2 min read

Jan 5th, 2018

I'm learning VR in 21 Days

by Evan Mays

I'm learning virtual reality (VR)! I've never done anything in VR before, but in 21 days, I'll have a demo version of a sci-fi target practice game. Imagine laser beams that shoot from your eyes, arcade-style levels that increase in difficulty, and hopefully astonishing graphics.

Why VR

I learned how to code from making platformer games (Think arcade Mario). It was hands down some of the most fun I had as a kid. But, I haven't made a game in years.

What better way to jump back into game making than to jump in the game with VR.

If you've never been in VR before, you're missing out. VR could have life-changing applications. It's a lot easier for people to design virtual worlds than to build them physically. Here are some examples of a future with VR.

Disney World could be in your living room. Watching a sports game from home could be as immersive as standing in the stadium. And the bedroom could be a place for nighttime dreaming and daytime dreaming with VR that creates any world you can imagine.

Maybe some of that will happen, perhaps some of it won't. I want it to happen though. And I want to have a part in it, so I'll start with a fun game.

You can play the game too!

If you don't have a fancy VR headset, you're in the same boat as me. What I do have (and you probably have it too) is a modern smartphone. I also have a Google Cardboard headset. It's affordable ($20) and lasts for a long time. Luckily, that's all you'll need to play my VR game.

My Cardboard headset was a gift for attending an event at my school. If you don't have a headset, you can still play the game in the browser thanks to WebVR. WebVR sounds fancy, so let me explain.

WebVR is an alternative to buying a $1,000 gaming PC and a $1,000 VR headset. It's a free platform that lets developers build VR experiences for the masses. I'm making my game using WebVR, so if you have a phone or laptop with internet, you can play the game on my website.

Why 21 Days?

The first day of classes for the Spring semester is January 29th. Since today is January 5th, I'll have just enough time to finish before classes start.

Plus, 21 rolls off the tongue.