The historic city of Stirling has taken a leap into the future with the launch of the new Stirling XP app.
Developed by Seymour Powell Ltd, the app serves as a companion for those visiting and exploring the city, providing extra information, quests to complete, and rewards to earn.
A New XP-rience
In the words of Stirling council head Chris Kane, Stirling XP aims to “Transform the visitor experience to Stirling, allowing people to explore the city in a unique and exciting way through their smartphone screen”.
It does so by providing an additional AR layer on top of the physical city, that users can access via the app. This layer provides 3D maps and directions for general tourist navigation, as well as extra historic information at key points. In addition, the app channels Pokemon Go by letting users collect the various ‘Creatures of Stirling’, including the famous Stirling Wolf, the city’s protector according to local legend.
Making History
Of course, Stirling XP is historic in more ways than one; it’s the first-ever AR app for a city anywhere in the world. “Offering this complete AR environment across Stirling is an exciting world first and will revolutionise the visitor experience in our amazing city.” says Kane. “We’ve created a fully immersive and dynamic experience that no other city currently offers.”
This is a huge deal for Stirling, and for Scotland’s tech and games sector as a whole; to be leading the charge in what will undoubtedly be commonplace in the future as AR technology evolves.
You don’t need to look far for proof of that conjecture, either; Brian Gomez, Executive Producer and Creative Director at Dundee’s 4J Studios, delivered an excellent session on just that topic at Scottish Games Week’s More Than Games back in October, discussing his work on the gamification of theme parks, such as Disney World and Nintendo Land, via AR technology.
These projects are fascinating, and transformative for the parks involved, gamifying otherwise mundane activities such as waiting in line or walking between attractions. It’s incredibly exciting to see Stirling become the world’s first gamified city, cementing Scotland’s status as a pioneer in the world of games and technology.
You can check out Stirling XP for yourself here.