Department - Author 1

Computer Engineering Department

Degree Name - Author 1

BS in Computer Engineering

Date

6-2011

Primary Advisor

John Oliver

Abstract/Summary

Mario Kart is a popular go-kart racing game developed by Nintendo. The premise of the game is simple: drive a go-kart along a racetrack and reach the finish line before the other players. What makes this game unique, however, is the inclusion of weapons, traps, and other projectiles that a player can use to gain an advantage in the race. We have taken on the challenge of not only recreating this amazing game, but using the art of Augmented Reality to fully immerse the player in the full experience. Rather than play the game on a television screen with a video game controller, the player can physically sit in a moving go-kart, drive along a track, and allow the virtual game to unfold on a mounted viewing screen. By overlaying HUD information and other graphics on the screen, the player can feel as though he or she is interacting with the virtual game. Because of the scale of this project, the different components of the project are divided amongst five team members. These categories, in no particular order, are as follows: Game Mechanics, Hardware Mounting, Image Overlay, Kart Electronics, Networking, Positioning.

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