Hi,
I began using Reality Composer on the iPad Pro about a year ago, approaching it from having taught 2D-3D graphics 20 year’s ago. Apple’s AR is the most exciting presentation format since QuickTime. I am in much the same position you are in...I have ‘content’, now how do I sew it together and into an app?.
Apple has solid information on making apps in ‘normal product category domains’. AR is still a bit new. The difficulty of making the leap from ‘content’ to ‘app’ depends somewhat on your background with Xcode, along with the the complex’s and goals of your app,
You also may or may not need an ‘app’ in the ‘AppStore’ sense; I’ve seen discussion of using QuickLook for viewing.reality files. If all you need to do is share your AR content, exporting a Reality Composer ‘scene’ as a .reality file can be a very useful way of making your ‘content’ available the way it functions within Reality Composer’s building environment.
C
You may also wish to look at SwiftPlaygrounds in iOS as a way to examine if your content ‘fits’ the use model.
But for an honest to goodness AR capable ‘app’ on the ‘AppStore’; all roads lead through Xcode.
There are tidbits of relevant information out on the web, but very little exists in the way of a ‘Start-to-Finish’ (with all the nuts and bolts needed) book or compendium. There are reasons for this, I think. AR is a ‘different’ presentation medium for artists and programmers alike. Judging by just the number of ‘2D Games’ versus ‘AR apps’ on the AppStore, The paltry number of AR apps reflect the ‘knowledge landscape’ on the subject currently.
There is also another aspect of this discrepancy; at the moment we are in a netherworld of non-capable devices being used by the general public. Unless you work in a more urban environment, chances are you are using older technology with plans of riding it until it breaks into silicon dust. Time will fix this, but it is another reason that we don’t see the development ‘wave’ (thus spanning writer interest) for AR being the same as with more familiar and less processor intensive graphics formats.
I remember reading two things back in the 80’s from ACM journals which apply to ‘programmatic development’ (think Xcode);
’it is easier to build a 4” mirror; then build a 6” mirror, than it is to build a 6” mirror.
and...
’Furious activity is no substitute for understanding!’
You and I are both looking for material on ‘how to build a 4” mirror’.’
Best,
Larry ‘Catfish’ Kuhn
