Framestore, the visual effects specialist, is working with HBO to develop “His Dark Materials: My Daemon” Augmented Reality app for iOS.
Framestore is pleased to announce that it has teamed up with HBO to work on a new AR app for iOS, based on the world of the successful His Dark Materials TV show. The new app, which will connect users with their own daemon, has been created to celebrate the release of His Dark Materials season two, on HBO and HBO Max.
Using the augmented reality app, created for iOS and Apple Watch, users will be able to discover their own custom daemon – an animal-like companion from the series that reflects people’s inner soul – and enjoy an immersive journey through the world of His Dark Materials.
Meet your own daemon
In this universe, everyone has a daemon that is unique to them. To mimic this, the app has many possible combinations of animal type, skin, fur patterns and personality to create a bespoke daemon, after each user completes an initial personality test.
His Dark Materials: My Daemon is an entertainment app with wellness benefits. It brings story points from the series into everyday life, allowing users to participate in activities that contribute to overall mind, body and spirit health, with their personal daemon guiding them along the way.
This includes fitness activities like walking or running, as well as taking time to look after themselves, for instance, by watching a movie or connecting with friends. The app also integrates with a Watch iOS app, so users can easily connect with their daemon at any time.
Stunning AR characters
Framestore is the creative studio responsible for the BAFTA-winning animated characters in the His Dark Materials series and has also designed the AR characters for the app. Created in Unreal Engine 4, the AR characters are some of the most high-fidelity to hit the platform to date.
With the new app, users are able to unlock rewards and share interactions with their daemons to their social media, adding photos and videos to show of their companions to their friends. The app is also able to detect activity through Apple Health and Spotify, syncing with favourite fitness, sleep, and meditation apps.
Daily habits, hobbies and new challenges help users progress through the app, making their daemon (and themselves) happier and healthier along the way.
The app can be experienced in three different ways:
- Connect with your daemon – casual, funny interactions where users tell their daemon how they feel to receive recommendations for personalized activities
- Play with your daemon – through AR technology, users can let their daemon explore the world around them, getting creative as they capture photos and videos to share online.
- Journey with your daemon – users can follow and connect with His Dark Materials’ characters by completing a series of curated activities that mirror experiences on the show.
His Dark Materials: My Daemon is available now to download here on iOS and Apple Watch devices and is also available in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.
Framestore recently took a look back at one of its most notable projects, Lionsgate Entertainment World, one year on.
