Wonderbook details emerge

The development team behind Sony's upcoming augmented reality title Wonderbook: Book of Spells have unveiled more details on the concept and technology behind the game.

In a behind the scenes video on YouTube, the London Studio developers, including creative director Russell Harding, revealed the idea for Wonderbook began in the early days of the PS3, when the publisher's augmented reality technology had given way to two possible ideas for implementation: a virtual pet, or an augmented reality book.

Since the technology involved the camera tracking a marker (usually a card with a specific pattern on it), the Sony team decided to go with the virtual pet idea because it required the tracking of just one, not multiple, markers.

After the success of EyePet, the publishers decided it was time to revisit the technology and begin work on the augmented reality book.

Wonderbook essentially an enhanced version of the EyePet technology: while the same marker design is repeated in Wonderbook, there are now multiple markers for the camera to track and superimpose graphics on, visible on every page of the book. Markers can also be obscured from view (for example, when turning the page) and the technology will still work.

According to the London Studios team, turning the augmented reality book concept into a book of spells that would allow players to use the Move controller as a wand was a natural fit that could allow them to develop simple user interface and one-to-one movements.

Wonderbook: Book of Spells is a collaboration between Sony and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and was first unveiled at Sony's E3 2012 press conference.

The game is due out this holiday.