GMU:Critical VR Lab I - Unity Introduction

From Medien Wiki

Lecturer: Jörg Brinkmann
Credits: 6 ECTS, 4 SWS
Date: Thursdays, 15:30 – 18:30
Venue: Online Seminar
First Date: Thursday, 05.11.2020, 15:30

Description

Critical VR Lab I – Unity Introduction is a beginner module that offers an Introduction to the Unity game engine. The whole course will be taught online. Participants will be introduced to Unity through video tutorials, accompanied by PDFs and it will be possible to communicate through online meetings and individual consultations.

The course will be taught in two phases:
In phase one participants will be introduced to an overview of the Unity interface and different techniques (Lights, Skyboxes, Prefabs, Timeline, Animation). The learning phase will be accompanied by lectures and discussions that are focused on finding strategies for dealing with the possibilities and challenges of working artistically with Game Engines and VR technologies. At the end of phase one, students will have created an experience with Unity and documented it on our GMU Wiki-Page. In phase two students are challenged to reflect, discuss, rethink and rework their Unity experience, based on individual research and experienced insights.

The course emphasises on artistic and opposing ways of working with Virtual Reality concepts. It’s aim is to establish individual approaches to VR, a challenging medium which offers artists new possibilities for expression and intercultural communication, especially at times of the Corona Crisis which creates new challenges to the way we interact with each other. Please watch the video for more information.

Recommended Requirements

No previous knowledge of Unity or other 3D software is needed, but applicants should have access to the Internet, a Computer and Headphones.

Criteria for passing

In order to successfully participate you will have to develop and document your own project on the GMU Wiki. Also, complete the exercises and comply with the submission deadlines

Communication throughout the semester

The GMU-Wiki
Here you can find all the info about our class and also present your work linked under your name
Please create your account under this link with your University email adress:
https://www.uni-weimar.de/kunst-und-gestaltung/wiki/Special:CreateAccount

Email
For individual communication. I might send you download links to material

Telegram
CriticalVR1 will be our collective chatroom
Please download Telegram and join for group discussions:
https://t.me/joinchat/HZlOrxuHLynKhLE44cts_Q

BigBlueButton
This video conference utility will be used for our meetings and consultations
To start the conversation click on the link

Student works (after login, please add your name and create a page)

Tutorials (Video + PDF)

1.) Getting to know the Unity Editor

2.) Lights, Skyboxes, Prefabs, Timeline

3.) Animation in Mixamo and Unity

Syllabus

05.11.2020

Online meeting via BBB from 15:30 - 18:30 CET
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

please watch the video to get some information about the course
https://youtu.be/sbhbC5y-jpI

if you have any questions, feel free to ask me anything at the online meeting

12.11.2020

Online meeting via BBB from 15:30 - 18:30 CET
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

19.11.2020

Online meeting via BBB from 15:30 - 18:30 CET
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

26.11.2020

Consultations via BBB
Choose your timeslot for an individual consultation. To start the conversation open the link which will start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

15:30 - 16:00 CEST – (put your name here)
16:00 - 16:30 CEST – (put your name here)
16:30 - 17:00 CEST – (put your name here)

17:00 - 17:30 CEST – (put your name here)
17:30 - 18:00 CEST – (put your name here)
18:00 - 18:30 CEST – (put your name here)

03.12.2020

Consultations via BBB
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

15:30 - 16:00 CEST – (Quan Zhou)
16:00 - 16:30 CEST – Sebastian
16:30 - 17:00 CEST – (put your name here)

17:00 - 17:30 CEST – (put your name here)
17:30 - 18:00 CEST – (put your name here)
18:00 - 18:30 CEST – (put your name here)

10.12.2020

Consultations via BBB
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

15:30 - 16:00 CEST – (Quan Zhou)
16:00 - 16:30 CEST – Sebastian
16:30 - 17:00 CEST – (put your name here)

17:00 - 17:30 CEST – (Deborah Meyer)
17:30 - 18:00 CEST – (put your name here)
18:00 - 18:30 CEST – (put your name here)

17.12.2020

Consultations via BBB
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

15:30 - 16:00 CEST – (put your name here)
16:00 - 16:30 CEST – (put your name here)
16:30 - 17:00 CEST – (put your name here)

Online meeting via BBB from 17:30 - 18:30 CET
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

21.12.2020

Deadline:
1.) Please create an Experience in Unity. Record a video of your Experience with OBS (https://obsproject.com) and post it in our Wiki (GMU:Critical VR Lab I) under your name

Christmas and New Year Holidays

07.01.2021

Online meeting via BBB from 15:30 - 18:30 CET
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

14.01.2021

Consultations via BBB
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

15:30 - 16:00 CEST – (Quan Zhou)
16:00 - 16:30 CEST – Eric Schlossberg
16:30 - 17:00 CEST – Sebastian

17:00 - 17:30 CEST – (put your name here)
17:30 - 18:00 CEST – (put your name here)
18:00 - 18:30 CEST – (put your name here)

21.01.2021

Consultations via BBB
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

15:30 - 16:00 CEST – (put your name here)
16:00 - 16:30 CEST – Sebastian
16:30 - 17:00 CEST – (put your name here)

17:00 - 17:30 CEST – (put your name here)
17:30 - 18:00 CEST – (put your name here)
18:00 - 18:30 CEST – (put your name here)

28.01.2021

Online meeting via BBB from 15:30 - 18:30 CET
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

04.02.2021

Consultations via BBB
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/jor-4gu-qjz

15:30 - 16:00 CEST – (Quan Zhou)
16:00 - 16:30 CEST – Sebastian
16:30 - 17:00 CEST – (put your name here)

17:00 - 17:30 CEST – (put your name here)
17:30 - 18:00 CEST – (put your name here)
18:00 - 18:30 CEST – (put your name here)

31.03.2021

Final Deadline:
Please document your final project on our Wiki (GMU:Critical VR Lab I) under your name


VR TOOLBOX

Software

  • Unity 3D - cross-platform game engine (proprietary)
  • Blender - 3D modeller with many features (open source)
  • Autodesk FBX Converter – convert OBJ, DAE, and 3DS files to or from multiple versions of the FBX format (proprietary)
  • MeshLab - system for processing and editing 3D triangular meshes (open source)
  • Meshroom - Photogrammetric Computer Vision framework for 3D Reconstruction and Camera Tracking (open source)
  • MakeHuman tool for making 3D characters (open source)
  • Meshmixer - "Swiss Army Knife" for 3D meshes (proprietary)
  • Open Broadcaster Software - streaming and recording program (open source)

Online Tools

3D Models (for download and use)

Unity 3D Tutorials

Unity 3D Assets

Blender Tutorials