ROCSpirit
Architecture
campus map
talk to rocky
Rush Rhees Ghost
Asashel The Scholar
Rocky
Dandelion

ROC Spirit

Campus Quest: Interactive Entertainment & Game Design

Inspiration

We wanted to turn the typical campus tour into something unforgettable. AR, gamification, and storytelling felt like the perfect way to bring URochester’s culture, history, and landmarks to life.

What it does

ROC Spirit transforms campus tours into interactive adventures. Students follow a tour guide, discover hidden posters, scan them, and watch 3D AR characters pop up to teach them about UR’s history, traditions, and campus life. Points, quizzes, and prizes make learning fun, social, and interactive.

Characters

Rocky the Yellowjacket 🐝⚡💛 – Embodies athletics and school spirit; mascot created in the 1920s, redesigned in 2008, modeled after a yellowjacket wasp.
Asahel the Scholar 👨‍🏫📚🕰️– Explains the University motto Meliora (“Ever better”), its Latin roots, and early history; credited to Asahel Kendrick and inspired by Ovid.
The Dandelion Spirit 🌼🍃💨– Represents perseverance and the origin of the school’s flower emblem; linked to Azariah Boody’s land, once full of dandelions.
Rush Rhees Librarian Ghost 👻📖⏳– Highlights the library’s history, archives, and traditions; connected to class rolls, Candlelight Ceremony, Clock Tower myths, and Commencement.

How we built it

We combined AR technology, 3D character animation, and gamified mechanics. Using mobile AR, posters serve as triggers for characters like Asahel the Scholar, the Dandelion Spirit, Rocky the Yellowjacket, and the Rush Rhees Ghost. Tours are guided live, and points track interactions and quiz performance.

Challenges we ran into

Balancing AR performance with animations was tricky. Ensuring smooth image recognition across varied lighting conditions and different devices required lots of testing.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We created an AR campus tour that’s immersive, fun, and educational. Students can interact with animated characters, participate in quizzes, and engage socially while exploring. We combined our technical skills and backgrounds.

What we learned

We learned how to blend technology with education to enhance engagement. We learnt to adapt quickly and communicate promptly.

What's next for ROC Spirit

We plan to expand with more characters (such as the Clock Tower Guardian, the Maestro of Eastman, the Tunnel Painter, the Wilson Day volunteers, etc), additional campus landmarks, and an specific interface for the campus tour guide. Adding seasonal events and enhanced AR effects will make tours even more social and memorable.

Because campus tours shouldn’t just show you the school. They should let you feel it. ❤️ They should let you live it. 🌟