TikTok opens its AR development tool called Effect House
TikTok has made its AR development tool, Effect House available to all creators and developers. The Effect house is still a public beta, evolving from the previous closed beta version.
Features of Effect House
The app consists of various types of recommended templates for creators to build specific types of AR effects, like Hand Gestures, Try-On, 3D Face Mask, Head Tracker and Face Morph.
To help creators and developers navigate through the tool and sharpen their skills, the effect-house website offers learning resources that consist of online tutorials and a knowledge lab. In this knowledge lab TikTok experts will notify community members whenever they do any live demo on how to create novel AR experiences.
Possibilities for creators
According to the press statement, TikTok said, “Whether you’re teleporting into new worlds with Green Screen or freeze-framing with Time Warp Scan, creative effects empower creators to express themselves, entertain, and share stories through a wide array of engaging and immersive formats.”
A safe environment
To ensure a safe, authentic and inclusive environment, TikTok has launched effect guidelines to which the users must adhere.
The guidelines consist of technical requirements to run the tool on the desktop or laptop. It also consist of stringent actions against the use of effects that promote misinformation, dangerous acts, or challenges.
According to TikTok, the user-created effects will be reviewed by its Trust and Safety team to help ensure they adhere to the company’s policies before they’re released to the public. And if the company misses a violative effect, the community can report it using the “Report Effect” feature.
Competitors of TikTok
The launch of the AR development tool puts TikTok in direct competition with Snapchat’s AR lens and Meta’s Spark AR.
Facebook reports that 400.000 AR creators have created over 1.2 million effects using its Spark AR. Snapchat announced that more than 200.000 AR creators have created 2 million filters using its lenses. It seems logical for TikTok to move in the same direction and provide new experiences to its users.
