The Chinese New Year is an instant win with augmented reality
Lotto NZ’s Instant Kiwi scratch tickets just got a whole lot more fun! To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, Lotto NZ partnered with Solnet and Imersia Reality to create a festival-themed game ticket using augmented reality (AR). Combined with the mobile app, users can now experience the Year of the Dog in 3D.
Use of AR on this scale is a national first for New Zealand, though some of you may recall seeing other recent applications of this developing technology. Remember the Māori god of the sea who rose from the depths during the Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival last year? After the success of other gaming apps using AR, Lotto NZ knew there was an opportunity to engage people playing its games in a different way — all they needed were the right project partners.
Solnet, an innovative technology company specialising in digital transformation, was called upon to develop the mobile application “Lucky Fortune” so it would work off an Instant Kiwi game ticket.
To deliver the best solution in time for the New Year, Solnet focused on overall strategy for the application delivery and programmed the Lotto NZ API to allow communication between the app and Lotto NZ’s existing systems. These vital integrations provide a seamless digital experience for customers.
“Emerging technologies, like augmented reality, are helping New Zealand businesses engage their customers in exciting, new ways,” said Phil Coop, Digital Transformation Director for Solnet. “Ultimately, it’s not just about the technology and partnerships Solnet uses to create a positive digital experience, it’s about how we work closely with our clients to understand what their customers really value.”
Solnet invited Imersia Reality, a local agency known for its rapid AR development portal, to create the design concept for the Lucky Fortune mobile app. Starting with six potential ideas, Lotto NZ and Imersia worked together to storyboard the customer journey and finalise every detail included in the 3D game environment, down to how the lanterns pop.
The outcome of good design thinking is a fluid experience that works with mobile phones in use today.
“The Lucky Fortune application is highly interactive. You can check out the buildings by moving the scratch ticket around or by tilting your phone to explore the space. There’s a game to play in this environment as well, where you tap the lanterns to pop them,” said Grant Newman, Head of Production for Imersia Reality. “It’s something different and it’s fun.”
Work on the mobile application began in September 2017. Completing an innovative project such as this in only 3.5 months showcases how fast the development process can be with the right expertise and technology in play.
“We’ve been delighted to work with Lotto NZ and Imersia Reality to bring this customer experience to life,” said Coop.
Claire Gutzewitz, Head of Instant Tickets at Lotto NZ said, “We’re pleased with the outcome of the app partnership with Solnet and Imersia. The project was well managed, delivered on time, and provides a new fun way to play our Lucky Fortune Instant Kiwi game.”
The Lucky Fortune application launched on Sunday, Feb. 4. Stop by any Lotto NZ location to purchase your Instant Kiwi game ticket, download the app from Android Play Store or the Apple Store, and experience the Chinese New Year with AR!
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