Plane programming 2022 10
I stumbled upon the XR space during the pandemic. Ever since the onset of the Web3 / Metaverse trend in 2021, VR/XR used to be only a jargon that was purely for gamers/VR enthusiasts to me but as soon as I found communities who are trying to break out of this stigma and bring in more creativity and different applications to this space, I decided to delve into learning VR by trying mini projects.
My project inspiration at this moment lies in rendering 3D objects and bringing them to life with the animations created using programming.
The plane through obstacles challenge was the first independent Unity project where I tested my knowledge from the pathway for junior programmers. Besides code, I’ve always been fascinated with 3D animations since a young age. Hence, it was intriguing to create the design and alter different materials that beautify the environment in the scene.
It was through this project that I developed an insight into the work that goes into designing these 3D scenes and ensuring the person in front of the device has a smooth experience making it more enjoyable. There is no doubt that it was much easier to land into the Unity project because almost all the tools are available which makes watching the outcome of your effort even more satisfying and fascinating. The biggest challenge I’m facing at the moment is ensuring that the obstacles (meshed objects) affect the velocity of the plane when it collides with them, which is still a work in progress. However, my overall experience with this challenge has been nothing but rewarding!
GitHub : Plane project Unity
I began my learning with the Unity Pathway for Junior programmers and the community has been so resourceful in terms of solving issues and resolving errors. It is also very important to refer to the documentation from time to time to understand the underlying methods and layers within the code. IBesides these, I have been regularly referring to the documentation for C#.
For this project: Unity Learn - Junior Developer Pathway - Plane Programming
I was also recommended to check out “Beginning C# Programming with Unity Visual Studio Edition - A.T. Chamillard” which is for beginners. However, Unity is also JavaScript-compatible if you have prior knowledge of the language.
I also follow Awesome Tuts. A YouTube Channel that specifically teaches to program gaming applications in VR.
I found free resources on freeCodeCamp: Easily code a virtual reality web experience with A-Frame (WebVR) and Learn Unity - Beginner's Game Development Tutorial
I want to focus on building more real-time applications in VR/AR like checking the dimensions of a room using a mobile device.
The XR space may seem too far-fetched at present, but it could touch every sector of the industry in the future.
One may think is necessary to invest in a headset right away to start learning or developing applications for VR. However, that’s not necessarily true, you can work on the design and view your creations even over VR mode extensions online or with simulators. I think there are plenty of other platforms from which you can choose.
Finally, I’d like to highlight that there are ample free resources and communities(like here in WWCode XR-developers) to begin your journey and it’s so satisfying to see your results as you visualize them.
Check out our events at Women Who Code Tokyo.
We hope to see you in the next session and we are excited to keep welcoming new people to this community.
🚀🌟 Keep on learning!