STOCKHOLM (PRWEB) October 16, 2018
WRLDS, the company that develops smart toys and platforms for connected play, today announced the release of a new software development kit (SDK). The SDK will be free and easy to use and will give game developers a completely new medium to work with: an augmented reality (AR) and bluetooth-enabled connected ball with a bounce return rate of more than 70 percent.
“People don’t seem to understand that gamers and coders can also be musicians and athletes — the WRLDS platform bridges this space between gaming and real-life passions and interests,” said WRLDS co-founder and CEO Felix von Heland. “We are here for the developers, not the other way around. We want to develop with them, and we want their feedback, ideas and thoughts. Creating one of the first games also means they are very likely to get downloaded by everyone who’s purchased a WRLDS ball, so developers can see their creations out in the world.”
One of the Bounciest Balls on the Planet — With ‘Brains’
The WRLDS connected ball is about the size and weight of a tennis ball and is made of durable, lightweight “Moon Foam.” With a bounce return rate of more than 70 percent, the WRLDS connected ball is also one of the bounciest balls on the planet.
Inside the ball are components similar to those of a smartphone: an accelerometer to record movement, impact and g-force; an antenna; a Nordic Semiconductor chip with sensors to communicate with mobile devices using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). The connected ball converts data into usable in-game events, so developers can use it to:
- Interact with real-world and gaming environments simultaneously
- Create splashes of colors and shapes in augmented reality
- Interact with map-based territory games
- Bounce or throw the ball to make art — or fart noises
Entirely New Possibilities for Game Developers
WRLDS’ new SDK offers game developers a community-oriented platform and a guaranteed differentiator: a developer making a WRLDS app can be 100 percent sure that no similar apps exist. And experience is not a barrier to entry, because the SDK includes an example app that anyone with basic coding skills can use to get started. In addition, a support community can offer help and discuss hackathons.
Potential applications for the connected ball are as infinite as the imagination. It can be used in pong games, sports games, capture-the-ball games, and counting games and as a midi player, beat machine or stress ball, for example. The ball was released with four free games, three of which will also be available to developers to recycle and reimagine. They include:
- United: A group game of competition, speed, reflexes and coordination.
- Splash: A map-based game where players bounce the ball to create an AR view of conquered territory.
- Squeesh: Bounce the ball, make a fart noise. More bounce, more farts.
WRLDS will highlight the first 20 games on a “wall of fame” on the official WRLDS webpage. For more information about the SDK, visit http://www.wrlds.com/sdk.
"When I was a little kid, all of the games were about how hard or how fast you could throw. Now there’s hardware inside of a ball that can track how hard or how fast you are throwing. That was intriguing," said Anton Eklöf, creator of “United.” “I wasn't a game developer before, but WRLDS made it easy to get started.”
WRLDS will be hosting their first remote app Hackathon, a competition utilizing the WRLDS connected platform. The competition will run from October 30 – November 15 with up to $10,000 in prize money. Visit http://www.wrlds.com/developers for more information. Applications are due on October 20.
About WRLDS
WRLDS is a smart toy company that hopes to engage today’s teens and tweens in more healthy, active play by bridging the gap between the two “wrlds” of mobile gaming and outdoor play. The company is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and was co-founded by Felix von Heland, inventor of a successful storytelling app called Storimi; and Christian von Heland, who sold 20 million Moon Foam balls through his company Waboba.
For more information, follow WRLDS on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram or visit WRLDS.com.