is nice simple example of gaming 101 just to get our feet wet in this area a bit more. There is still some room for improvement, but if you think this type of game could work into one of your projects please contact us for a quote.

Be sure to check out the demo here - http://www.talkingdogstudios.com/unity/pirates

So put on your eye patch and grab a cup o' grog. It's time to send these bilge rats to Davy Jones' locker!

The Talking Dog ARrrrrrrrrr Team

Fight Off Pirates in ScavengAR Hunt!

Ahoy ye ScavengARs! There be pirates in our waters!!

To help ward off the scurvy scalliwags and protect your precious booty, the clever cabin boys at Talking Dog have made you a weapon. Now when you play ScavengAR Hunt you can find a Cannon which will be an excellent defense from pirates who are trying to steal your treasure. However, it will be useless to you until you find a Cannon Ball...Luckily enough, we've made one of those too! So victory can be yours!!

And to help increase the size of your booty (hehe), we've also added a Treasure Chest. But be warned mateys, all that glitters is not gold...a treasure can sometimes be a curse! But what will it be for you?

So enjoy collecting the new objects in ScavengARrrrrrrrrrr Hunt!

Happy Pirate Hunting!

The Talking Dog ARrrrrrrrrrr Team

ScavengAR Hunt Halloween!

Zombies are everywhere! Run for your lives! RUN!!!! Or better yet, get them before they get you!

OK, well maybe they aren't everywhere, but they certainly are in Augmented Reality! As an added treat to trick out your Halloween, our Franken-developers have created a Zombie Head for you ScavengARs to collect for MEGA points when you play our fun mobile game.

Thanks to the major points you get when you find this rotting braincase, you'll be able to mount your attack of the leader board and potentially RULE THE WORLD! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...ahem...well you'll be the top scorer anyway.

This undead cranium will only be floating around until midnight on Halloween. After that, it's dead and gone...for real this time. So get out there and hunt some Zombies!

Happy Halloween!!

The Talking Dog AR Team

New Objects in ScavengAR Hunt!

In order to keep things interesting for our ScavengARs out there, the brainiacs at Talking Dog have developed some new objects to find. We wouldn't want you guys to get bored now, would we?

To keep track of all those random pickles floating around your neighbourhood, we've created the Pickle Jar! Genuis, I know! However remember ScavengARs, not all pickles are created equal. Have you heard of the expression, "one bad egg rots the whole barrel"? Swap out the egg for a pickle and I think you know where we're going with this.

Also to satisfy the alien head that seems to be hanging around the produce section at the grocery store, we've made a Moon! Oooooh ahhhhhh! ET go home! Now maybe it'll stop trying to invade our planet...or at the very least stop reading our thoughts (adjusts tinfoil helmet)!

We hope you enjoy these objects and stay tuned for more coming soon...like a Cannon! Those pirates don't stand a chance!

Happy Scavenging!

The Talking Dog AR Team

ScavengAR Hunt Insights

Hey there ScavengARs!

Let's talk a bit about game mechanics. As you probably already know, whenever you open up the ScavengAR Hunt application on your IPhone or Android phone 3D objects are randomly scattered around you. For the most part, it's as simple as collecting objects to gain points. However, things aren't as simple as they may seem, friends. There are some hidden twists and turns in our game, built especially to keep you on your toes. Some objects will only be able to be collected if you have other objects. And in some cases, if you haven't collected objects in the right order, you could lose other objects in your collection and their associated points! Tricky, huh? And the cheeky rascals that we are here at Talking Dog, we're not going to tell you what those objects are and what you need to collect them either. Where would the fun be in that?

As a bonus for our loyal Regina scavengARs, we have included some fantastic coupons from K Family Kitchen and The Copper Kettle. Not only do you get points for collecting these items, but you can actually redeem them at the businesses for great deals on food. Now doesn't that make up for not telling you about those objects? No? Oh, well...ummm awkward...maybe you'll feel better after you eat some pizza.

Anyway, we're working hard to keep the game interesting and will be developing new objects and more tricks to keep things fun and exciting. So keep checking in with our blog, twitter, or follow us on Facebook! And thanks so much to the people giving us feedback about our AR mobile game, keep those cards and letters coming.

Keep it augmented!

The Talking Dog AR Team

ScavengAR Hunt in the News!!!

The gang at Talking Dog have had their tails wagging in delight the last couple days thanks to our ScavengAR Hunt mobile game getting some press! We were on CTV Regina News at 6pm on Tuesday, October 5th and had an article in the Leader-Post on Wednesday, October 6th.

We wanted to let the people know that there are treasures (well maybe not everyone thinks a pickle is a treasure :p) waiting to be collected all around them in augmented reality. With every object they add to their collection, they can move up the leader board inching closer and closer to ruling the world of ScavengAR Hunt!

You would think that would be enough incentive to play, but we made it even better. For the good folks of Regina, we've talked before about the framed picture featuring Ron Lancaster and George Reed that you'll be able to see downtown and high above Mosaic Stadium while you're playing the game. In addition, right now there are coupons waiting to be discovered around town, from The Copper Kettle and K Family Kitchen. Once you find these coupons (which are also worth points, by the way) you can then show the coupon you collected on your iPhone or Android phone when you place your order and get a deal at the corresponding establishment. What? Did we just say you can get deals on food by playing ScavengAR Hunt? Yes, yes we did.

So thanks to CTV Regina and the Leader-Post for the shout out! We hope that people start racking up the points on ScavengAR Hunt or, at the very least, go out and get a deal on some delicious pizza!

Get Scavenging Regina!

The Talking Dog AR Team

Check Out ScavengAR Hunt's Website

Thanks to the popularity of our Augmented Reality mobile game, ScavengAR Hunt, being played all over the world in places like Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States (to name a few), we've been receiving lots of feedback and comments about how fun it is. However, something has been missing...a website!! So the technology geniuses at Talking Dog Studios "got off their duffs" and created one. To check it out, go to www.scavengarhunt.com and see what it's all about!

The website gives instructions on how to start playing, how to check your stats to see how you compare to players all over the globe, and how to contact us should you want to tell us how awesome you are (or if you have any questions or comments)!

But wait, there's more! We've also created a ScavengAR Hunt Facebook Fan site! We'll be frequently posting updates and videos, so that our fans will know what's new, what's changed, or just what's really cool!

And speaking of cool (nice segue!), check out the video below to see a glimpse of what ScavengAR Hunt is all about.

So what are you waiting for? Get off your duff and collect some stuff!!

The Talking Dog AR Team

ScavengAR Hunt

Here at Talking Dog Studios over the past little while we've been exploring the "Layar Reality Browser" app for iPhone and Android phones. We put up a layer for the service a month ago called "Where the Buffalo Roam" which lets you visualize the huge herds of buffalo that used to be found in North America. To further our curiosity about this amazing new world of possibilities we have now released a game called "ScavengAR Hunt" (search for it in Layar).

This is a scavenger hunt, but in Augmented Reality! Once you're logged in to the app, you'll find a random collection of unusual and humorous objects that have been scattered around you. Some are near enough to collect right away, for others you will have to walk closer to be able to grab them. Should we be advertising this as "the Augmented Reality game that promotes physical fitness"? Get off your duff and collect some stuff!

Remember: you don't have to be right on top of the object to collect it, so if there's one out in the middle of the street or on private property you should still be able to collect it, as long as you're within 30 meters (100 feet) or so. Stay safe, stay legal, and have fun.

There are a number of objects that we have created for you to find all over the world, and we'll be adding more and more items in the months to come. Each item you find has a specific number of points associated with it, and occasionally you'll come across rarities worth BIG POINTS!

Go Riders!
In support of our local football team we have also placed a gigantic floating picture frame in our downtown to showcase two of the greats from our "Saskatchewan Roughriders": Ron Lancaster and George Reed (everyone will have to visit here if they want to collect this one). As part of this year's 100th anniversary celebrations for the team, we have also placed this frame over top of our football stadium.


But Wait, There's More...
This game can be played anywhere in the world. Right now, people here in the Regina area will also find coupons they can take in to local businesses. This is a new (and paperless!) way to attract customers: coupons can be placed anywhere in the world, within a radius as large or narrow as you choose: if your business would like to participate in this exciting new promotional opportunity, contact us (ar [at] talkingdogstudios [dot] com) to learn more.

Now Get Scavenging!
We hope you all enjoy this game. Will you be the first person to find the golden egg? Will you become the number one ScavengAR Hunt collector in the world? Follow us on twitter for updates about this and other interesting AR things we find.

The Talking Dog AR Team

Talking Dog makes Hollywood Connection

(Edit - Talking Dog President Rob Bryanton has posted some responses to questions about this project over at his Imagining the Tenth Dimension blog at this link: "Gojira".)

When Warner Brothers affiliate Legendary Pictures – responsible for such critically acclaimed films as Inception, Where the Wild Things Are, The Dark Knight, 300, and Watchmen – wanted to use Augmented Reality to announce their latest film, they turned to Saskatchewan’s Talking Dog Studios to provide them with the technology to do so.

This week, Legendary Pictures is at San Diego’s Comic-Con International, the world’s biggest comics and pop culture convention, celebrating the beginning of production on their next film: “Godzilla”. Persons attending the conference will receive a t-shirt with an image of the new Godzilla, and when they look at themselves in a webcam at the Legendary Pictures tradeshow booth, they’ll see a superimposed animation of Godzilla’s “atomic breath” shooting out into the air in front of them from Godzilla’s mouth, complete with black smoke rising from the flames and the ground-shaking bellow of Godzilla’s instantly recognizable roar.

This immersive experience was designed by Talking Dog Studios, of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and was supervised by Larry Monte of California’s Corporate Images. Talking Dog have been developing various AR applications for the past year, but owner Rob Bryanton sees this as a major step forward: “Augmented Reality is very open-ended, which is great because the possibilities are so wide, but it’s something that is best experienced rather than described,” says Bryanton. “With the Godzilla installation, we were able to quickly create something that our clients were immediately happy with, so we see this as a great recognition of the skillset that we’ve now developed”.



Another Augmented Reality project just launched by Talking Dog this week works with Android phones and the iPhone – it’s called “Where the Buffalo Roam”. Talking Dog comes from a city formerly known as “Pile of Bones”, which resulted from the huge herds of bison which used to roam the prairies. This free app allows users to look through their phone’s camera and be transported back in time, as they look at a huge herd of 3D buffalo being generated around them. If you have Layar installed you can go directly to our project here http://m.layar.com/open/buffaloroam

For more information about Talking Dog’s AR work, go to “www.talkingdogstudios.com/ar”.

Where the Buffalo Roam

If you saw our blog post about using historical re-creations you may be wanting to try our "Where the Buffalo Roam" layer we've created for the mobile phone augmented reality browser Layar. Today we published our project for everyone to enjoy.

To check out our new augmented reality buffalo herd make sure you have Layar installed on your iPhone / Android phone. Go to the "search" tab and look for "buffalo roam". When our layer appears click on the blue arrow button to launch, and be whisked away to a field of AR buffalo. You will also have the option to listen to some buffalo roaming which can be selected or ignored.

Currently our herd of buffalo should surround you wherever you are. We will be publishing more place specific layers in the future. Stay tuned.

On a distantly related note, did you know this is a grammatically correct sentence in the English language?

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Click here to read about this very curious looking sentence.

And enjoy the buffalo!

The Talking Dog AR team.