*I don't have even the least intention of ever doing this myself, but it's good to glance over this and realize that augmenting reality is not magic. Nor is there, like, a big red, AUGMENTING button or any WARP REALITY lever. Instead, it's a fairly standard code-monkey thing, all fraught with pop-up boxes and licences and pull-down menus and graphic design choices and such.
http://stedelijk.medialab.hva.nl/2010/03/02/creating-a-layar-layer-a-step-by-step-tutorial/
"Do you want to make your own layer? This tutorial tells you how to do it! These are the requirements to create your own layer:
Webserver with PHP and JSON support
MySQL database with phpMyAdmin
For testing: Layar installation on your iPhone 3GS or Android based phone (with GPS and compass)
1. Request your Developer key ((("Hi, we're developers from the Nazi Party and we're here to build the 'Nazi layer'")))
The first step is requesting a developer key at Layar. Go to http://dev.layar.com and click ‘Request a developer account’may take a couple of days before you’ll receive your key. When you get the welcome mail, log off from any Google account and click the link in the mail. Now sign in with your Google account. Your Layar developer account is now linked with your Google account.
2. Creating a new layer
After you created your own account, you can sign in at http://dev.layar.com with your Google account and then click ‘Create Layer’. Fill out the form:
Fill in your layer’s name.
The type of layer you want to make. For now choose “Generic 2D”. We will cover the “3D and 2D objects in 3D space later” option later.
Your POI’s URL. This POI is a php file will provide the link between the layer and it’s database. It will tell the layer where to look for this database and what kind of information is stored inside of it. How to create your POI will be covered later on in this process. (((You probably thought you could sneak through life without ever needing a "POI's URL.")))
Select in which countries your layer will be working. ((("I'll have "failed states," "feral cities" and "narcoterrorism zones," please!)))
Check the box if your layer is for non-commercial use only.
Enter your layer’s title.
Fill in a short description of your layer. The Layar users will be able to see this description once you publish your layer.
Enter you own or your company’s name.
Enter some tags that relate to your layer.
After you are done click “Save and Customize”, the following screen will appear:
- The general section. In this tab you can:
• alter your layer type
• change your POI.php url
• Change the country you will design your layer for (((I bet you didn't realize that you can only augment national realities)))
• Set a bounding box for your layer. If people are not within this bounding box they cannot use your layer. I have set mine to only work in Amsterdam. You can add a bounding box by double clicking in the map itself.
- The Listing tab. In this tab you can:
• Choose an icon for your layer. This icon will be displayed when people see your layer on their mobile device.
• Alter your layer title
• Alter the short description of your layer
• Alter the publisher of your layer
• Choose a category for your layer
• Add and/or delete tags for your layer
• Set a requirements list for your layer...
