How AR/VR Technologies Impact eLearning Effectiveness

This article will enlighten you on the role of augmented and virtual reality in education currently and in the future.

MobileAppDaily Listed Onix Among Top VR Dev Companies

Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create a simulated environment that lets users interact in a real or imaginary world. At Onix Systems, our experienced and well aware virtual reality developers, we serve our users with solutions on how to engage and increase customer traffic in your target market. We take time to understand our client’s business venture and enact short, mid or long term plans. We remain on the top curve of virtual technology with our highly skilled virtual reality developers. With our immense inquisitiveness towards this respected field and our trusted team with us throughout this journey, we have been recognized by MobileAppDaily in their annual report of <a href="https://www.mobileappdaily.com/virtual-reality/companies" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="https://www.mobileappdaily.com/virtual-reality/companies" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">top virtual reality development companies</a></a> for 2020.<img src="http://onix-systems.com/web/uploads/1iAb8Mz03Yw4Zcb0c7MJ14u9nAFGKwpm.jpg"> <h2>Why is Onix Systems considered amongst the top Virtual Reality development companies by MobileAppDaily?</h2>MobileAppDaily is the largest and most renowned media source when it comes to the mobile app industry. It’s a one-stop platform for app users and tech enthusiasts who are interested to know about the valuable insights of the world of applications.&nbsp; With their in-depth annual reports, informative app reviews, candid CEO interviews, latest news on top listed apps of different categories and genres and whatnot, <a href="https://www.mobileappdaily.com/" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="https://www.mobileappdaily.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">MobileAppDaily</a></a> has got you all covered with the latest breakthroughs in Android and iOS applications. At Onix Systems, our highly skilled developers merge digital models of the real world with computer-generated models, ensuring a fascinating experience of the real-world progressing into an immersive virtual reality world. We are thankful to MobileAppDaily for featuring us and such great recognition helps us to get better every day. We take immense pride in sharing this esteemed podium with other celebrated organizations. At Onix Systems, we ensure that our clients are in better hands.&nbsp;

Onix-Systems featured in MobileAppDaily as one of the top VR development companies in their latest annual report. Check out our blog to find out more.

Estimating an Augmented Reality App Development Cost

How much does augmented reality cost to implement in a mobile app? What factors determine augmented reality app development costs? Read on to learn.

Implementing VR in Medicine and Medical Training

Virtual reality (VR) and its cousin, augmented reality (AR), are emerging in the healthcare field as a high-tech solution for improving medical education. Medical staff are continually learning throughout their lifetime of work. Today, with medical tools undergoing revolutionary upgrades faster than ever before, it is critical for these professionals to stay up to date with innovations. If ignored, that growing gap in knowledge hampers their ability to provide proper services to their patients. This is where AR/VR applications are expected to be most beneficial. Using virtual reality for medical training has great potential. Will it replace traditional training soon, or is this only wishful thinking?&nbsp;<h2>Why Use VR for Medical Training?</h2>Modern VR training, although widely regarded as beneficial for education, is still somewhere between excitement and skepticism. It is easy to understand the latter, since many medical professionals were trained using traditional methods and are more comfortable with these methods despite their limitations. Others point at successful implementations of <a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/virtual-museum-experiences-taking-the-cultural-mission-to-a-new-level" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc">VR in the cultural field</a>. For example, it’s now possible for an entire class of students to visit the Louvre from anywhere in the world or to go on a virtual ‘field trip’ inside the human body. What was once considered impossible has now become possible in our virtual world. The advances of <a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/how-you-can-leverage-the-benefits-of-virtual-reality-in-education" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc">VR in learning and training</a> allow students and specialists to train in a more enjoyable and engaging way. New skills are acquired and honed through practice in interactive and safe virtual environments. Students don’t even require an instructor because instructions and tips are built inside the VR app. However, students’ performance in this virtual world still needs to be analyzed and evaluated by a specialist. <a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/how-you-can-leverage-the-benefits-of-virtual-reality-in-education" target="_blank"><img src="http://onix-systems.com/web/uploads/_4JtApje7Vhd0O0jNYaP5TtBHfjiQ2IM.png"></a> Medical schools can benefit from adopting augmented and virtual reality for medical training programs. For example, VR simulations allow for exploring the human body without endangering patients. A scarcity of subjects to practice on can often result in a situation where students could only practice once or twice before needing to perform a real surgical procedure. Virtual environments provide students with the valuable ability to explore, make mistakes, and learn from them. In addition, students can repeat these procedures multiple times and that’s difficult to accommodate in a traditional school of medicine. <div class="td-video ql-align-center" height="356" width="627" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="627" height="356" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aDDIKn9RkJk?showinfo=0"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> VR medical training doesn’t replace traditional training, but it provides an important edge. It can present sophisticated concepts through visualization and interaction and provide a valuable view of real-world experiences. This makes tasks easier to grasp and creates a level of interest that textbooks or tests struggle to do. VR helps keep medical training formalized, ensuring a stable level of performance quality, while establishing standardized skills set for medical specialists. AR/VR can be useful for training nurses and surgeons too. They need to be prepared to resolve various practical and ethical dilemmas in their work. Through simulation, VR platforms can bring unique learning opportunities, such as rehearsing complex surgeries, delivering hard news, and other scenarios commonly encountered in a hospital. Therefore, specialists can be better prepared to face complex and dynamic medical situations.&nbsp; VR training can also be useful for paramedics. These professionals work in an environment where pressure can be extremely high. If their first encounter with harsh situations happens in the real world, it can be overwhelming and stressful. Virtual environments enable them to learn both procedures and self-control. <div class="td-video ql-align-center" height="360" width="626" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="626" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fMtFTAjlsYc?showinfo=0"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> VR technology may help improve the quality of healthcare services. For example, VR headsets are already used in some children’s hospitals to distract children during unpleasant procedures, such as blood sampling. <div class="td-video ql-align-center" height="355" width="627" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="627" height="355" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hK4WJ6mNDDM?showinfo=0"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> Another application of virtual reality in medicine relates to virtual simulations of how patients with mental health disorders see and experience the world. It is a great help for psychiatric centers’ staff and possibly the patients’ relatives. Research and studies are not always capable of providing such vivid insights into what is happening in someone’s mind. Even medical device makers benefit from virtual environments. Instead of personally giving instructions or demonstrations to every specialist that might be interested, they use VR to present their products. Although VR devices can be costly, each year companies are making this technology available to the wider audience by producing simpler headsets such as Oculus Go. The price points for these new devices are often cheaper than sending representatives to meet in person with clients.&nbsp;<h2>AR Is Also Suitable For Medical Training</h2>Augmented reality may be not as engaging as VR but can still yield very good results. The advantages of AR for medical training are: <ol><li>Students don’t need a VR helmet. They can hold a tablet over a manikin to superimpose simulated internal organs or a hologram of a patient on it. With AR, medical students and doctors can learn and practice anywhere, even at home, which promotes continuous improvement.</li><li>AR is not fully immersive, so it can combine real and virtual medical devices. For example, when students learn to read ultrasound images, AR would add layers with images of underlying tissue, blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and bones on the real ultrasound image.&nbsp;</li><li>Because AR is not fully immersive, it also makes teamwork possible. Team members can interact with one another and with the instructor.</li></ol><img src="http://onix-systems.com/web/uploads/xwu9ws2GHhAUy8FVXG8X6usUdeQ9uj1f.jpg"><h2> </h2><h2>Is VR What Medical Training Needs?</h2>Medical and especially surgical landscapes are evolving rapidly, and there is plenty of space for exploring new and experimental ways of training. VR and AR have great potential in the field. As they become more refined and accessible, the case for incorporating this technology into training programs seems to make sense. Or does it?&nbsp; It is understandable why some don’t believe that VR technology can be useful based upon the traditional training they received; i.e. cadavers or live patients. While cadavers will continue to be of use, training on live patients is dangerous and greatly pressures young trainees. Some specialists also note that VR and AR are not very realistic in simulating individual features of human bodies. For example, knee joints differ in each patient. Objects and tools in the virtual world do not have weight and therefore create less than realistic user experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Despite these limitations, VR medical training is expected to transform medical education. Both AR/VR applications already help in better understanding the anatomy of the human body and the steps of various medical procedures. They empower students to apply knowledge and practice skills until they are mastered. Virtual environments allowing medical and interprofessional training to be conducted more easily will be hard to ignore. VR technology has a long road ahead to become fully integrated with current curricula, but it is reasonable to predict that one day it will be common. If you have innovative ideas on AR or VR for medical training or other fields, <a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc">Onix team</a> is here to help. Let’s pave the path for the future together today.

The use of virtual reality in medicine benefits medical students, doctors, staff, and even medical device makers. Take a look at how it works!




How You Can Leverage the Benefits of VR in Education

A few years ago, when virtual reality was becoming increasingly affordable, ideas about using it in education began to emerge. Technological solutions like Google Cardboard may not be perfect, but still more engaging than textbook pictures. Oculus VR is moving in that direction as well. For example, in August 2018, the company launched <a href="https://www.oculus.com/blog/announcing-oculus-education-pilot-programs-in-taiwan-japan-and-seattle/" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="https://www.oculus.com/blog/announcing-oculus-education-pilot-programs-in-taiwan-japan-and-seattle/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Oculus Education pilot programs</a></a> for Taiwan, Japan, and Seattle. They work with local organizations to provide VR headsets so that educators and students can explore ways to use them in educational settings and see how beneficial that is. Taiwan decided to use VR headsets in libraries and museums, Japan will explore the possibilities of remote education, and Seattle Public Schools are developing a VR creation course. Previously, Oculus had teamed up with California State Library and research institutions of MIT and Harvard in attempts to ‘better understand VR’s potential impact on learning outcomes’. They see the potential and are ready to continue. Others may be slower at seeing the benefits of virtual reality in education. Many people are used to the old ways and are skeptical when it comes to something new and high-tech. This article will provide, what we hope are, some convincing examples of delivering educational content in new exciting ways through the power of VR.<img src="http://onix-systems.com/web/uploads/iK78kl1AkXV4bkfqEQIEXZRWBypE5hXu.jpg"> <h2>A Few Ways to Use Virtual Reality in Education</h2>One way to leverage the capabilities of virtual reality in education is to simulate things that are hard, impossible, or dangerous to do in real life. Because of highly accurate virtual models, VR provides the opportunity to educate and train high-quality specialists in the most complex fields, ranging from technical maintenance and to medicine. For example, VR apps already significantly enhance the safety of medical studies. Human anatomy is a difficult subject, and in best-case scenarios, students may have the chance to practice surgeries once on a cadaver prior to performing an actual surgery. With VR, surgical training improved by providing realistic simulations for many types of surgical procedures. Soon, doctors and students will be able to create models and test theories and scenarios that they cannot done in the ‘classical way’ using cadavers.&nbsp; The J and K Virtual Reality Learning Center at the Western University of Health Sciences has been using an innovative VR-based curriculum model since 2015. They use Oculus Rift to ‘shrink’ students learning human anatomy to microscopic size, allowing the students to “roller-coaster” through the human body with a simultaneous tour guide narration.&nbsp; Another possibility involves field trips to places difficult to visit in the real world due to logistical and safety concerns. For example, <a href="https://edu.google.com/products/vr-ar/expeditions/?modal_active=none" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="https://edu.google.com/products/vr-ar/expeditions/?modal_active=none" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Google Expeditions</a></a> offers tours created by leading institutions across the globe. Students can now easily visit the Louvre or Mount Everest or explore tornadoes or beehives from the ease and relative safety of the classroom. The Expeditions VR app also allows users to create their own virtual field trips. <a href="http://www.titansofspacevr.com/titansofspace.html" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="http://www.titansofspacevr.com/titansofspace.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Titans of Space</a></a> claims to be better than a trip to the planetarium. It’s a virtual Solar System tour with highly accurate visuals with loads of facts narrated by a guide. Somewhat similar is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiCk2I6PXl5qm0CTvO6zXt3k33GTmcIvk" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiCk2I6PXl5qm0CTvO6zXt3k33GTmcIvk" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Discovery VR</a></a> app which allows users to dip into time, history and space via immersive 360-degree videos, ‘from shark-infested shipwrecks to free boarding the curviest street’. The same goes for time travel back to significant historical events such as Washington’s Inaugural, Pearl Harbor, Dunkirk, or the Viking Age.&nbsp;<img src="http://onix-systems.com/web/uploads/869TmIm4l4pxiOpdh-gqfkeOiMjN0Dfo.jpg">Virtual reality education apps have the potential to impact many professions. Students may use VR simulations for a better understanding of what careers are interesting for them. Afterward, during vocational training, virtual and augmented reality will help them too. Platforms like <a href="https://www.viar360.com/virtual-reality-and-vocational-education/" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="https://www.viar360.com/virtual-reality-and-vocational-education/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Viar360</a></a> can provide future mechanics with a clear interactive visual of a car engine from all the angles while sitting in the classroom. Art, design, and architecture can be more easily learned with the help of virtual reality. Students can build and design their own constructs or recreate historic sites. Instead of visiting museums or looking at pictures of famous sculptures, art students can observe these artworks in great detail by manipulating and moving them around through VR apps.&nbsp; VR can be used for educating and helping students with special needs. VR apps can create social situations where students can practice daily routine skills in a safe environment. For example, this method eliminates many risks of real-world situations for students with autism spectrum disorder. Examples of these include grocery stores, public transport, or getting a haircut. Such VR scenarios can provide these students with similar real-world situations and lower the stress it may cause in real life.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="http://onix-systems.com/web/uploads/5xTwUYvZjea6m8kDckvUJErAVlY9rhaI.jpg">In 2016, the University of Westminster created <a href="https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/students-play-virtual-reality-game-learn-criminal-law" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc"><a class="external" href="https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/students-play-virtual-reality-game-learn-criminal-law" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">the VR game named REVRLaw</a></a> where students can explore real-life scenarios to learn about criminal law. It is primarily based on searching clues and deciding whether they deal with murder or not.&nbsp; Construction VR/MR developed for all VR/MR platforms (Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift) <a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc">by the Onix team</a> also has that game-like look and feel but can still&nbsp; be used for explaining basic behavior and life safety fundamentals to construction workers. It has built-in check-lists, hints like ‘Don’t forget to put on your personal protective equipment,’ and tasks like ‘Use the elevator and go to the 30th floor’.&nbsp; <div class="td-video ql-align-center" height="356" width="642" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="642" height="356" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vtWfazkv8gE?showinfo=0"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> Somewhat similar is the Laboratory VR Training Simulation, a demo project that Onix created for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. The main idea of this project is to introduce students to laboratory and lab work. This demo also contains hints and tasks. This way, users can learn basic operating procedures. Although it feels like a game, it creates a memorable experience that can be applied to a real-world lab environment afterwards. <div class="td-video ql-align-center" height="364" width="637" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="637" height="364" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KLcqdVDcWK4?showinfo=0"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> Another example is the AHTS VR Game, also made by Onix, which provides a life-like immersive experience with realistic weather and sea vessel physics. The app recreates the movement of a 3,000-ton ship maneuvering in the open ocean. Although it has UFOs that you can shoot with a water gun, the game is realistic enough to learn some basics of marine navigation. Users can to steer the ship to the oil rig, put out fires, avoid traffic, and many more ‘typical onboard activities’ gaining experience while playing. The game was developed for HTC Vive. <div class="td-video ql-align-center" height="356" width="645" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="645" height="356" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rmXK38Tmu3o?showinfo=0"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div><h2> </h2><h2>What Are the Benefits of VR for Learning and Teaching?</h2>Smart boards are replacing chalkboards, tablets are pushing aside notebooks and pencils, and now it's the turn for VR education. With the possibility to bring students to other worlds and provide higher level of understanding, virtual reality in the classroom can provide endless advantages, such as: <ol><li>Direct involvement in the learning process instead of traditional memorization creates a better sense of place and purpose. With this level of engagement, it is possible for students to experience a place or a subject without distractions. And it’s always more satisfying to learn by practicing than by cramming or watching educational movies.</li><li>Distance learning and language barriers become less of a problem. Virtual reality can provide built-in translations making education more accessible.</li><li>Virtual reality in the classroom can help create ‘whole science lab’ experiences, allowing a better understanding of complicated concepts. Studying can be more fun AND more efficient. Students experience ideas without the risks often associated with actual real-world practice. They can be ready when they face something similar in the real world.</li><li>Empowering both the students and the teachers. Student data from VR devices can be funneled to a teacher to better understand their progress.</li><li>Memorable experiences are key to more effective learning. Visceral and emotional reactions are an important base for forming memories.&nbsp;</li><li>Creativity boost. Virtual reality is effective not only for consumption but also for creation. It ‘teleports’ students to an alternative universe where they can explore the world anew.&nbsp;</li></ol>&nbsp;Although VR is widely considered an extension of the gaming experience, it has enormous potential for education. Students can travel, design and create, dissect a frog or a human, assemble and disassemble car engines, and so much more in a safe virtual space.&nbsp; With VR tech becoming more accessible, it will eventually become more accepted, and more VR apps will be developed. It will take some time for the academic community to embrace VR, but eventually they will catch up. In the meantime, the pioneers of VR education will pave the way.&nbsp; If your mind is buzzing with ideas for boosting the education process by adding virtual and augmented reality to the classroom, share them with <a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" class="ql-bg-transparent ql-color-#1155cc">Onix team</a>! Together, we will help bring your ideas to life.

Oculus Education and other projects are paving the way for extensive use of VR in teaching and training. Read on to learn more.

How VR Takes Museum Experiences to a New Level

Museum virtual reality enables people to visit the world’s greatest exhibits without leaving their couch. What does it promise to museums and artists?

How to Use AR/VR in Business and Marketing – Part II

After a post about product promotion and try-before-you-buy opportunities, this one discloses more virtual and augmented reality business applications.

How to Use AR/VR in Business and Marketing – Part I

If you wonder how to enhance your PR and marketing strategy, here are twenty inspiring augmented and virtual reality marketing examples.

3 Universal Applications of Augmented Reality in Business

Discover what's possible with augmented reality in business and how any company can leverage AR technology to enhance external and internal processes.

5 Augmented Reality Shopping Breakthroughs for Businesses

AR clothing apps, marketing campaigns, and other AR experiences are pushing the boundaries for businesses and customers. Read on to learn more about AR in commerce!

Top 10 Applications of AR and VR in Business

The post lists the most relevant augmented and virtual reality business ideas in 2019.

Revolutionizing Movie Industry Through VR Movie Apps

Virtual reality (VR) continues to be a catchy phrase these days. It’s not just a passing technological fad. It stands firmly on both feet providing users with a rich gamut of VR experiences. These types of VR experiences are made possible due to the head-mounted displays (HMD), through which users can immerse themselves in a tremendous virtual reality experience. &nbsp;In the past, we have devoted several blogs to VR content for creating 3D games. You can check our recent articles:&nbsp;<a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/get-the-most-out-of-3d-physics-for-creating-game-in-unity" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;">Get The Most Out of 3D Physics For Creating A Game in Unity</a> and <a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/how-to-use-360-equirectangular-panoramas-for-greater-realism-in-games" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;">How to Use 360° Equirectangular Panoramas for Greater Realism in Games</a>.&nbsp;In this blog, we’ll touch on total immersion experience that is possible thanks to VR movie apps. Imagine watching a movie in a 360-degree video format! Let’s move ahead and learn more about this immersive movie experience. &nbsp;<h2>The VR Revolution Will Continue to Advance</h2>The market for this type of technology is exploding with new possibilities for investment. According to Statista forecasts, the estimated number of VR headsets will grow to<a class="external" href="https://www.statista.com/topics/2532/virtual-reality-vr/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> </a><a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/2532/virtual-reality-vr/" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://www.statista.com/topics/2532/virtual-reality-vr/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">37 million by 2020</a></a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The VR market will continue to expand enormously. Sales of VR hardware and software is projected to skyrocket to more than $19 billion while the global VR market is projected to soar to $21.5 billion in 2020. &nbsp;Mobile-based VR headsets are predicted to make up approximately 75 percent of global VR displays. The forecast indicates there’ll be as many as 130 million mobile virtual users worldwide by 2020.&nbsp;These statistics should certainly be a catalyst to your decision-making process. This form of entertainment is The Market where investments can produce big dividends and enrich users’ experience. &nbsp; <h2>Which Game Engines and Programming Languages are Best For a Genuine Virtual Reality Experience? </h2><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/iKD0yMUyhU9iDmDaWrtB_JZbTUAdtMYF.jpg" alt="virtual reality programming"><a href="https://unity3d.com/ru/learn/tutorials/topics/xr/getting-started-vr-development" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;">Unity</a> is, by all means, the most used game engine. VR developers could work with many platforms from PC to mobile. The scripting language here is C#.&nbsp;&nbsp;What do VR developers need for creating a successful virtual reality experience? To build a truly engaging VR app, one needs to possess not only an exceptional command of the programming languages but also a certain aesthetic perception and intuition. Most of the high-quality VR content is centered around outstanding design. VR developers could choose to write in C++ with OpenGL or DirectX. &nbsp;Game engines are real table turners in this process. The only differentiation between a game and VR experiences is the rendition of two outlooks (two scenes for each eye) in VR videos. &nbsp;Now we’re going to talk about a particular type of user experience - a custom-made multi-format VR app that can enrich your movie theater enjoyment.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>“Visiting” a VR Movie Theater is a Real Page-Turner!</h2>Imagine fighting an army of aliens or flying over the Great Pyramids of Giza or landing on the Moon all in the same day? Well, this has become a dream-come-true with virtual reality programming. &nbsp;The new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsZSxcooCek" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsZSxcooCek" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IMAX VR center</a></a> offers revolutionary immersive VR experiences. You can do so much in their VR arcade. People from all walks of life can temporarily forget their daily cares by entering this endless world of VR entertainment. They simply put on a Samsung Gear VR or Oculus Rift to play VR games in pods or watch 3D virtual reality movies to reconnect with their childhood dreams. <img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/KKMndRMfO6an3jxcxTAl7iJsL8ue7lhO.jpg" alt="virtual reality experience"><a href="https://www.slashfilm.com/imax-vr-experience-centre/" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://www.slashfilm.com/imax-vr-experience-centre/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Paramount Pictures</a></a> has made a further step by creating a VR movie theater. This is a potentially huge development in the IT world. Users can sit on their couch at home and watch movies in a VR movie theater. &nbsp;This experience is enhanced by the fact that you can watch 360-degree videos in VR. No more distractions or interruptions. Your new audience is very polite and movie-absorbed.&nbsp;On top of that, you can watch your favorite movie more interactively: you turn your head to see your beloved characters surrounding you. It’s like watching a 3D movie on TV that has been wrapped around your head. This possibility has now become a reality thanks to VR movie apps. For instance, take the sequels of the Star Wars. Now you can strap your head in an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headset to enjoy watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RKMR4UKVWs" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RKMR4UKVWs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Star Wars Force Awakens Trailer 360 VR</a></a> in various VR headsets such as Google Daydream or Google Cardboard. You can also use a smartphone where you can play YouTube VR videos (not limited to Android devices any longer).<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/bckLxzUxUXHBKS_Dtru6JV7zRV4Kb3xw.jpg" alt="vr movie apps">If you are excited about watching scenes from epic battles, for example, Tron Legacy Lightcycle battle in intense, close-up 3D.&nbsp;Here’s the way to do it as an experiment with your headset. &nbsp;<h2>The Four Kinds of Videos You Can Watch on Your VR Headset</h2>To put it simply, you can watch four types of video content in VR: &nbsp;1. 2D videos. These are regular videos you can find on YouTube or rip from your favorite DVDs and Blu-ray discs which you can watch with ordinary video players. &nbsp;2. 3D videos. You’ve already seen 3D movies at a movie theater. Now you can buy these movies on Blue-ray discs. To watch them, you first need to rip them to a “side by side” (SBS) or “over-under” format for it to be playable on a VR headset in 3D. There are two options between full-scale SBS, containing each eye in full resolution and half SBS, containing each eye in sub-sampled resolution. Full SBS videos are sharp to watch but take more graphics card memory. &nbsp;3. 180 or 360-degree videos. These types of videos are new, but you can find lots of them on YouTube. You can use your mouse on your 2D monitor to drag the video to see it from different angles. If you have Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, you can actually turn your head around activating your headset’s head tracking system. No matter where you turn your head you can watch your favorite movies!&nbsp; 4. Full VR videos. This format encompasses 3D, 180 or 360-degree videos to give a viewer a complete immersion experience. You can watch some of them on YouTube. For instance, check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb1bcavwna0&amp;index=23&amp;list=PLdhIQSYMnGKJZSo9tD-1UTA85PcOAh-6R" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb1bcavwna0&amp;index=23&amp;list=PLdhIQSYMnGKJZSo9tD-1UTA85PcOAh-6R" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Freefall: QubaHQ VR004</a></a>. &nbsp;There aren’t many 360 and VR videos as 2D or 3D movies, but as the IT market continues to expand, there will be more VR content to enjoy.&nbsp;The bottom line is that if you want to immerse yourself deeper in the movie content, you need a uniquely made VR app. Having such an app at your disposal could allow you to enjoy movies beyond what you can watch in a 2D or 3D movie theater. &nbsp;Moreover, you can market this app to a broader audience of your business clients to make some real profit. Who wouldn’t watch their favorite movies more engagingly? Your investment could grow exponentially as this market expands. Your VR app can become a potent promotional tool for 2D movies as well!&nbsp;At the end of the day, you need an experienced team of VR developers to create such an app. You don’t want amateurs doing shoddy work for you. On the contrary, you need top-class specialists who know how to make your VR content dreams a reality.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Final Thoughts</h2><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/KBwOF0ELlwp600jpHeIq0w3FSeE0V6Mp.jpg" alt="how to create a virtual reality app">&nbsp;Undoubtedly, cinematographic VR is a fast developing, cutting-edge technology. It’s quickly becoming the new vista on experiencing reality through VR content. Thus, this market is an attractive niche for IT investments as people have always loved watching movies or shows.&nbsp;However, there’s a lack of expertise in this field as it's a comparatively new area. As a result, not every VR developer knows how to create a virtual reality app that resonates with potential users. Here at <a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;">Onix</a>, we can create a transformational movie experience for you (either for Android or iOS) through a themed custom-made VR app. We have the necessary expertise to turn original video content into a special viewer experience.

Virtual reality apps can become game-changers in today’s VR movie content. It's time to invest in virtual reality experiences and VR movie apps!

 Get The Most Out of 3D Physics For Creating A Game in Unity

Making games in Unity has become a popular thing. Unity3D games have literally flooded the entertainment industry. We have previously discussed <a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/cribs-and-cyberpunk-things-you-can-do-using-unity-3d" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;">what Unity is and the things you can do with it</a>. Now the time has come to discuss 3D physics Unity.&nbsp;The basic question that pops up: &nbsp;Is 3D physics important for creating a 3D game in Unity? The simple answer: it all depends on what type of game you want to have. If you want to have a VR game where game objects behave realistically, then, Unity 3D physics is a must.&nbsp;&nbsp;Let’s look at some main components of Unity 3D Physics. Then you will be able to see how important physics is by using our VR simulation game as an example. &nbsp;<h2>How 3D physics can animate a game in Unity</h2>So what’s the real deal here with this 3D Unity physics?&nbsp;Well, before a game developer had to write new code each time they needed to change the trajectory of a ball in a video game. Eventually, each new scenario was tiring and time-consuming. Not much fun. Now with Unity’s built-in 3D physics engines, a developer is equipped with some essential components and is able to create true-to-life physical simulations with less time and effort! &nbsp;This blog reveals some of the core components of Unity 3D physics which assist in making a game in Unity with greater efficiency. The result: the characters and GameObjects act more realistically!&nbsp;<h2>The Main Components of Unity 3D Physics </h2>We can only scratch the surface here, as the list of physics elements is quite extensive. Among some of the main components of Unity 3D physics are a RigidBody and Colliders. &nbsp;<h3>RigidBody is a must</h3>RigidBody is an essential component that sets up physical interactions between different objects in a video game. For instance, when a RigidBody is attached to a ball, it will react to gravity. Without a RigidBody component, the ball would hang in the midair. If the gravity option is ticked off, your ball will lose its gravity and will fly away into the great unknown of Unity space…&nbsp;If one would like to use such physical properties as gravitation and inertia, then a RigidBody component has to be attached to a GameObject. Without a RigidBody component, an object can be moved as well, but it won’t have physical properties. &nbsp;<h3>You can’t do without Colliders </h3>Another important built-in component of Unity physics is Colliders. To put it simply, Colliders are primitive shapes of boxes or spheres. These shapes can be added to objects. It is quite convenient to be able to create a GameObject to which a certain shape can be attributed. On top of that, the shape will follow the object throughout the game. &nbsp;For instance, a Cube object can be attached to a BoxCollider. Correspondingly a Sphere object will get a SphereCollider. In case of a Cylinder, a CapsuleCollider will be given etc. These Colliders can also be used for any shapes of the user’s geometry not only as simple shapes. &nbsp;A developer can choose to add Static Colliders to an object that doesn’t have a RigidBody component. Static Colliders are created in Unity 3D game to make such stationary objects as walls, ceilings, etc. NB: it’s highly inefficient to try to move StaticColliders as it forces the physics engine to recalculate the physical properties from scratch again. &nbsp;The good news is the profiler (the window which helps to optimize a game) will notify a developer if they are dealing with a Static Collider on the warning tab on the CPU Profiler. &nbsp;Colliders which are added to an object with a RigidBody are called Dynamic Colliders. Static Colliders can intersect with Dynamic Colliders but as they don’t have a RigidBody attached to them, they won’t be moved when encountering collisions. On the contrary, dynamic colliders will move when colliding with other objects as the RigidBody component is added to them. &nbsp;In Unity games, you have more than one object moving. One object could pass through another object. However, you want to have a 3D game where objects collide bumping into each other! <img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/vkOC_I3OKDsRYzV4TvQc7CXzIeETZM9u.jpg" alt="creating a game in unity"> The Default setting for collision detection is discreet. The Continuous setting is for fast-moving objects that are interacting with static geometry (non-rigid objects). Continuous Dynamic is for fast-moving objects that are interacting with other dynamic objects. &nbsp;Now let’s move from theory to a practical example and take a look at how 3D physics has been applied to a VR simulator game. &nbsp; <h2>How Unity 3D physics animated our game </h2>Here at <a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;">Onix</a>, our programmers have developed a tug supply vessel <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/670910/AHTS_Ship_Simulator/" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/670910/AHTS_Ship_Simulator/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Tug Supply Vessel (AHTS) Ship Simulator App</a></a>. The app is a virtual reality-based Unity 3D <a href="https://connect.unity.com/p/ship-simulator-vr-gameplay-htc-vive" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://connect.unity.com/p/ship-simulator-vr-gameplay-htc-vive" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">game</a></a> which offers realistic computer graphics which immerses a player in VR with just a double-click! &nbsp;Our AHTS motion simulation system was created for entertainment purposes, but a user can learn some principles of navigating the ship as it makes its way overcoming underwater torrents and winds. &nbsp;The gamer’s task is to steer the ship to the oil rig, avoid traffic, put out any fires using the water guns and keep the vessel within the marked area for 10 seconds. Meanwhile, the gamer is supposed to fight UFOs with water cannons (laser canons are for the weak)! &nbsp;The player can experience some genuine water physics. The ship is tossed by the sea swells... The squawks of seagulls can be heard in the distance… The ultimate goal is to successfully tie the ship up at an oil-rig and save survivors. &nbsp;Let’s see how some above-mentioned components of physics were an absolute must in bringing about our game. &nbsp;<h2>No physics, no fun game</h2>To say that physics interaction was very crucial for our VR game is an understatement! Physics, as you’d expect, was hugely important for working on such a simulation game. Our developers used the 2017 version of Unity as the recent releases of the game were not much different in terms of physics.&nbsp;To put it in simple terms: the interaction between the water and waves is a quite complex system of interactions, where a lot of data has to be taken into account. The important thing that has been achieved was the change of water’s collider in conjunction with the mesh of the water. &nbsp;The way it works: If the immersion is deeper -&nbsp;the repulsive force is stronger. &nbsp;Water’s collider has been successfully affected by the repulsive force against the surface of the water. &nbsp;A physics engine has allowed making the ship move in various directions. The AHTS’ engine pushes the vessel in conjunction with the rotations which are navigable by the engine handle. The mass and the resistance of the water surface had to be taken into account in this respect. Specifically, the physics engine was applied so that the surface of the AHTS and that of the water could interact for a more real on-deck sensation. <img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/sLZz9DC3vaHgIzfnuWjpymaKWwSF9oPQ.jpg" alt="Unity 3D game"> On top of that, the ship simulator has been created so that the ship could correspond to the operational force which affected the ship from different sides (i.e. from the water). As we know, waves can slow down the speed of the vessel on the water and even turn it around. These forces had to be taken into account as well. &nbsp;The AHTS’ motions correspond to the master levers of the ship quite conveniently. &nbsp;Additionally, different environments can be chosen from numbers 1 (calm) - 5 (heavy storm). The stormy environment gives quite a realistic sensation of the AHTS swayed by the high waves. You will feel as if you are really standing on the deck of the sea vessel! You might even learn if you’ve got a motion sickness.&nbsp;Furthermore, our GameObjects that interact with the physics have a RigidBody attached to them (i.e. the AHTS, seagulls, UFO, and the captain character). Similarly, the ship’s movement on the water has been created as a RigidBody component. The cups on the table can be lifted up and thrown down on the player’s whim.&nbsp; <img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/o4zvTGEWw46_wC7nLOYzJpM5zfXZurjZ.jpg" alt="Unity 3D physics"> Plus, Colliders have been used for regulating the collisions between the objects for each new scene. The force of collisions has been determined by a RigidBody. &nbsp;Who would want a 3D game without objects bumping into each other as they do in real life? The more real the game, the more real the game experience! &nbsp; <h2>Conclusion </h2>Everybody seems to be loving 3D games these days. Unity has a great engine with a number of built-in physics components that allow creating “real-life” games or simulations. &nbsp;By implementing Unity 3D physics, our developers have created a VR simulation game where users can experience the game afresh and more realistically. This might be the prime time for you! Experience the physics in 3D Unity by creating a game in Unity with the&nbsp;<a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" class="ql-color-#1155cc" style="font-size: 18px;">help of our team</a>.&nbsp;We can create for you a new VR game experience with some of the coolest physics components. Let your game live!&nbsp;Great thanks to Vlad Ukraintsev from Onix VR/AR for his insights on the ins and outs on how the Simulator was made.&nbsp;​

Unity 3D physics helps game developers to create realistic 3D games. Learn some of the physics components and how they can create a cool 3D experience.

How to Use 360° Equirectangular Panoramas for Realism in Games

In this post, we share some tips and tricks for solving typical problems when projecting a panorama onto a cube.

Creating a VR Game with Unity Game Engine in 48 Hours

Every year, the <a href="https://globalgamejam.org" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://globalgamejam.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Global Game Jam</a></a> gathers enthusiasts around the world for a weekend of game-making. Anyone can sign up at the global site and one of the numerous local sites in over 90 countries and try their hand at creating a game together with all other registered participants.&nbsp;On January 26-28, 2018, four VR game developers from Onix accepted the challenge along with over 20K participants from all over the world. In this post, we would like to share the experience, as well as some tips that may help you create your own virtual reality game in 48 hours.&nbsp;<h2>Virtual reality game development challenge</h2>Global Game Jam encourages innovation, creativity and collaboration. Whether a pro or a video games enthusiast, a programmer, artist, visual or sound designer, animator, 3D modeller, or jack-of-all-trades - all are welcome. Regardless of skill level or specialization, the participants are given 48 hours to form a team and create a video game from beginning to end.&nbsp;On the competition weekend, the participants must bring their laptops/desktops, art tools, and software tools (see some details in the next section). Generally, it is recommended that teams should be formed on-site, but you may collaborate with friends and colleagues as well. The only restrictions are the common theme and the prescribed time span.&nbsp;This year's GGJ theme, ‘Transmission’, can refer to car transmissions, radio transmissions, communication, or whatever interpretation a team may figure out. We played around with the concepts of machinery, broadcasting and communication, and came up with the idea of a multiplayer VR game revolving around robot fights. This format enables players located across the globe to see each other as avatars and interact as if they were within a hand’s reach. Cool, isn’t it?&nbsp;<div class="td-video" height="450" width="100%" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NzoA1JRen8U"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> &nbsp;The 48 hours is a greater constraint. It is meant to encourage creative thinking to result in small but innovative and experimental games. Participants must be able to generate new ideas quickly, prioritize features, and rapidly prototype game designs. Luckily, we had several great solutions up the sleeve.&nbsp;<h2>Equality, Creativity, Unity!</h2>The team built the process around the <a href="https://unity3d.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://unity3d.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Unity</a></a> game engine, in which games are created by manipulating objects in 3D and attaching various components to them. Building a VR game implies the following steps:&nbsp;<ol><li>Bring in the artwork, audio and other assets;</li><li>Write code in C#, JavaScript/UnityScript, or Boo, to control objects, scenes, and implement game logic;</li><li>Test in Unity. Export to a platform;</li><li>Test on that platform. Deploy.</li></ol>&nbsp;We started with sketching and collectively picked out those designs which seemed feasible within 48 hours. Then we discussed the design of the robots and the level in general. We agreed that the scene was going to be a post-apocalyptic rubbish dump: the robots would be fighting in an arena among rusted metal scrap pieces.&nbsp;Our 3D modeller created the models, including polygons, normal maps, lightning maps and diffuse maps, from the scratch in less than two days using <a href="https://www.blender.org/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://www.blender.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Blender</a></a>. The free 3D modelling software not only facilitates fast, very practical, yet beautiful artistry, but also allows dragging objects directly into Unity editor. The textures were made in the <a href="https://www.gimp.org/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://www.gimp.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)</a></a> which provides sophisticated tools for graphic designers.<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/OJETqmlJaDOGZmZLJBhxs6Nyr5QNFbfu.jpg" alt="creating the world of robots">Unity 3D is excellent for fast prototyping. The robots took some experimenting and ended up with a lighter animated feature-style design to avoid oversaturation. The brief time span did limit the team’s ability to have everything tested, though, which resulted in some feature cuts.&nbsp;The team was using a software development kit for VR downloaded from Unity Asset Store. The SteamVR plugin renders to both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive when you have to run the game, so it is an easy way to build for leading VR headsets.&nbsp;The multiplayer aspect of the game, and namely the transmission of the physical movement on the network, took considerable time. There was no pre-coded animation of the robots’ movements, and each detail of a robot is dynamic and is managed by Unity’s physics engine. We also implemented a peer-to-peer architecture that was able to send events to the system clients, update the object properties, and render the gamers’ movements. This way, we were able to secure a visual contact for two gamers.<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/ucgscicUxJbwpxosh3dav6gDlfeOFQTO.jpg" alt="robots of Rodot">We believe that we managed to deliver the feeling of ‘presence’ fairly well thanks to in-house expertise in sensory technologies and image processing. The success of the <a href="https://connect.unity.com/p/rodot-vr-multiplayer-game" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;">Rodot</a> project has been proved by the fact that we placed 4th among the Ukrainian teams!&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Tips for Teams</h2>Here are some first-hand tips relating both to participation in game development jams and to building virtual reality games in particular.&nbsp;If you are interested in VR game building but don’t know where to start, especially if you have no knowledge of how to code, one of the easiest ways is to learn the Unity game engine. You can get the development environment setup for free. Unity ID is your user account with the service: it allows you to connect with your teams and gives access to all Unity products and services. Unity engine supplies some suitable image effects and generic animations to start with, but we strongly recommend its Asset Store. There, you can download for free developer tools and game assets like characters, props, 3D models, environments, sounds, particle effects, animations, or anything you may need to create a video game.&nbsp;To get started making VR games, you primarily need to obtain two types of hardware:&nbsp;<ol><li>VR headset;</li><li>a capable gaming PC (since VR is about three times more intensive than normal PC gaming, you will need a powerful CPU and card).</li></ol>&nbsp;The required software may be free. For example, the Onix VR game developers at GGJ were using Unity 2017, GIMP, Blender, SteamVR Unity Plugin, Primitive Plus Unity Plugin, and the Oculus Windows Runtime.&nbsp;To work effectively as a team, people need to know what their role is, as well as the roles of their peers. If you have a team, it is important to get together before the jam begins to distribute the roles and responsibilities, as well as to get tuned in to the upcoming challenge!&nbsp;Don’t be afraid to accept new people into the team or to approach peers that you admire. For instance, even an ordinary gamer without any development experience may prove an expert in best video games, and thus an asset to a team. Everyone is able to contribute ideas, participate in brainstorming and group decision-making, assist in playtesting, or give advice or moral support to a team.&nbsp;For proper game development, you need the design, development and testing units collaborating closely. If you are short of resources, try to stream and engage with other game developers, for example, on the Unity Community.&nbsp;Find the time to think over the idea of your future video game. Encourage your teammates to think outside of the box and to feel free to bring their experiences, feelings, and most daring ideas to the game you are about to build.<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/SfbWLr2uN6KA42AnUxBDoVi7-Ud5axti.jpg" alt="robots fight">&nbsp;Experiment early and often. What sounds awesome or looks good on a board may turn out to be a disorienting, messy experience in virtual reality. But even when you fail, cheer up: the more failed prototypes you make, the higher your odds of creating something great.&nbsp;And the last, but not the least. GGJ is open for entire two days, including overnight. Don’t forget that you need to have coffee-breaks, eat and sleep to stay at your best!&nbsp;<h2>Wrapping up</h2>The annual Global Game Jam is a great place to meet like-minded people, start designing video games, and learn games development. Participants have only 48 hours to create a video game, competing and working concurrently with developers around the globe. This is a great opportunity for experienced and aspiring game-makers to push their skills, try out new ideas, and challenge their way of working. It is not a competition, but everyone ends up as a winner - with new friends, more knowledge and skills, breakthrough ideas and inspiration, as well as experimental prototypes that can be further developed into successful games!&nbsp;Our experience at GGJ 2018 proves that it is perfectly possible to accomplish a virtual reality game development challenge within just 48 hours using only popular free software. Confirmed by the 4th place in GGJ Ukraine and the Best Unity Game diploma! (Click <a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;">here</a> for more information on the VR/AR department at Onix).&nbsp;We hope you found this post useful or at least interesting. Looking forward to meeting you at GGJ next year and seeing more mind-blowing game prototypes!&nbsp;(Special thanks to Dmitry Demchenko at Onix for kindly sharing the experience and advice on creating virtual reality games)&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>READ MORE ABOUT VR DEVELOPMENT:</h3><a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/what-vr-platforms-are-best-for-game-development" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/wXkAjwMmlkZQsedyDJBw5O5qBckVy0L5.jpg" alt="VR platforms"></a><a href="https://onix-systems.com/blog/cribs-and-cyberpunk-things-you-can-do-using-unity-3d" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/mwr9UyFW2tDpqTdICNjO8FaJRy5Aj5pr.jpg" alt="things with unity 3d"></a>

Here we share the experience of participating in the Global Game Jam 2018 along with some tips on how to create your own virtual reality game in 48 hours.

Cribs and Cyberpunk: Things You Can Do Using Unity 3D

Launched back in 2005 as a “garage startup”, today Unity 3D is the world-leading game-making platform. Thousands of happy customers build high-quality apps and games using Unity engine, deploy them across mobile, desktop, consoles or the Web, and reach largest possible audiences. It is also the most widely used VR development platform.&nbsp;What made it so successful? Can you enjoy success with Unity too? Is it a right software for you? Whether you are just curious about building video games, or an artist looking for new tools, or a project manager wishing to enhance your team’s efficiency or a hesitating stakeholder - this article contains a brief overview of the platform, lists some of its potential advantages for you, your team or your business, and even scratches the surface of how to use Unity - for you to decide.&nbsp;<h2>Okay, what is Unity 3D?</h2>If you are not familiar with the subject yet, here are some basic facts. The software combines<ol><li>a 3D game engine</li><li>a user-friendly built-in Integrated Development Environment</li><li>a code editor</li></ol>&nbsp;The Unity Editor includes multiple tools to support rapid editing and iteration in development cycles. The tools allow developers both to implement game logic and high-end performing gameplay and to create game world and immersive experiences.&nbsp;<h2>Why shall you like it?</h2>The primary advantage of Unity 3D is that it supports building to 27 different platforms, i.e. more than any other engine does. Code developed via Unity engine can be ported on PC, Mac, Android, iOS, Web, and game consoles with minimal modifications in a short time, which significantly reduces the effort required to build a game.&nbsp;The software is written in C, C++, (Runtime) and C# (API). C# is a high-level programming language with many elements and techniques that have already been introduced. This allows developers to enter the game development process easily.&nbsp;The software’s great community means that each function has a clear description with examples on the developer’s website. If anything remains unclear, the support team will answer a developer’s questions. The learning shall not be time and cost consuming: the Internet is abundant in free online resources to teach you or your team how to use Unity 3D. Moreover, the development tool is mostly free.&nbsp;The platform is great for the implementation of both 2D mobile games and large-scale AAA games. Here are some examples of successful Unity games:&nbsp;<ul><li>Cyberpunk meets puzzle in Deus Ex Go, a turn-based video game. It was released in August 2016 for Android and iOS platforms and later ported to Microsoft platforms.</li></ul><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/5P1K2qJw5QBe7uMw9mHb4PFHa2B5_L2M.jpg" alt="Deus Ex Go video game"><ul><li>Assassin’s Creed: Identity action-adventure was released the same year. It became the popular series’ first game developed for the iPad and iPhone.</li></ul><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/nIFw5kr35InSqeqgDAZr9SFVS53EIHe9.jpg" alt="Assassin't Creed game"><ul><li>Kerbal Space Program is a space flight simulation. Kerbals are little green aliens that resemble Minions. The game revolves around them constructing spaceships, sending them to outer space, and landing on other planets.</li></ul><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/BjRNz2s1wPks0RIgFpYIrmmCr66-VBdR.jpg" alt="Kerbal game">Unity is also excellent for building augmented reality and virtual reality solutions. It provides support for native Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and PlayStation VR, and enables developers to achieve frame rates and graphics quality needed to create impressive virtual experiences. Any 360 video can be made truly interactive using Unity 3D; it allows adding CG objects, ambisonic audio, and visual effects.&nbsp;The development tool allows creating versatile environments using the PBR (physically-based rendering) and PBS (physically-based shading) visualization skills. PBR helps develop textures with colors that adjust according to the changes in lighting and environment. PBS enables interaction between materials and light so that surfaces can blend with the shifting light to achieve a high-level photorealism.&nbsp;<h2>Is Unity easy to use?&nbsp;</h2>Experts would likely say ‘Fairly easy’. Its interface is well organized with customizable panels that one can drag and drop:&nbsp;<ul><li>All assets within a project are stored in the Project panel.</li><li>The assets are organized in a scene in the Hierarchy panel. Assets can be dragged here from the Project panel to add them to the current scene.</li><li>The Inspector panel provides the ability to inspect and adjust all attributes of a selected asset.</li><li>The assets are arranged in the Scene panel: the developer is able to move them around in 3D space, as well as to pan, rotate, and zoom the view.</li></ul>&nbsp;To run the game being developed, one must press the Play button; the game can be paused during play to inspect a scene.&nbsp;<h2>Unity in Action</h2>Here is an example of Onix’ project dealing with photorealistic graphics settings:&nbsp;<div class="td-video" height="450" width="100%" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MiXVkRA5RUc"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> &nbsp;Unity 5 was utilized to compile scripts, design the scenery, and develop real-time rendering. The team successfully used all of the engine’s rendering abilities, such as lighting settings, materials, textures, etc., within a very limited time. The software also facilitated interaction with HTC Vive: the interior visualization was intended for VR headsets, and Unity allowed adding the necessary SDK easily to the project.<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/ofKOgi5pvuc93V2QOCvbiC5v5UWs1a4K.jpg" alt="Home interior with Unity 3D">Along with Unity 3D, the technology stack included Real-Time Lighting, High Poly Modeling, Real-Time Global Illumination, Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion, Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing, Post-Effects, Cinema 4D, Visual Studio Code, and Photoshop.&nbsp;Photorealistic graphics settings like this may be used for video game environments, historical architecture visualizations, presentations of interior designs or room renovations, art exhibits, or whatever your imagination desires.&nbsp;<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/o5HE76aIbr1wF2FnjHyfKokKyIlWBWeC.jpg" alt="Photorealistic graphics">Now you know that Unity 3D is a leading cross-platform game-making software. The development of games and applications for mobile, desktop, the web, VR/AR, and consoles can be easier, faster, cheaper, more fun, and more efficient with the tool. Worth trying, isn’t it? &nbsp;&nbsp;Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;">virtual reality and augmented reality development at Onix </a><a href="https://onix-systems.com/vr-ar-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-development" target="_blank"><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/e2Ywh43Pemvh8HzDbwYDwOX36RqR7nv1.jpg" alt="VR and AR development at Onix"> </a>

Major companies are using Unity 3D, the world-leading cross-platform game engine, to build various games and apps, but is it the right software for you? 

What VR Platforms are Best for Game Development?

Virtual reality game development and VR environments no longer sound as a surprising or brand-new app technology. Even more, technology giants, such as HTC, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Facebook and Sony have all contributed to this industry’s development and introduced their own virtual reality headsets that provide an immersive game experience.&nbsp;2016 was marked as the year when many such high-profile VR headsets were introduced, giving rise to VR game development and setting even higher expectations and hopes for VR technology. As noted in the annual survey prepared by the Games Developers Conference for 2017, the interest to VR development as a sustainable business will remain very high.&nbsp;Today’s diversity of devices offers a freedom of choice on interaction with the virtual reality. But this variety also becomes a matter of technologists’ concern. What VR platform to choose for game development? In this blog post, we’ll take an insight into some of the the currently most popular VR platforms for game development and see what experience you can achieve with them.&nbsp;<h2>Most popular VR gaming platforms</h2>According to the report generated by the Games Developers Conference 2017, the number of companies that have shifted to development of virtual reality games has doubled since 2016, going from 6 to 13 percent. The variety of available platforms has also triggered changes in platform preferences in the development companies this year.&nbsp;The survey conducted by the GDC 2017 has shown that currently HTC Vive maintains the biggest number of votes as the platform that game development is currently conducted for (24 percent of respondents). Oculus Rift is also very close to these results, getting approval of 23 percent of respondents.&nbsp;<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/aEFgxT7KiJsjT0dVpTBLYhak0TYLtGB7.jpg" alt="VR platforms that are used for development">Source: GDC’s State of the Game Industry 2017 report&nbsp;45 percent of survey participants among VR game developers distinguished HTC Vive as the most interesting platform for game development. Compared to a similar survey held in 2016, interest is shifting away from Oculus Rift (40 percent in 2016).&nbsp;According to the same survey, the list of top VR/AR platforms currently considered as the most interesting among VR game developers look as follows:&nbsp;<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/jbsws0fj24iAB5s1PAnLKndo9DBZjIQm.jpg" alt="VR platforms that interest developers">Source: GDC’s State of the Game Industry 2017 report&nbsp;Below you can find some of the basic technical specifications for these popular VR headsets:&nbsp;<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/C_DF3NVn6sdr-waSGCcqfLvF8mLMd7-d.jpg" alt="VR headsets overview"><img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/Xf6Aa2cUh8HiPlquRlDsM67qQDm_FATS.jpg" alt="VR headsets details overview ">&nbsp;<ul><li>HTC Vive</li></ul>HTC Vive is the product that resulted in collaboration of Valve, a giant PC game developer, and HTC, a hardware company. The headset provides a fully-immersive virtual reality experience with its external tracking sensors.&nbsp;There are several reasons to choose HTC Vive as your VR development platform and its current popularity is not a single reason for it. Valve owns Steam, a super large PC gaming platform, and also possesses a reputation of one of the most respected, creative and prosperous game development companies. Valve's hardware has no similar prototypes and is considered an innovative&nbsp;VR environment. HTC Vive is considered a developer-friendly VR development platform as it ensures seamless gaming experience and has an extensive developer network support.&nbsp;<div class="td-video" height="450" width="100%" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rmXK38Tmu3o"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> <a href="https://connect.unity.com/p/58d2a46d32b3060021eed4ef" target="_blank"><a class="external" href="https://connect.unity.com/p/58d2a46d32b3060021eed4ef" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ship Simulator VR</a></a> - game for HTC Vive created by Onix Unity team &nbsp;<ul><li>Oculus Rift</li></ul>Oculus Rift is one of the most popular and high-tech virtual reality gaming platforms, quite close to HTC Vive. Over 77% of GDC developers have already used Oculus for game development. Oculus platform has become the beginning of VR development for many game developers around the world.&nbsp;Oculus Rift is often identified with VR itself since the story of this headset dates back to its Kickstarter campaign in 2012, the time that signified spread of interest in virtual reality devices. Since then Oculus has turned into a trusted brand owned by Facebook. It came to the market long before other VR gaming platforms were introduced. Facebook provides a strong engineers’ support to help developers create VR games for Oculus Rift.&nbsp;<div class="td-video" height="450" width="100%" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PpLmxue8Olk"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> <a href="https://connect.unity.com/p/589482f232b306001bad70aa" target="_blank"><a class="external" href="https://connect.unity.com/p/589482f232b306001bad70aa" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fear of height&nbsp;VR</a></a> - compatible with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive - project by Onix Unity team&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>PlayStation VR </li></ul>Sony’s PlayStation VR is most praised for providing a polished and easy VR experience. Although Sony PlayStation VR hit the market at the end of 2016, it maintains a strong base of fans that relies on the brand’s history. 15% of game developers are ready to create their games for this headset.&nbsp;PlayStation is deemed as a virtual reality gaming platform that is easy for development and distribution due to its use of a single set of hardware specifications. It is the only VR game platform that steadily nurtures game developers, provides funding to support new partnerships and development projects, and also helps make more VR games compatible with the device.&nbsp;<ul><li>HoloLens</li></ul>Microsoft HoloLens got onto the list of most popular gaming development platforms while actually being an Augmented reality viewer, not VR. HoloLens is untethered and self-sustained and allows building high-quality holographic experience apps.&nbsp;Unlike VR platforms, it was introduced as a device that accommodates not only games, but mainstream apps (e.g., Skype) too and, thus, can be used for all kinds of daily activities, not restricted by entertainment. A <a href="https://hololens.reality.news/news/unity-microsoft-are-giving-away-150-000-for-hololens-apps-loaning-out-hololens-developers-kits-0177620/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="https://hololens.reality.news/news/unity-microsoft-are-giving-away-150-000-for-hololens-apps-loaning-out-hololens-developers-kits-0177620/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">contest for developers</a></a> hosted in May 2017 by Microsoft and Unity revealed their interest in turning HoloLens into an AR device that resolves real-life problems and makes it useful rather than focuses only on fun.&nbsp;<div class="td-video" height="450" width="100%" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ownHviC7Unk"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> <a href="https://connect.unity.com/p/58d133bf32b3060021eec698" target="_blank"><a class="external" href="https://connect.unity.com/p/58d133bf32b3060021eec698" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AR Forklift</a></a> - created for Microsoft HoloLens by Onix Unity team&nbsp;<ul><li>Google Daydream View</li></ul>With Google's Daydream View, you place your phone into a headset that functions as your display and provides a high-quality VR experience for games and apps that can be downloaded from the Play Store. The lenses separate the screen into two images. Actions are controlled with the help of a pairable remote in your hand.&nbsp;Once Daydream got to the market, Netflix, HBO and Hulu have created apps for it. Not all phones support Daydream View, but during <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/android-vr-release-date-news-features-1321245" target="_blank" style="font-size: 18px;"><a class="external" href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/android-vr-release-date-news-features-1321245" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Google IO 2017</a></a> it was confirmed that Daydream View is going to go through a transformation, where to get a VR experience, a user will no longer need a phone, computer or cables. The headset will include all parts that provide a VR experience.&nbsp;<ul><li>Samsung Gear VR</li></ul>It is a VR development platform that resulted in partnership between Oculus and Samsung and is often regarded as aт affordable option of Oculus Rift among low-end VR platforms.&nbsp;Samsung Gear VR will work for developers who are not looking to create high-end VR experiences and are only making their first steps in virtual reality game development. The library of apps and games for Samsung Gear VR is solid, though they don’t work on all phones. Regular improvements made to the headset enhance the immersion experience and add the potential of turning VR into a mainstream movement.&nbsp; <div class="td-video" height="450" width="100%" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6lSEsEj0kQk"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div> <a href="https://connect.unity.com/p/low-poly-package-unity-asset-package" target="_blank"><a class="external" href="https://connect.unity.com/p/low-poly-package-unity-asset-package" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Low Poly World</a></a> by Onix Unity team - compatible with&nbsp;Samsung Gear VR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Microsoft Hololens &nbsp;Each of the VR platforms reviewed above offers sufficient support to game developers, has its own approach to marketing and beating the competition. The platforms target different levels of virtual reality experience, going from those that are struggling to provide the most realistic experience to gamers (HTC Vive), and to those that focus on inexpensive solutions (Samsung Gear VR), and even those who wish to add value to VR/AR by making it useful for everyday problem-solving.&nbsp;&nbsp;Predicting the winner in this VR race is not possible since the trends have already shown that leaders can easily change if one of the competitors can offer a better and stronger feature that will be warmly welcomed by VR game developers.

The VR industry and game development are growing. To choose the right platform for development, it is better to know who the leaders are.

Virtual Reality: Diving into Photorealism of Interior Design

Virtual reality is much more than a technology that you can use to create and play video games. Find out how this new medium is changing the customer experience in interior design.&nbsp;Virtual reality technology is offering an entirely new model of a user engagement and is quickly becoming mainstream. Displaying products and services in all available sizes and formats and presenting information visually has become possible and easy independently of a screen resolution or an individual’s physical location.&nbsp;VR is a powerful tool that can take you to an absolutely different time and place in an instant. Virtual reality apps are successfully used to do shopping, visit real and non-existent places, conduct training activities and educate. VR is capable of creating an emotionally engaging experience and helping present complicated information in a format easy to understand.&nbsp;Interior home design is currently becoming one of the most popular niches in virtual reality development because with it you can easily become a skilful designer. You don’t need to take any training courses to become one. With VR, users can experiment with design at different levels, starting from complex and imaginative solutions to slight changes in the interior.&nbsp;<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/M4SV4Ra3ufdjN-qIfYkkaq4aPWzAhiqr.jpg" alt="interior design in Unity 3D">A glimpse into Unity 5 interior design project by Onix&nbsp;Currently, we can see that virtual reality development in design is shaping the following areas of business interest:&nbsp;<ul><li>Interactive environments in video games.</li></ul>3D games programming helps creating powerful visualizations of an environment, so a player can enjoy a realistic view of the rooms from different angles. With virtual reality, you can enter a totally different space, enjoy privacy or spend time with other players in a beautiful place.&nbsp;<ul><li>Visualization tool for designers.</li></ul>For professionals, VR means growing their skills to introduce an interior as a virtual tour, sending virtual design models to customers, and making updates quickly. Virtual reality enables painless experiments in design.&nbsp;<ul><li>Interior design industry.</li></ul>This is all about mobile app games where users create a virtual interior design for their home, using fashionable furniture items and compete with other app players. Creating and surrounding yourself with an interior design of your dream and immediately enjoying the final result is perfectly possible with virtual reality.&nbsp;<ul><li>Real estate business.</li></ul>Virtual reality enables an immersive user experience for ecommerce sites, where a user can ‘walk’ around their future home or apartment and see the 360-degree interior representation. With the real picture in front of you and understanding how it looks like, it is easier to make decisions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://onix-systems.com/storage/Mq_YjiTR6I5qG-SwMVlwTOMyXuhztXsZ.jpg" alt="a child's bedroom in Unity 3D interior design">A child's room in Unity 3D interior design by Onix&nbsp;Our Unity developers have recently completed an interior design demo-project. Programming in Unity allowed us to create a very comfortable, bright and versatile home environment, using the PBR (physically-based rendering) and PBS (physically-based shading) visualization skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Specifically, with PBR we achieved development of the textures that could adjust their colors according to the changes in lighting and environment. And with PBS we enabled interaction between materials and light to achieve a high-level photorealism, allowing materials and surfaces blend with the shifting light most authentically.&nbsp;Modeling of this interior design was completed using only a layout.&nbsp;A technology stack that we used includes Real Time Lighting, High Poly Modeling, Real-Time Global Illumination, Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion, Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing, Post-Effects, Cinema 4D, Visual Studio Code, Photoshop, and Unity 3D.&nbsp;Check out the video of the interior design our Unity developers team created:&nbsp;<div class="td-video" height="450" width="100%" contenteditable="false"><div class="td-quill-video-wrapper"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="td-quill-video-editing" width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MiXVkRA5RUc"></iframe><div class="td-quill-video-overlay" contenteditable="false"></div></div></div>

VR is transforming the way we imagine space. Unity 3D development has made it easy to create realistic interior designs and an engaging experience.

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