Forum Discussion
How to get started....
What is the best way to get into VR development? I have a strong programming background but have never programmed games or worked with VR.
I have been following Oculus forums for a while and I see that this technology is bound to take off. I got my DK2 few weeks ago and was blown away by potential but let down by the hardware itself. I am hoping they will make significant improvements for the 2016 CV1. I have seen specs of 2160/1200/90 which sounds promising over DK2's 960/1080/75, although it would be nice to actually see the difference first person. I am thinking it's a bit late for DK3 unless they release it early Summer.
I am using my Oculus on Dell Alpha with i7/8Gm/GF860/SSD. Resolution is very low, grainy, and pixalated. I get judder when moving head around.
So, how do I get started making cool VR stuff?
EDIT. Not to be a lazy donkey I have looked through forums for some mentions of books and other tutorial material. I will keep updating the list below.
BOOKS
Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 3D Beginner's Guide
http://goo.gl/bfmQ1A
Introduction to Game Design, Prototyping, and Development: From Concept to Playable Game with Unity and C#
http://goo.gl/Fz73wv
VIDEO TUTORIALS
Unite 2013 - Step into the Game with Oculus Rift and Unity 4.2
https://goo.gl/7rAJIa
I have been following Oculus forums for a while and I see that this technology is bound to take off. I got my DK2 few weeks ago and was blown away by potential but let down by the hardware itself. I am hoping they will make significant improvements for the 2016 CV1. I have seen specs of 2160/1200/90 which sounds promising over DK2's 960/1080/75, although it would be nice to actually see the difference first person. I am thinking it's a bit late for DK3 unless they release it early Summer.
I am using my Oculus on Dell Alpha with i7/8Gm/GF860/SSD. Resolution is very low, grainy, and pixalated. I get judder when moving head around.
So, how do I get started making cool VR stuff?
EDIT. Not to be a lazy donkey I have looked through forums for some mentions of books and other tutorial material. I will keep updating the list below.
BOOKS
Learning C# by Developing Games with Unity 3D Beginner's Guide
http://goo.gl/bfmQ1A
Introduction to Game Design, Prototyping, and Development: From Concept to Playable Game with Unity and C#
http://goo.gl/Fz73wv
VIDEO TUTORIALS
Unite 2013 - Step into the Game with Oculus Rift and Unity 4.2
https://goo.gl/7rAJIa
4 Replies
- Well the top choices are Unity or Unreal. Both are great products, and are free (or affordable).
Unity uses C# and Javascript, while Unreal has C++ or a visual scripting called Blueprint.
I'm not sure one is better than the other, it depends on your needs. - Yep, I read that Unity and Unreal are great tools for game development. Are there any good tutorials on designing games specifically for VR?
"dkonya" wrote:
Yep, I read that Unity and Unreal are great tools for game development. Are there any good tutorials on designing games specifically for VR?
There may be a few, but basically it boils down to becoming familiar firsthand with what makes VR different than the monitor, and absorbing some of the best practices published by Oculus and others as a starting point to knowing what you should be careful of. The best VR experiences will design around the limitations and build something compelling from there.
Beyond that, simply imagine what you want in the virtual space around you and then just Google your heart out to find solutions to make that a reality. Go easy on the scope, and regularly check how your experience performs (using the Profiler if in Unity, not sure what the UE4 equivalent is). Framerate is king -- no matter how cool your experience is, if it's not performing well it's neither fun nor immersive."dkonya" wrote:
Yep, I read that Unity and Unreal are great tools for game development. Are there any good tutorials on designing games specifically for VR?
Not really, we have no idea what we're doing, but following the Best practice guide is a good start.
PS. If you're not experienced in c++ I'd recommend away from Unreal. You can create simple game mechanics with blueprints, but if you require a more complex architecture you "need" to use c++. You don't have to, but it's easier (as long as you're comfortable with c++).
