GMU:Critical VR Lab I

From Medien Wiki

Lecturer: Jörg Brinkmann
Credits: 6 ECTS, 4 SWS
Date: Thursdays, 15:30 – 18:30
Venue: the web
First Date: Thursday, 07.05.2020, 15:30

Description

Critical VR Lab I – VR Hugging Anyway is a beginner module that offers an Introduction to the Unity game engine. The whole course will be taught online. Due to the Corona Crisis students won't be able to work in the Digital Bauhaus Lab and use our VR System. However, 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). 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 the whole class will meet together in VRChat, which is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online virtual reality social platform. Participants will be able to interact with each other in virtual worlds through the use of Avatars. Together, we will think about artistic concepts (Performances, Flashmobs, Video Documentation) that will be played out within VRChat and documented on the Wiki-Page.

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.

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

DFNconf
This video conference utility will be used for our meetings and consultations
To start the conversation open the link which will start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'

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

Unity Tutorials (YouTube Video + PDF)

Getting to Know the Unity Editor

Lights, Skyboxes, Prefabs, Timeline

Animation in Mixamo and Unity

Working with VRChat

Syllabus

07.05.2020

please watch the video for an introduction

14.05.2020

Online meeting via DFNconf from 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://conf.dfn.de/webapp/conference/979131583

21.05.2020

holidays - no class

28.05.2020

Consultations via DFNconf
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://conf.dfn.de/webapp/conference/979131583

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)

04.06.2020

Consultations via DFNconf
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://conf.dfn.de/webapp/conference/979131583

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)

11.06.2020

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

2.) Please install Steam (https://store.steampowered.com) and VRChat (https://vrchat.com) on your Computer. Take a walk in VRChat and record your experience with OBS. You can also write about your experience in VRChat. Post the video in our Wiki (GMU:Critical VR Lab I) under your name

18.06.2020

Online meeting via DFNconf from 16:00 - 18:00 CEST
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://conf.dfn.de/webapp/conference/979131583

25.06.2020

Consultations via DFNconf
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://conf.dfn.de/webapp/conference/979131583

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)

02.07.2020

Consultations via DFNconf
open the link, to start the video chat in your browser and click 'join'
https://conf.dfn.de/webapp/conference/979131583

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)

09.07.2020

Deadline:
Please install Steam (https://store.steampowered.com) and VRChat (https://vrchat.com) on your Computer. Create a performance/installation piece online and present it in front of the class with the help of VRChat. A time shedule will be posted shortly

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

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