Introduction
The final project of the module required us to create an augmented reality experience using Hoverlay, a software designed to display digital scenes through augmented reality, turning 3D models and elements into physical environments. Unlike traditional screen-based media, Hoverlay anchors narrative content to geolocation, meaning that space itself becomes part of the storytelling structure. The emphasis of the brief was not only on technical execution but also on exploring how these merged realities can be used for immersive, accessible, and location-based storytelling.
The project needed to be structured across five distinct "spaces", each acting as a chapter in a wider narrative experience. Users would access these chapters through their smartphones while physically exploring Liverpool. The brief also encouraged experimentation with different media formats, including 3D models, audio, text, still imagery, and 360° portal-style environments, making it a highly flexible but conceptually demanding brief.
For this project, I worked with Pau. However, due to his absence over the Easter period, I ultimately took full responsibility for the majority of production and development. While initial ideation was collaborative, the production phase became largely self-directed, requiring independent decision-making, rapid workflow organisation, and full control over both the narrative structure and technical implementation.
Concept Development – The Beatles Story as a Spatial AR Journey
After an initial introduction to Hoverlay in Week One, we immediately recognised its potential for location-based storytelling. The platform’s accessibility meant it was particularly suited to tourism, education, and narrative exploration in real environments.
From this, we developed “The Beatles Story”, an augmented reality experience structured as a five-chapter tour across Liverpool. The intention was to guide users through key moments in The Beatles’ rise to fame and long-term cultural legacy, with each chapter anchored to a specific geographical location relevant to their history.
The decision to focus on the Beatles was both contextual and strategic. As one of the most globally recognised cultural narratives in music history, and one deeply embedded in Liverpool’s identity, their story offered a strong foundation for an accessible AR tourism experience. Rather than retelling the same story in its conventional format, the aim was to translate it into a spatial journey where users physically move through the city while engaging with each chapter of their story.
The overarching goal was to create an experience that was intuitive, educational, and flexible. Users could engage with the narrative at their own pace, pausing between locations for food, a drink, or exploration, while still maintaining a coherent sense of progression through the five chapters.
Research and Contextual Development
The research phase focused heavily on building an accurate and chronological understanding of The Beatles’ history. This involved extensive review of online articles, interviews, documentary footage, and archival sources, including beatlesarchive.net and various recorded interviews and performance footage.
Key locations such as 20 Forthlin Road, St Peter’s Church (Woolton), The Cavern Club, The Empire Theatre, and The Beatles Statue on Liverpool's waterfront were identified as spatial anchors for each chapter. These locations were selected not only for their historical relevance but also for their ability to guide the narrative progression of the experience in a physically meaningful way.
During this stage, I also researched existing interactive mapping systems and AR tourism platforms. A key influence was mytouristmaps.com, which stood as a great example of how layered mapping systems can be used to guide users through structured journeys. This directly informed my decision to use Google MyMaps instead of alternatives such as What3Words, as it provided a more effective system for layered legends, route planning, and multi-modal navigation (walking, cycling, and driving).
This integration of mapping and AR became central to the project’s design philosophy, ensuring that the experience was not only narrative-driven but also functional.
Production Process – Rapid Development and Spatial Construction
This project was completed within a single week, making it the most condensed production timeline of all three briefs. As a result, the workflow was highly intensive and required rapid decision-making, efficient organisation and continuous development
On the first day, we were introduced to Hoverlay and Sketchfab; we quickly familiarised ourselves with its core functionality. Unlike previous software used in earlier projects, Hoverlay proved to be highly intuitive, allowing us to move rapidly into concept execution. Within the same day, we finalised the decision to pursue the Beatles narrative, influenced by Pau’s interest as an exchange student in Liverpool and his curiosity around the city’s musical heritage.
By Day Two and Three, I had begun structuring the full five-chapter narrative independently. This involved breaking down the Beatles’ story into key stages and mapping each stage to a specific real-world location. I conducted detailed research into their early life, using a combination of interviews, articles, and archival footage to ensure historical accuracy and narrative coherence.
Once the structure was finalised, I organised all assets into chapter-based folders. Each folder contained the necessary audio, visual, and 3D materials required for that specific location. These included historical photographs, audio clips from early performances, and contextual imagery designed to support each stage of the narrative.
By Day Four, I had produced all five AR video sequences. Each chapter was built as a short 2-minute immersive segment, integrated into Hoverlay using 3D objects to create contextual scene compositions. These scenes often included environments with immersive display setups, such as a vintage TV, surrounded by supporting props to reinforce narrative context.
On Day Five, I physically tested the entire experience by visiting each location and recording demonstration footage. This included 20 Forthlin Road, St Peter’s Church, The Cavern Club, The Empire Theatre, and the Beatles Statue. These recordings were essential in validating spatial accuracy and ensuring that the AR content aligned correctly with real-world environments.
By Day Six, I completed the Google MyMaps integration, creating a fully layered interactive map system. This included a structured legend system allowing users to toggle different route layers and select preferred travel modes. This significantly improved accessibility and usability, transforming the project into a functional AR tourism guide rather than just a narrative sequence.
Technical Execution and Limitations
The project was developed entirely using a MacBook for production and a smartphone for demonstration. Hoverlay’s web-based system allowed seamless activation of the AR spaces, and the simplicity of the platform enabled rapid iteration.
The only technical issue encountered was very minor instability in object behaviour within certain Hoverlay scenes. A couple of 3D assets exhibited unexpected collision behaviour, though this did not significantly impact the overall user experience. Additionally, Hoverlay imposes a 20MB limit on 3D assets in order to run at full capacity, which required careful optimisation of model selection and file compression. Despite these limitations, the final system remained stable, functional, and visually coherent.
Final Outcome
The final outcome is one of the most successful and professionally executed projects I have completed during my 2 years on the course so far. The combination of Hoverlay and Google MyMaps resulted in a structured, accessible, and engaging AR experience that effectively guides users through five chapters of The Beatles’ story across Liverpool.
The experience functions both as an educational narrative and a tourism tool, allowing users to explore the city while engaging with cultural history in a layered and interactive format. The clarity of structure, smooth user journey, and consistency of presentation all contributed to a highly polished final outcome that I am proud of.
Critical Reflection (Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle)
Reflecting on the project, I felt confident throughout the development process due to the accessibility of the software and the clarity of the concept. Unlike previous briefs, which required extensive technical experimentation, this project allowed me to focus more heavily on narrative design, spatial structure, and user experience.
The strongest aspect of the project was its speed of execution combined with professional output quality. Completing a full five-chapter AR experience within one week required efficient planning and strong time management. The integration of Hoverlay with Google MyMaps also created a highly functional system that enhanced both storytelling and navigation.
Another key strength was the clarity of user experience. The narrative was easy to follow, the 3D environments were intuitive, and the mapping system allowed users to engage with the experience at their own pace. This made the project highly suitable for tourism and public engagement contexts.
However, the main limitation of the project was the relatively low level of interactivity within the AR spaces themselves. While the experience was spatially engaging, it remained largely passive in terms of user input beyond navigation. In future iterations, I would introduce more dynamic interactions within the AR spaces, such as triggered animations, environmental changes, or audio-reactive elements to deepen engagement.
Additionally, while The Beatles' narrative is culturally strong and highly accessible, the concept itself is not highly original in subject matter. The innovation lies more in the delivery method than the story itself. Future developments would benefit from applying this same AR framework to more unconventional or under-represented narratives. It has the potential to follow the same 5-chapter system through a different city, telling a whole different story, making it highly repeatable and marketing-worthy.
Conclusion
Overall, this project represents a strong conclusion to the module, and it’s been my favourite so far. I believe I have demonstrated significant development in my ability to design spatial, interactive, and user-centred experiences. It highlights the potential of augmented reality as a tool for cultural storytelling, tourism, and educational engagement, while also reinforcing the importance of mapping, accessibility, and narrative clarity in spatial design.
The project also marks a clear progression in my workflow efficiency, technical confidence, and ability to independently manage a full production pipeline from research through to final delivery.
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