Up until recently, I didn’t think I’d be a big supporter of Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality, but a bunch of hands-on sessions have me convinced that these are great ways to keep entertained and both are worthy of attention depending on what you’re looking for. AR is a far more affordable and less setup-based solution that’s also (in my opinion) more immersive as a real world thing because you play without your head enclosed in a pair of pricey goggles that require some major horsepower to run out of the box. You can also take an AR experience with you and share it with anyone without lugging around a ton of equipment. One excellent example would be HoloGrid: Monster Battle, from Phil Tippett and developer Happy Giant, now in its final days on Kickstarter. I took the plunge after a demo and if you’re into collectible cards, monsters, stop motion and an all-in-one game package that DOESN’T rely on microtransactons, you probably need this game. I’ll shut up here and let you do some required reading and clicking…

Star Wars VFX Legend Discusses Future of AR for Gaming & Film
Phil Tippett & HoloGrid Designer discuss next gen AR & HoloGrid as a Platform

With only THREE days left, the HoloGrid: Monster Battle Kickstarter Campaign is going strong and has nearly reached it’s funding goal. In a recent conversation with Phil Tippett and HappyGiant President and Lead Designer Mike Levine, the two discussed ambitions for the new game, and the future of AR gaming and film.

“This is just the beginning for HoloGrid, and AR Gaming” said Levine. “We’d love to not only bring other IP into it, like Yu-Gi-Oh, Star Wars, Starship Troopers, and others, but our goal is to have it be one of the first next gen AR games available, as new systems roll out.”

 

“It’s the Wild West”, Tippett added, “Tippett Studio is excited about the endless possibilities working with augmented reality. We love to play, and this gives us new, fertile ground to play in with HappyGiant.”

 

“We envision using all the capabilities coming with next gen AR systems”, said Levine. “From 3D motion tracking and depth sensing, hand and eye tracking, and more – the creatures don’t have to just be holograms on a board game-like experience on your table, they can be all across your living room, on bookshelves and counter tops … underneath your desk!”

As new AR tech comes to market (Cast AR, HoloLens and more) HappyGiant hopes to bring the game to new platforms. It was built from the ground up to play today on mobile devices, and to be portable to next-gen AR systems as they emerge.

Below the jump are 5 more things you should know about this game!

A legendary idea brought to life by it’s original creator!

Everyone remembers that classic HoloChess scene in Star Wars, but we live in an amazing time where now can bring that experience to life using AR, and you don’t need super expensive hardware to do it, just your Android or iOS device!

Online and Local Multiplayer now in the game!

This was originally going to be a stretch goal but the team has found a way to make it happen! As long as the team makes their goal, MP will be in the game!

No microtransactions!

The business plan behind this game is simple. Make a game that people can buy, they own the whole game and can play it forever. As new characters are developed they can to go their local tabletop gaming store, pick up new card packs, scan them into the game and expand their team selections.

A Real AR Game!

Seeing these creatures come to life on your table is an experience that can’t be captured on video. And because the team used photogrammetry to scan in the actual physical models created by Phil they are much more detailed and have a look and feel unlike any other game. The game won “Best Tech of PAXEAST 2016” from MMOGames and Geek.com called it “groundbreaking, uniquely immersive and downright awesome!”, saying it left the biggest impression of any game at PAXEAST this year.

Seasoned Veteran Team!

The team behind the game development was founded by veterans of LucasArts, ILM, Hasbro and Pileated Pictures. They have worked on and released legendary games over the years and have the track record to deliver a fantastic, engaging product.

A boxed version of the game will only set you back $25 plus $8 for shipping, a steal when you consider the nearly endless possibilities for the future if those licenses noted above become a reality. The only thing this needs is a way for PC gamers to join the fun. But let’s get Phil his latest dream first before getting on that particular case.