Section 1 – General Questions
Q1. What is Shattered Bounds?
Shattered Bounds is a long-term Augmented Reality (AR) MMORPG project that overlays a fantasy realm onto our own. It serves as the umbrella for both the in-universe setting and the broader project, built on the narrative that our reality and a parallel realm were once connected, then split, and are now crashing back together. Using mixed reality headsets, and eventually AR glasses, players walk through real-world parks, fields, and indoor spaces to fight monsters, complete quests, and explore this parallel dimension through various specialized experiences like Battlegrounds, The Tower, and large-scale AR-MMORPG layers.
Q2. What is Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds?
Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds is the first playable slice of Shattered Bounds experience: a short, intense AR “King of the Hill” experience where teams of 2–6 players fight waves of enemies to hold a glowing hill. It’s designed as a proof of concept for the tech, safety systems, AI enemies, and operations that will power the rest of the project.
Q3. Is this a video game, a LARP, or an escape room?
It’s a bit of all three and none of them exactly. Think of it as a live, walkable dungeon run using AR: you wear a headset, hold a weapon controller, move in real space, and see monsters, effects, and objectives overlaid on the environment.
Q4. Where is this being built?
The first version of Shattered Bounds is being developed for Ottawa, Canada. The long-term goal is to design the systems so they can be replicated in other cities and venues.
Q5. Is Shattered Bounds finished? Can I play it now?
Not yet. Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds is currently in development. The goal for 2026 is to complete a v1 Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds experience and run early alpha tests, with broader testing following after that. Timelines may shift as development progresses.
Section 2 – Playing & Experience
Q6. How will a Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds session work?
Players will book a time, arrive on-site, check in, receive a safety briefing from a Game Master, gear up with a mixed reality headset and weapon controller, then play a 10-minute King of the Hill run. After the session, they’ll see team scores, personal stats, and (eventually) their progress in a player portal.
Q7. How many players are in a group?
Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds is being designed for teams of 2–6 players per zone. Each team gets its own battlefield, so they’re not fighting in a big chaotic free-for-all.
Q8. How long does a session last?
The core gameplay run is about 10 minutes, with extra time for check-in, briefing, gearing up, and debrief. Starting in Shattered Bounds: Tower, you can expect a full experience to take roughly a 60 minute arrival-to-exit block.
Q9. Do I need my own AR glasses or headset?
No. For Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds, all required hardware (headsets and weapon controllers) will be provided on-site and managed by staff.
Q10. What kind of enemies and content will be in Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds?
The first Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds experience focuses on a goblin horde and a crowned goblin “king” boss, with waves of enemies attacking a hill the players must defend. Over time, more enemy types, patterns, and story variations will be added.
Q11. Will my character progress carry over between visits?
That’s the plan. The long-term goal is for players to have persistent profiles tied to Adventurer Cards and a player portal, so your stats, achievements, and unlocks travel with you across Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds and future experiences in Shattered Bounds.
Section 3 – Safety & Accessibility
Q12. How physical is the experience? Do I have to run?
You’ll be walking, turning, and swinging a weapon controller in a defined play area. Running may be discouraged or limited for safety, depending on the final design and venue rules. The focus is on immersive movement, not sprinting or full-contact combat.
Q13. Is it safe?
Safety is a core design pillar. Each session is overseen by a Game Master, includes a safety briefing, uses clearly marked boundaries, and is supported by systems like zone monitoring and an Emergency Stop on the GM console. Layouts and rules will be tuned to the venue and player safety first.
Q14. Is this accessible if I wear glasses or have mobility limitations?
Headset fit and accessibility will be part of the testing process. The long-term goal is to support as many players as reasonably possible, but final accessibility details will depend on hardware and venue. As these details solidify, they’ll be clearly documented on the site.
Q15. Will I get motion sick?
Because Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds uses room-scale AR/mixed reality, your real-world movement matches what you see, which helps reduce motion sickness compared to traditional VR. That said, individual experiences vary; early tests will help refine comfort settings, pacing, and effects.
Q16. Is there an age limit?
An exact age policy hasn’t been finalized yet. Expect a minimum age requirement and possibly guardian consent for younger players, based on headset manufacturer guidelines, venue rules, and safety considerations.
Section 4 – Technology & Design
Q17. What technology is this built on?
Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds is being developed in Unity using mixed reality headsets as the first target platform. The systems are being designed to transfer to future AR glasses as that hardware becomes widely available and powerful enough.
Q18. Why AR instead of VR?
Shattered Bounds is built around the idea of walking through your real environment—parks, gyms, open spaces—while seeing a second world overlaid on top. AR keeps you connected to the real world, your friends, and your surroundings, instead of isolating you in a virtual room.
Q19. Will there be AI in the game?
Yes. The goal is to use AI to orchestrate enemy waves, adapt difficulty to team skill levels, and gradually personalize elements like skill descriptions and NPC dialogue. Early versions will start with scripted waves and gradually integrate more AI-driven behaviors as data accumulates.
Q20. What’s this about a weapon controller?
A custom weapon controller is being designed for Shattered Bounds so that swings, blocks, and movements feel responsive and natural in AR. January development is focused on testing a first prototype, starting with a single sword archetype to keep gameplay consistent while the system is proven out.
Q21. Will there eventually be other experiences beyond Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds?
Yes. Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds is the first step in a roadmap that includes:
- Shattered Bounds: Tower – Story-driven party runs in an indoor, projection-mapped and AR- enhanced environment.
- AR-MMORPG layers – Experiences in local parks and public spaces.
- Shattered Bounds: Grand Dungeon – A dedicated AR dungeon environment including a village and multiple biomes.
- Shattered Bounds: Coliseum – Large-scale boss encounters for advanced players.
Section 5 – Timeline, Tickets & Locations
Q22. When will Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds be playable?
The working goal is to complete a Shattered Bounds: Battlegrounds v1 and reach alpha testing in 2026, with broader testing following after that. These dates are targets, not promises, and may shift as development progresses.
Q23. How will tickets and scheduling work?
The current plan is to use online booking with time slots for teams, similar to escape rooms or activities like axe throwing or VR arcades. Pricing, exact booking tools, and policies will be announced closer to launch.
Q24. Will Shattered Bounds expand beyond Ottawa?
That’s the long-term goal. Systems like spatial mapping, arena layouts, and content are being designed so they can be deployed in other cities and venues, as funding and partnerships allow.
Q25. Will there be a purely digital version I can play at home?
The main focus is on real-world AR experiences. A companion Player Portal will be set up for players to access their character profiles. This is expected to be completed later in 2027. There will not be any purely digital version of the Shattered Bounds series.
Section 6 – Supporting & Collaborating
Q26. How can I support the project right now?
The best ways to support at this stage are:
- Join the email list on the site,
- Share the dev blog with friends who might be interested,
- Support via Ko-fi if you’re able,
- And later, participate in playtests when they’re announced.
Q27. Are you looking for team members or partners?
Yes, but with an important caveat. 2026 is primarily about proving the concept. The goal is to start finding long-term creative and technical partners – an Artist, Musician, Writer, and Lead Engineer/Programmer – who resonate with the vision and may become co-founders or key collaborators once funding is secured.
Q28. Are these paid positions?
Not yet. At this stage there is no cash budget for paid work. Any conversations in the near term are about exploring fit, shared vision, and what future collaboration could look like once the project has funding or revenue.
Q29. How do I reach out if I’m interested in collaborating?
Use the Contact / Collaborate form on the site. Include a brief note about who you are, what you do (e.g., art, music, writing, engineering), and a link to your portfolio or past work if you have one.
Section 7 – Following the Journey
Q30. How can I follow development?
You can follow along through:
- The dev blog,
- Deep dive articles on systems, lore, and design,
- And occasional updates via the email newsletter and Ko-fi page.
Q31. Will you share technical details and behind-the-scenes posts?
Yes. Part of the mission for this website is to document the journey: from first prototypes and performance tests, to LAN/server architecture, AI design, weapon controller experiments, and worldbuilding.