TouchSync

Inspiration

We were inspired by the way urban space can become playful when seen through a different lens—literally. Trees, poles, columns, or even a small personal object on the ground can feel like a stage when you're with friends. We wanted to create a collaborative AR game that activates the body, senses, and space—turning casual hangouts into real-time challenges that require coordination, timing, and movement.

What it does

TouchSync is a multiplayer AR game that turns real-world objects into dynamic game centers. Players gather around any object—like a tree or column—to begin. Color-coded blocks fall from above, and each player must find and tap their assigned color on the block at the same time to clear it. If the block reaches the ground before the team syncs, the game ends. It’s fast, physical, and all about real-time collaboration.

How we built it

We built the experience using Lens Studio, combining Spectacles spatial mapping, hand tracking, and custom game logic to create synchronized interactions. The center object is placed via a world anchor, and the blocks are procedurally generated in AR space. We prototyped the timing and color sync mechanics using behavior scripts and hand trigger zones. Libraries used: Co-location, Plane Detection, MaterialSync, TransformSync, SyncEntity

Challenges we ran into

• Getting real-time synchronization of our scene/objects positions across multiple players was tricky. We designed around it using local simultaneity and shared physical cues
• Material updates synchronization across players was tricky as well and didn't end up working correctly.
• Plane detection offset wasn't being respected
• Most importantly, Lens Studio kept crashing and projects not opening after making changes at critical time losing precious time when it mattered the most
• Creating a responsive interaction loop that feels satisfying with real-world movement took tuning.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Designing a spatial game mechanic where the environment itself becomes part of the play—natural, social, and site-specific.
• Creating a game that’s not just fun, but deeply collaborative. TouchSync encourages players to communicate, move together, and sync in real-time. It supports teamwork without relying on a backend, just shared space and timing.
• Using AR to make everyday surroundings feel alive, turning any object into a dynamic part of the experience.

What we learned

• Constraints (like no shared multiplayer state) can push more creative, embodied mechanics.
• Spectacles AR opens new potential for physical, outdoor, group experiences.
• Players love using mundane or weird objects (flowers, cones, shoes) as their game centers.

What's next for TouchSync

We want to evolve TouchSync into a series of location-based AR micro-games where players can leave behind challenges for others to discover—anchored to real-world objects. We'd also love to explore gesture-based power-ups and real-time feedback loops that encourage spontaneous group play.

Built With

• lensstudio