Making Your First Virtual Reality Game from Coursera

Virtual Reality is one of the most exciting experiences that technology can give us. The immersion and presence you can have in VR is quite unlike any other medium. Like many others, you are excited about the possibilities of this new medium and want to get started developing your own VR experiences. This course will take you through all of the steps you need to create a VR game or other project.

This is the final course in our Specialisation: Virtual Reality. The previous courses teach you the skills you need to make a VR game. This course brings them all together to create a project of your own.

We will guide you through all the steps of a VR project: coming up with an idea, storyboarding, prototyping, testing and implementation. By the end of this course you will have a complete VR project that demonstrates your skills and could be the first step in creating a professional game.

We hope this course can be your entry into professional VR development. To help you get started, some good advice always helps. That is why we have interviewed VR experts from all over the world, ranging from technology pioneers with over 30 years experience in VR to the latest cutting edge VR creators. We have asked all of them to give you their advice and we hope it inspires you to become part of the future of VR.

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome

This week you will start the process of creating your first VR Game. We will explain the steps you will go through when you're creating the game and you will start thinking of your idea. You will also meet our experts who will be explaining their VR projects and giving advice to you.

The game concept

This week you will be developing your game idea into a more complete design by developing a storyboard.

Prototyping

This week you will be developing your first working prototype, which will test out the basic mechanics and interaction of your game.

Testing

Last week you developed a prototype, and this week you will test it with players to see if it works for them and to gather feedback for your future development.

Developing your game

This week you will use the results of your user testing to start developing the game proper: refining the interaction and implementing the graphics.

The final project

This is the final week of this course, and the whole specialisation. You will be finishing your game project and submitting it for peer review. You will also have a chance to reflect on what you have learned and look to the future of VR, and your place in it.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Examines Virtual Reality (VR), which is standard in gaming and other industries

Taught by Prof Marco Gillies and Prof Sylvia Xueni Pan, who are recognized for their work in Virtual Reality (VR) and game development

Develops skills in creating VR games and other projects, which are core skills for game developers and designers

Provides guidance from VR experts who share their insights and advice on creating successful VR projects

Guides learners through all stages of VR game development, from concept to implementation

Requires access to a computer with VR capabilities, which may be a financial barrier for some learners

Reviews summary

Vr game fundamentals

Learners say this is a good fundamentals course for beginners interested in virtual reality (VR) game development using Unity. The course is well-rounded and contains interviews with experts. However, the technical aspects may be lacking and some students experience grading issues.

Provides an industry overview with expert interviews.

"The information provided by the lecturers and interviews are great"

"This course was very well-rounded and it worked out fantastically as the end to the VR specialization."

"I understand that these interviews cannot be updated frequently, as it requires a lot of work, but I think that after 3-4 years they start to be outdated a bit."

Good course for beginners.

"good"

"Good"

"This course is great and here is my final project."

"This course was very well-rounded and it worked out fantastically as the end to the VR specialization."

Grading system needs improvements.

"people share fake projects, when they are not plagiarized"

"Reporting them as plagiarism or incomplete does not count in your peer grading requirements"

"some people don't even bother and copy paste... a wikipedia page!"

Lacks in-depth technical content.

"not good for the technical aspects, you will only listen to some advice from experts"

"This course is intended as a big conclusion project for the VR Specialization by Goldsmith University, and as such, does not contain much theoretical content."

Course requires significant updates.

"The course material must be updated, because there are now too many differences between Unity 2017 and Unity 2020 and because the world of VR has changed considerably in the past three years."

"I understand that these interviews cannot be updated frequently, as it requires a lot of work, but I think that after 3-4 years they start to be outdated a bit."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Making Your First Virtual Reality Game with these activities:

Develop a VR Game Idea

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Develop a fully flushed out idea for your VR game that you can present to your peers for feedback.

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Brainstorm ideas for your VR game.
Develop a game concept document.
Create a storyboard for your game.
Develop a prototype for your game.

Practice VR Development Techniques

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Practice your VR development skills by completing a series of challenges.

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Create a basic VR scene.
Add interactivity to your VR scene.
Optimize your VR scene for performance.

Participate in a VR Development Contest

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Develop your VR development skills by participating in a VR development contest.

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Find a VR development contest to participate in.
Develop a VR game for the contest.
Submit your game to the contest.

Six other activities

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Show all nine activities

Follow VR Development Tutorials

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Develop your VR development skills by following a series of VR development tutorials.

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Find a VR development tutorial to follow.
Complete the tutorial.
Apply what you learned from the tutorial to your own VR development projects.

Participate in a VR Development Study Group

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Develop your VR development skills by participating in a VR development study group.

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Find a VR development study group to join.
Attend study group meetings.
Participate in discussions.

Review VR Development Concepts

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Review the basic concepts of VR development.

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Read the VR Development documentation.
Watch VR Development videos.
Complete VR Development practice problems.

Create a VR Development Portfolio

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Showcase your VR development skills by creating a portfolio of your work.

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Gather your best VR development projects.
Create a website or online portfolio to showcase your work.
Share your portfolio with potential employers or clients.

Contribute to a VR Development Open Source Project

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Enhance your VR development skills by contributing to an open source project.

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Find a VR development open source project to contribute to.
Fork the project and make changes.
Submit a pull request.

Mentor Other VR Developers

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Develop your VR development skills by mentoring other developers.

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Find other VR developers who are looking for mentorship.
Provide guidance and support to your mentees.
Track your progress and make adjustments as needed.

Career center

Learners who complete Making Your First Virtual Reality Game will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Game Developer

**Game Developers** use their creativity and technical skills to bring video games to life. They may work on a variety of projects, from small independent games to large-scale AAA titles. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Game Developer, including game design, programming, and art. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer

VR Developer

**VR Developers** specialize in creating virtual reality experiences. They may work on a variety of projects, from games to simulations to educational applications. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful VR Developer, including VR game design, programming, and art. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for VR Developer

Game Designer

**Game Designers** are responsible for creating the overall vision and design of video games. They work with programmers and artists to bring their ideas to life. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Game Designer, including game design, storytelling, and level design. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game design, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Designer

Programmer

**Programmers** are responsible for writing the code that makes video games work. They work with game designers and artists to bring their ideas to life. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Programmer, including programming, data structures, and algorithms. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Programmer

Artist

**Artists** are responsible for creating the visual assets for video games. They work with game designers and programmers to bring their ideas to life. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Artist, including 3D modeling, texturing, and animation. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Artist

Sound Designer

**Sound Designers** are responsible for creating the sound effects and music for video games. They work with game designers and artists to bring their ideas to life. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Sound Designer, including sound recording, editing, and mixing. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sound Designer

Animator

**Animators** are responsible for creating the animations for video games. They work with game designers and artists to bring their ideas to life. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Animator, including character animation, motion capture, and rigging. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

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Level Designer

**Level Designers** are responsible for creating the levels for video games. They work with game designers and artists to bring their ideas to life. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Level Designer, including level design, world building, and environmental storytelling. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Level Designer

Producer

**Producers** are responsible for managing the development of video games. They work with game designers, programmers, and artists to make sure that games are completed on time and within budget. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Producer, including project management, budgeting, and marketing. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

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Tester

**Testers** are responsible for finding bugs in video games. They work with game designers and programmers to make sure that games are released without any major issues. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Tester, including testing methodologies, bug reporting, and quality assurance. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

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Game Developer Educator

**Game Developer Educators** teach students about video game development. They may work at universities, colleges, or trade schools. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Game Developer Educator, including teaching, curriculum development, and assessment. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

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Game Tester

**Game Testers** play video games to find bugs and ensure that they are working properly. They may also provide feedback on the game's design and gameplay. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Game Tester, including testing methodologies, bug reporting, and quality assurance. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

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Game Journalist

**Game Journalists** write about video games for websites, magazines, and newspapers. They may also review games, interview developers, and report on the latest news in the industry. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Game Journalist, including writing, editing, and interviewing. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

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UX Designer

**UX Designers** are responsible for creating the user experience of video games. They work with game designers and developers to make sure that games are easy to use and enjoyable to play. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful UX Designer, including user research, interaction design, and prototyping. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

Writer

**Writers** are responsible for creating the story and dialogue for video games. They work with game designers and artists to bring their ideas to life. This course can help you develop the skills you need to become a successful Writer, including storytelling, dialogue writing, and scriptwriting. You will also learn about the latest trends in VR game development, which will give you a competitive edge in the industry.

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Making Your First Virtual Reality Game

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Vr game fundamentals

Activities

Career center

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