Category: CAD Development Part 2 Week 4

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Character Design: Paper/Flat Graphic/Drawn aesthetic experiments

Dec 2019
Dec 2019

This art board consolidates some of the character, set and prop development produced last year as a starting point for 3D modelling. Here I begin to think about how my concept translates from sketch, to paper model and digital flat graphic which is helping me to think about how I might model the characters three dimensionally.

Character Development from GAM720 

Blender Fairground Worker Model Experiment (05/12/19) SH 

As I have set up a PC version of Lunarium for testing, I am beginning to bring together the final character, set and prop models to complete the environment and give me something to work with in regards to cinematics.

Reflection

I am struck by how far my unity models are from my original concept and I feel that I’d like to do some more work on these over the next few weeks. I am thinking that maybe as I work more on the narrative and character development, the set and props will emerge out of this process. It has been difficult to solve technical problems while also working on the creative production of the game. I am not sure why but I think it’s because of the way I approach a technical problem versus creative conception. For the logical process required to solve a technical issue is slower, more precise and feels more obsessive whereas my creative approach is more like a box of fireworks, fast, intuitive and emergent. My creative process is more naturalised whereas my technical process is more challenging.

Posted on

Character Design: Paper/Flat Graphic/Drawn aesthetic experiments

Dec 2019
Dec 2019

This art board consolidates some of the character, set and prop development produced last year as a starting point for 3D modelling. Here I begin to think about how my concept translates from sketch, to paper model and digital flat graphic which is helping me to think about how I might model the characters three dimensionally.

Character Development from GAM720 

Blender Fairground Worker Model Experiment (05/12/19) SH 

As I have set up a PC version of Lunarium for testing, I am beginning to bring together the final character, set and prop models to complete the environment and give me something to work with in regards to cinematics.

Reflection

I am struck by how far my unity models are from my original concept and I feel that I’d like to do some more work on these over the next few weeks. I am thinking that maybe as I work more on the narrative and character development, the set and props will emerge out of this process. It has been difficult to solve technical problems while also working on the creative production of the game. I am not sure why but I think it’s because of the way I approach a technical problem versus creative conception. For the logical process required to solve a technical issue is slower, more precise and feels more obsessive whereas my creative approach is more like a box of fireworks, fast, intuitive and emergent. My creative process is more naturalised whereas my technical process is more challenging.

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Production item: OVR/Oculus plugin compatible with Unity 2019.2.13 and Gear VR/Go (quest later)

Having got quite frustrated about this issue and having set up a new project using 2081.4 LTS and identified the differences between this version of unity and 2019.2.13, I went to bed.

When I woke up I have a renewed desire to solve the problem. 
I’m going to try a different solution: 
🔲 Delete all traces of current OVR plugin and Oculus Manifest. 
🔲 Download Oculus Integration 1.40 (below the 1.41 required) 
🔲 Add Oculus Integration 1.40 Controller 
🔲 Create Supported OculusManifest 
🔲 Check Build settings are correct
🔲 Developer Mode unticked 
🔲 ASTC Texture Compression
🔲 Set new Version
🔲 Min API Lollipop
🔲 Install Location Automatic  
🔲 VR Supported Ticked 
🔲 Oculus Keystore ID and Password
🔲 Alias and Password
🔲 App ID Go/Gear
🔲 User ID
🔲 Bundle Identifier
🔲 Device ID
🔲 Oculus App ID
🔲 Oculus .osig
🔲 Build API
🔲 Upload API to oculus

Tutorials

https://circuitstream.com/blog/gearvr-setup/

I have located the default 1.44 file and I was unable to delete it as it was hooked on a dll. On investigating this issue it seems that this is a problem with 2019.2 versions of unity. When I installed a previous version of unity 2019.1 I found I was able to delete the file so that 1.41 was the default. However on doing this, the OVR and Oculus plug-in created a lot of errors which when deleted caused further problems with the editor.

At this stage, because I need to go through the user research process properly, I am created a new standalone PC version of the project so that I can complete the build, the death character and cut scene. I will begin user testing from Monday.

I am sure that there will be a fix for the VR version and should it be impossible on the gear VR I will be able to sell the mobile and get an oculus go for the project with a view that a future release will be for the Oculus Quest.

Reflection

What this process has taught me is that there is often a number of ways in which one can resolve on issue, and many potential fixes are offered on forums and via colleagues. It is a process of logic and patience… 

I need to keep to my production schedule and I did originally suggest a PC and VR version in my initial pitch so I am not too concerned about the process taking longer. I am after all learning the software and iterating continuously. As the sprint is mid way through I need to think about the MPV and so I am focusing on the PC version which further research is undertaken and tests carried out. 

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Development Items

🔲  OVR/Oculus plugin compatible with Unity 2019.2.13 and Gear VR/Go (quest later)
🔲  VR Controller
🔲   Alpha Channel upload
🔲   Test
🔲   Mechanics
🔲   Death Character
🔲   Cut Scene
🔲   Package

Posted on

Development Items

🔲  OVR/Oculus plugin compatible with Unity 2019.2.13 and Gear VR/Go (quest later)
🔲  VR Controller
🔲   Alpha Channel upload
🔲   Test
🔲   Mechanics
🔲   Death Character
🔲   Cut Scene
🔲   Package

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Scrum Certification

I didn’t feel that I was following the scrum structure of Agile (and I think this is mainly because at the moment I play all parts from PO, to scrum master and production team), but I felt this was a good time to review the sprint and refresh my understanding of the Scrum process.

With this in mind, I decided to take the Scrum Certification course on linked in. This is something that many project management roles value.

Next steps:

  • Trello board review for final sprint and burn down 
  • Career review – 5 SMART goals. 
Posted on

Scrum Certification

I didn’t feel that I was following the scrum structure of Agile (and I think this is mainly because at the moment I play all parts from PO, to scrum master and production team), but I felt this was a good time to review the sprint and refresh my understanding of the Scrum process.

With this in mind, I decided to take the Scrum Certification course on linked in. This is something that many project management roles value.

Next steps:

  • Trello board review for final sprint and burn down 
  • Career review – 5 SMART goals. 
Posted on

OVR not compatible Blocker

Unities advice 

Recommended Unity Editor versions

The minimum supported version for Oculus development is 2017.4.16. We recommend using one of the following versions for Oculus development:

  • 2017.4 LTS
  • 2018.4 LTS
  • 2019.2

Note: If you are developing apps for Oculus Go, use the Unity Editor 2019.2.13 version.
For more information about learning known issues related to a specific Unity Editor version, go to the Known Issues section on the Unity Integration release notes page.

Updating OVRPlugin

The optional Oculus Utilities for Unity package offers additional developer resources, and includes the latest version of OVRPlugin. When you import Utilities for Unity into a project, if the OVRPlugin version included with the Utilities is later than the version built into your editor, a pop-up dialog gives you the option to update the plugin. We always recommend using the latest available OVRPlugin version. For more information, see OVRPlugin.

Not working If you update OVRPlugin using the Utilities package and later wish to roll back to the version included with the Editor for any reason, you may easily do so by selecting Tools > Oculus > Disable OVR Utilities Plugin.

I have too high a version of OVR utilities in my project at 1.44 which is too high and I cant roll it back.

I have just deleted all VR and reinstalled Oculus Integration because I couldn’t roll back to 1.41 (which is the version gear needs to run).

Download the Oculus Integration

Please see Compatibility and Version Requirements for important information about compatibility. The minimum supported Unity Editor version for Oculus development is 2017.4.16.
Next Steps:

  • This issue is scheduled to be fixed this Friday afternoon with Al. 
  • I’m going to focus on finalising the Death character concept designs ready for modelling. The aim is to finish the character this week but I’m having a few issues with Maya. This either means using 3Ds Max or Blender. 

Posted on

OVR not compatible Blocker

Unities advice 

Recommended Unity Editor versions

The minimum supported version for Oculus development is 2017.4.16. We recommend using one of the following versions for Oculus development:

  • 2017.4 LTS
  • 2018.4 LTS
  • 2019.2

Note: If you are developing apps for Oculus Go, use the Unity Editor 2019.2.13 version.
For more information about learning known issues related to a specific Unity Editor version, go to the Known Issues section on the Unity Integration release notes page.

Updating OVRPlugin

The optional Oculus Utilities for Unity package offers additional developer resources, and includes the latest version of OVRPlugin. When you import Utilities for Unity into a project, if the OVRPlugin version included with the Utilities is later than the version built into your editor, a pop-up dialog gives you the option to update the plugin. We always recommend using the latest available OVRPlugin version. For more information, see OVRPlugin.

Not working If you update OVRPlugin using the Utilities package and later wish to roll back to the version included with the Editor for any reason, you may easily do so by selecting Tools > Oculus > Disable OVR Utilities Plugin.

I have too high a version of OVR utilities in my project at 1.44 which is too high and I cant roll it back.

I have just deleted all VR and reinstalled Oculus Integration because I couldn’t roll back to 1.41 (which is the version gear needs to run).

Download the Oculus Integration

Please see Compatibility and Version Requirements for important information about compatibility. The minimum supported Unity Editor version for Oculus development is 2017.4.16.
Next Steps:

  • This issue is scheduled to be fixed this Friday afternoon with Al. 
  • I’m going to focus on finalising the Death character concept designs ready for modelling. The aim is to finish the character this week but I’m having a few issues with Maya. This either means using 3Ds Max or Blender. 

Posted on

Alpha Channel Testing:

2 Options:

1)  Release as public so users can subscribe – For use with Beta Channel
2) Invite 100 Oculus Users to a private Channel Release by email invitation – Alpha Channel or selecting testers

Option 2

Invite myself initially and Al.

Private Channels

To distribute your private release channel builds to users, you must first invite them to the release channel. In the Oculus Store, the user will see the highest version published to any release channel they belong to (or published to the Store channel). You can add a user to multiple release channels.
Each Oculus user must accept your release channel invitation before we provision their Oculus Store Library with that channel’s build. This prevents users from getting signed up for apps they do not want.
Users subscribed to your release channel are granted an entitlement to download and run your build for as long as they remain subscribed to that channel. Removing a user from the channel disables their access to the build.
To add a user to a private channel:
  1. Log on to https://dashboard.oculus.com/.
  2. On the My Apps page, hover the mouse over an app and then click Manage Build.
  3. Click + in the Subscribed Users column of the channel.
  4. Enter the email addresses of the Oculus users you want to invite to this channel. Enter up to 100 email addresses separated by commas.
  5. Click Add Users. The system sends email invitations to each Oculus user you have invited.
  • Subscribed Users lists the users who have accepted your invitation.
  • Pending Users lists the users who have not yet accepted your invitation.


One issue is that the channel looks like it is still testing which according to what I have learned from the forums can be typical – can last 24hours or I could resubmit it (which I’m a little worried about because its taken so long to get it this far!)

The only other optimisation I noticed was on the Oculus Integration Profiler which was noting draw calls of 163 when it should be below 100 and it was recommended that I remove the only realtime light in the project…