Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are augmented by 3D computer generated imagery. It is related to a more general concept called mediated reality in which a view of reality is modified by a computer. As a result, the technology functions by enhancing one’s current perception of reality.

In the case of Augmented Reality, the augmentation is conventionally in real-time and in context with environmental elements, such as sports scores on TV during a match. With the help of advanced AR technology (for example, adding computer vision and object recognition) the information about the surrounding real world of the user becomes interactive. Artificial information about the environment and the objects in it can be stored and retrieved as an information layer on top of the real world view.

AR! Pirates uses three coins – or circular markers – to give a smartphone camera a reference point in the environment to render the game to. Using larger disks or spreading them apart will rescale the game world to the size you’d like to play at – check out the AR!Pirates demo video to see some examples of this effect in action.