From sketch to something
you can actually hold
and try
A careful build of one AR interaction — kept to a scope that produces something real and testable without stretching into territory that isn't ready yet.
← Back to HomeA prototype you can put in someone's hands
The AR Prototype Build produces a working test build — one interaction, functioning on a real device, with basic surface or marker detection and a placed object your team can walk around and examine. Not a video. Not a mockup. Something you can hand to a colleague and say: "Try this."
The scope is kept deliberately modest. One interaction done properly is more useful at this stage than five that only half-work. You'll come away with something concrete to evaluate and a clearer sense of where to go next.
One working AR interaction
Surface or marker detection with a single placed object — complete, stable, and testable.
A real device test build
Delivered as an installable build for iOS or Android — not a simulator demo.
Brief technical notes
What was built, what decisions were made, and what the natural next steps might be.
Scope agreed upfront
No surprises mid-build. You'll know exactly what's being made before work begins.
An AR idea is hard to evaluate until you can actually touch it
Diagrams and demos look promising. But AR has a particular quality where the gap between "how it looks in a video" and "how it feels in your hands" can be surprisingly large. Detection can be slower than expected. Objects shift when the phone moves. The scale feels off in ways that are hard to anticipate.
These aren't reasons not to build AR — they're reasons to get a prototype in hand before committing to full production. The earlier you can feel the friction, the more useful the information becomes.
There's also the scope problem. AR prototypes have a habit of expanding. You add one feature, then another feels necessary, and before long the "quick build" has taken three months and still doesn't feel finished. Keeping things tight on purpose isn't a limitation — it's the approach that actually produces something useful at the early stage.
The AR Prototype Build is designed to avoid that pattern. One interaction, done properly, so you have something real to show and learn from.
One focused interaction, built with care
Surface or marker detection
We implement whichever detection approach fits your use case — flat-surface placement or image/marker tracking — using frameworks that behave well on current consumer devices.
A single placed object
We build one object into the scene — positioned, scaled, and behaving consistently across typical real-world conditions. Simple enough to be reliable. Complete enough to be genuinely useful.
Tested before delivery
The build goes through basic testing across device types and lighting conditions before it reaches you — so what you receive is stable enough to show others and form real opinions about.
You'll know what's happening at each stage
Scope confirmation
We begin with a short discovery exchange — understanding the one interaction you want built, the target platform, and any specific constraints on the object or detection method. Everything is confirmed in writing before work starts.
Build and check-in
We build the interaction and do a mid-point check-in if anything needs clarification. You're not kept in the dark — if something comes up that affects the scope, you'll hear about it promptly.
Delivery and handoff
You receive the test build and brief technical notes. Installation instructions are included. If something isn't working as expected on your device, let us know — we'll sort it out.
The investment
$740 USD
Fixed price · scope agreed before work begins
This covers the full build of one AR interaction from scope agreement to delivered test build. The price is fixed — no additions mid-project, no hourly billing that compounds unexpectedly.
One AR interaction: surface or marker detection with a placed object
Installable test build for iOS or Android (one platform per engagement)
Brief technical notes covering decisions made and possible next steps
Basic testing across device types and lighting before delivery
Post-delivery support if the build has installation issues on your device
Constrained scope is a feature, not a limitation
One interaction reveals the important things
How detection behaves in your environment. How the placed object feels at real scale. How the interaction holds up when someone who didn't design it picks up the phone. These things become clear quickly — even from a single, simple interaction.
We stay close to what works on current hardware
AR frameworks have changed significantly in recent years. We build with what performs reliably across the range of devices your players are actually using — not the best-case hardware from a conference demo.
Progress is visible and measurable
You'll know what was built and why certain decisions were made. The technical notes are written to be readable by non-specialists — something a designer or producer can understand and use as a reference going forward.
Typical timeline: two to three weeks
From confirmed scope to delivered build. This can vary slightly depending on the complexity of the object and detection method — but you'll know the timeline before work begins, not after.
We stand behind what we build
If the delivered prototype doesn't match the agreed scope — if the detection doesn't function as described, or if the build won't install on a standard current-generation device — we'll fix it. That's included in the engagement, not an extra.
Beyond technical correctness, if the build feels significantly different from what was agreed in scope and you feel the gap wasn't communicated, let us know. We'll have an honest conversation about it and find a reasonable resolution.
The prototype is yours. Source files and all build assets are included in the handoff — no lock-in, no ongoing fees.
How to get the build started
The most useful thing you can bring to the initial conversation is a description of the one AR interaction you most want to explore — and a sense of who will be using it. You don't need a technical brief or a design spec. A plain description of what you're imagining is a perfectly good starting point.
Describe the interaction you want built
We confirm scope, timeline, and payment
Receive your test build within 2–3 weeks
Ready to hold your AR idea in your hands?
Tell us about the interaction you have in mind. We'll let you know whether the scope is a good fit and what the build would involve.
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