Virtual​ ​Reality​ ​Nanodegree 
Syllabus   
Join​ ​the​ ​Creative​ ​Revolution 
 

Before​ ​You​ ​Start 

Thank​ ​you​ ​for​ ​your​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Virtual​ ​Reality​ ​Nanodegree​ ​program!​ ​In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​succeed​ ​in​ ​this​ ​program, 
we​ ​recommend​ ​having​ ​some​ ​advanced​ ​computer​ ​skills,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​with​ ​a​ ​graphics​ ​editor​ ​or​ ​similar​ ​tools.​ ​Be 
prepared​ ​to​ ​write​ ​code,​ ​think​ ​like​ ​a​ ​designer,​ ​and​ ​work​ ​in​ ​teams. 
 

TERM​ ​1 
Project​ ​0:​ ​What’s​ ​the​ ​Code? 
This​ ​project​ ​lets​ ​you​ ​experience​ ​multiple​ ​3D​ ​environments​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Udacity​ ​VR​ ​program.​ ​You’ll​ ​download 
the​ ​Udacity​ ​VR​ ​app​ ​and​ ​run​ ​it​ ​inside​ ​of​ ​your​ ​Cardboard​ ​headset.​ ​When​ ​you​ ​put​ ​on​ ​the​ ​headset,​ ​you’ll​ ​walk 
around​ ​an​ ​apartment​ ​and​ ​island​ ​from​ ​the​ ​VR​ ​Nanodegree​ ​and​ ​see​ ​demonstrations​ ​of​ ​various​ ​VR​ ​techniques 
you’ll​ ​soon​ ​learn.​ ​By​ ​trying​ ​this​ ​app,​ ​you​ ​will: 
 

➔ See​ ​a​ ​demonstration​ ​of​ ​the​ ​VR​ ​techniques​ ​you’ll​ ​learn​ ​in​ ​the​ ​VR​ ​Nanodegree​ ​program. 
➔ Experience​ ​completed​ ​future​ ​projects​ ​you​ ​will​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​to​ ​build​ ​from​ ​scratch. 
➔ Hunt​ f​ or​ ​a​ ​secret​ ​code​ ​hidden​ ​in​ ​the​ ​VR​ ​world.  

Project​ ​1:​ ​Udacity​ ​Carnival 

 
Customize​ ​and​ ​build​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​carnival​ ​game!​ ​When​ ​you​ ​begin,​ ​you’ll​ ​have​ ​three​ ​carnival​ ​games​ ​that​ ​are​ ​out​ ​of 
order.​ ​It’s​ ​your​ ​job​ ​to​ ​fix​ ​them.​ ​Using​ ​Unity,​ ​you’ll​ ​fix​ ​each​ ​game​ ​by​ ​correctly​ ​wiring​ ​up​ ​the​ ​event​ ​system. 
After​ ​that,​ ​you’ll​ ​customize​ ​each​ ​game​ ​with​ ​your​ ​own​ ​images​ ​and​ ​text.​ ​When​ ​you​ ​finish,​ ​you’ll​ ​play​ ​the​ ​three 
games​ ​and​ ​send​ ​us​ ​your​ ​score.​ ​You’ll​ ​win​ ​points,​ ​have​ ​fun,​ ​and​ ​learn​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​about​ ​event-based​ ​programming 
and​ ​art​ ​customization​ ​inside​ ​of​ ​Unity.
 
 
 
 

 
 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​Introduction​ ​to​ ​Virtual​ ​Reality 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

WHAT​ ​IS​ ​VR?  ➔ Differentiate​ ​the​ ​components​ ​that​ ​make​ ​up​ ​Virtual​ ​Reality 
hardware​ ​and​ ​software​ ​such​ ​as​ ​specialized​ ​optics​ ​and​ ​trackers 
➔ Differentiate​ ​types​ ​of​ ​Virtual​ ​Reality​ ​experiences​ ​you​ ​find​ ​on 
mobile​ ​and​ ​desktop​ ​devices 
➔ Understand​ ​the​ ​tracking​ ​and​ ​optical​ ​technology​ ​behind​ ​a​ ​VR 
headset 

PLATFORMS​ ​AND  ➔ Differentiate​ ​between​ ​VR​ ​platforms​ ​based​ ​on​ ​their​ ​sensor​ ​and 
PARADIGMS  performance​ ​capabilities 
➔ Analyze​ ​the​ ​technical​ ​differences​ ​between​ ​various​ ​VR​ ​headsets 
like​ ​optical​ ​properties,​ ​tracking​ ​capabilities,​ ​ergonomics,​ ​and 
price-point 
➔ Understand​ ​VR​ ​development​ ​paradigms​ ​for​ ​each​ ​headset 

HELLO​ ​WORLD  ➔ Download​ ​and​ ​Install​ ​all​ ​software​ ​for​ ​VR​ ​development 
➔ Create​ ​your​ f​ irst​ ​VR​ ​application 
➔ Modify​ ​an​ ​existing​ ​VR​ ​Unity​ ​project  
 

Project​ ​2:​ ​Build​ ​an​ ​Apartment 

Become​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​architect​ ​and​ ​design​ ​an​ ​apartment!​ ​Start​ ​off​ ​by​ ​creating​ ​some​ ​walls.​ ​Next,​ ​add​ ​some​ ​couches, 
chairs,​ ​tables,​ ​and​ ​rugs.​ ​Don’t​ ​forget​ ​to​ ​add​ ​a​ ​kitchen!​ ​Once​ ​you’ve​ ​finished​ ​decorating,​ ​be​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​add​ ​some 
nice​ ​mood​ ​lighting.​ ​Then,​ ​deploy​ ​it​ ​to​ ​your​ ​Cardboard​ ​headset.   

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​VR​ ​Scenes​ ​and​ ​Objects 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

GAME​ ​OBJECTS  ➔ Create​ ​your​ ​first​ ​virtual​ ​game​ ​objects​ ​and​ ​add​ ​them​ ​to​ ​your 
scene 
➔ Edit​ ​an​ ​object's​ ​transform​ ​property 
➔ Navigate​ ​the​ ​Unity​ ​Interface 

MATERIALS  ➔ Creating​ ​materials 

➔ Modifying​ ​properties​ ​of​ ​a​ ​material 
➔ Using​ ​a​ ​texture​ ​on​ ​a​ ​material 
➔ Creating​ ​a​ ​custom​ ​material​ ​with​ ​shaders 

ANIMATIONS  ➔ Using​ ​Unity’s​ ​Mecanim​ ​system​ ​to​ ​animate​ ​objects 

➔ Creating​ ​keyframes​ ​and​ ​using​ ​interpolation​ ​between​ ​keyframes 
➔ Transitioning​ ​between​ ​Animations 

CAMERAS  ➔ Using​ ​the​ ​Camera​ ​component 

 
 

➔ Creating​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​Camera​ ​in​ ​Unity 

➔ Implementing​ ​Head​ ​Tracking 

LIGHTS  ➔ Create​ ​a​ ​performant​ ​well-lit​ ​Unity​ ​scene 

➔ Differentiate​ ​between​ ​various​ ​types​ ​of​ ​lighting 
➔ Using​ ​Global​ ​Illumination​ ​(GI) 

Project​ ​3:​ ​A​ ​Maze 

Place​ ​the​ ​walls,​ ​add​ ​lights​ ​and​ ​materials,​ ​and​ ​then​ ​code​ ​a​ ​fully​ ​functional​ ​VR​ ​maze​ ​game​ ​using​ ​Unity​ ​and​ ​the 
Google​ ​VR​ ​SDK,​ ​where​ ​the​ ​user​ ​explores​ ​a​ ​maze​ ​environment​ ​to​ ​demonstrate​ ​working​ ​knowledge​ ​of​ ​2D​ ​and 
3D​ ​UI,​ ​waypoint​ ​based​ ​navigation,​ ​procedural​ ​animation,​ ​interactive​ ​objects,​ ​spatial​ ​audio,​ ​particle​ ​effects, 
and​ ​persistent​ ​storage​ ​of​ ​session​ ​data.​ ​Players​ ​will​ ​navigate​ ​the​ ​maze,​ ​collect​ ​coins​ ​along​ ​the​ ​way,​ ​then​ ​find 
a​ ​key​ ​that​ ​opens​ ​a​ ​gate​ ​to​ ​secret​ ​treasure. 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​VR​ ​Software​ ​Development 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

CREATING​ ​SCRIPTS  ➔ Link​ ​3D​ ​models​ ​with​ ​C#​ ​code. 

➔ Use​ c​ ode​ ​to​ ​move​ ​cubes 
➔ Create​ ​your​ ​C#​ ​methods 

CONTROLLING​ ​OBJECTS  ➔ Use​ ​the​ ​Unity​ ​documentation 

USING​ ​CODE  ➔ Creating​ ​references 
➔ Create​ ​100s​ ​of​ ​objects​ ​in​ ​a​ ​loop 

VR​ ​INTERACTION  ➔ Using​ ​multiple​ ​scenes​ ​and​ ​switching​ ​between​ ​them 

➔ Create​ U
​ I​ ​interfaces​ ​for​ ​VR 
➔ Register​ f​ or​ ​your​ ​code​ ​to​ ​activate​ ​on​ ​a​ ​condition 

PROGRAMMING  ➔ Use​ ​code​ ​to​ ​trigger​ ​animations 

ANIMATIONS  ➔ Trigger​ ​animation​ ​parameters 
➔ Start​ a
​ nd​ ​Stop​ ​Animations 

PHYSICS​ ​&​ ​AUDIO  ➔ Code​ ​raycasts 

➔ Detect​ ​collisions​ ​between​ ​objects 
➔ Enable​ ​gravity​ ​on​ ​objects 
➔ Play​ ​an​ ​audio​ ​clip 

ADVANCED​ ​VR​ ​SCRIPTING  ➔ Read​ ​existing​ ​code 

➔ Modify​ ​existing​ ​complex​ ​scripts 
   

 
 

TERM​ ​2 
Project​ ​4:​ ​Puzzler 
You​ ​will​ ​apply​ ​design​ ​techniques​ ​to​ ​iterate,​ ​document,​ ​and​ ​write​ ​a​ ​public​ ​write-up​ ​for​ ​a​ ​well-designed​ ​and 
user-tested​ ​mobile​ ​VR​ ​application​ ​that​ ​asks​ ​users​ ​to​ ​solve​ ​a​ ​familiar​ ​Simon-says-like​ ​puzzle​ ​in​ ​a​ ​new​ ​way. 
This​ ​writeup​ ​will​ ​be​ ​graded​ ​as​ ​your​ ​course​ ​project. 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​VR​ ​Design 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

INTRO​ ​TO​ ​VR​ ​DESIGN  ➔ Understand​ ​basic​ ​VR​ ​design​ ​principles​ ​such​ ​as​ ​iteration,​ ​user 
testing,​ ​and​ ​documentation 
➔ Analyze​ ​the​ ​Udacity​ ​VR​ ​app​ ​and​ ​deconstruct​ ​its​ ​design 
methodology  

DESIGN​ ​FOUNDATIONS,  ➔ Create​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​User​ ​Persona 

ERGONOMICS,​ ​AND​ ​THE  ➔ Design​ a​ n​ ​ergonomic​ ​VR​ ​experience 
PUZZLER​ ​PROJECT  ➔ Create​ ​comfortable​ ​VR​ ​Text 

SET​ ​THE​ ​SCENE,​ ​AND  ➔ Create​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​Testing​ ​Scene 

YOUR​ ​FIRST​ ​USER​ ​TEST!  ➔ Create​ y​ our​ ​first​ ​User​ ​Test 
➔ Document​ ​your​ ​first​ ​VR​ ​experience 

GRAPHICAL​ ​USER  ➔ Rapidly​ ​prototype​ ​VR​ ​interfaces 

INTERFACES  ➔ Practice​ t​ he​ ​Design​ ​loop 

LET’S​ ​GET​ ​MOVING!  ➔ Understand​ ​Simulator​ ​Sickness 

➔ Experiment​ w​ ith​ ​various​ ​VR​ ​locomotion​ ​schemes 
➔ Implement​ ​a​ ​teleportation​ ​locomotion 

AUDIO​ ​GOODNESS,​ ​GAME  ➔ Understand​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​audio​ ​in​ ​VR 
MECHANICS,​ ​AND  ➔ Implement​ ​3D​ ​audio 
FEEDBACK!  ➔ Use​ ​Google​ ​VR​ S
​ patial​ ​Audio 

PRESENTING​ ​THE​ ​WORK  ➔ Document​ ​your​ ​thought​ ​process 

➔ Share​ ​your​ d
​ esign​ ​process​ ​with​ ​others 
 

   

 
 

Project​ ​5:​ ​Night​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Museum 

For​ ​this​ ​project,​ ​you’ll​ ​construct​ ​a​ ​virtual​ ​reality​ ​exhibit​ ​about​ ​a​ ​cutting-edge​ ​VR​ ​company​ ​or​ ​technology​ ​of 
your​ ​choice.​ ​After​ ​conducting​ ​your​ ​research,​ ​you​ ​will​ ​create​ ​a​ ​mobile​ ​virtual​ ​reality​ ​experience​ ​with 
“information​ ​booths”​ ​that​ ​include​ ​both​ ​visual​ ​and​ ​audio​ ​feedback​ ​for​ ​users.​ ​These​ ​booths​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to 
showcase​ ​your​ ​findings—the​ ​goal​ ​here​ ​is​ ​to​ ​inform​ ​other​ ​people​ ​about​ ​the​ ​topic​ ​at​ ​hand​ ​in​ ​a​ ​fun​ ​and 
creative​ ​way​ ​through​ ​a​ ​series​ ​of​ ​(at​ ​least​ ​five)​ ​display​ ​points.​ ​Users​ ​should​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​travel​ ​back​ ​and​ ​forth 
between​ ​display​ ​areas​ ​inside​ ​the​ ​space.​ ​Note:​ ​This​ ​is​ ​not​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​slideshow,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​space​ ​which​ ​contains 
information​ ​about​ ​your​ ​research.​ ​This​ ​project​ ​showcases​ ​locomotion,​ ​VR​ ​scene​ ​design,​ ​interactivity,​ ​as​ ​well 
as​ ​an​ ​informed​ ​understanding​ ​of​ ​the​ ​industry.  

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​VR​ ​Platforms​ ​and​ ​Applications 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

PLATFORMS​ ​AND​ ​FOCUS  ➔ Explore​ ​pros​ ​and​ ​cons​ ​of​ ​the​ ​major​ ​VR​ ​headsets​ ​on​ ​the​ ​market 
PATHS  including​ ​Cardboard,​ ​Rift,​ ​Vive,​ ​Gear​ ​VR,​ ​PSVR,​ ​and​ ​more 
➔ Decide​ ​what​ ​headset​ ​is​ ​the​ ​most​ ​exciting​ ​option,​ ​personally,​ ​to 
develop​ ​for  

THE​ ​HORIZON  ➔ Discover​ ​future​ ​technology​ ​that​ ​will​ ​impact​ ​VR​ ​development 
such​ ​SLAM​ ​and​ ​eye​ ​tracking​ ​by​ ​examining​ ​VR​ ​prototypes​ ​and 
studies 

MAJOR​ ​INDUSTRIES  ➔ Understand​ ​the​ ​major​ ​professional​ ​industries​ ​that​ ​VR​ ​is 
impacting​ ​such​ ​as​ ​healthcare,​ ​architecture,​ ​gaming,​ ​and 
entertainment​ ​by​ ​reviewing​ ​projects​ ​in​ ​these​ ​spaces 
 

   

 
 

TERM​ ​3 
 
Mobile​ ​Performance​ ​&​ ​360​ ​Media 

Project​ ​6:​ ​Tic-Tac-Toe  

In​ ​this​ ​project,​ ​you’ll​ ​play​ ​detective​ ​and​ ​put​ ​your​ ​optimization​ ​skills​ ​to​ ​use​ ​by​ ​speeding​ ​up​ ​a​ ​poorly​ ​optimized 
VR​ ​game.​ ​The​ ​game​ ​is​ ​Tic-Tac-Toe,​ ​played​ ​against​ ​a​ ​friendly​ ​AI​ ​Robot.​ ​While​ ​fun​ ​and​ ​attractive,​ ​the​ ​only 
problem​ ​is​ ​that​ ​the​ ​experience​ ​is​ ​completely​ ​unoptimized​ ​for​ ​mobile​ ​VR.​ ​Your​ ​task​ ​is​ ​to​ ​use​ ​what​ ​you’ve 
learned​ ​to​ ​optimize​ ​this​ ​project​ ​to​ ​run​ ​at​ ​60​ ​frames​ ​per​ ​second​ ​on​ ​your​ ​phone. 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​Mobile​ ​Performance 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

PERFORMANCE​ ​METRICS  ➔ Experience​ ​a​ ​poorly​ ​performing​ ​VR​ ​application​ ​and​ ​understand 
how​ ​to​ ​diagnose​ ​different​ ​types​ ​of​ ​problems​ ​like​ ​low​ ​framerate 
due​ ​to​ ​GPU​ ​performance​ ​vs​ ​CPU​ ​performance 
➔ Reading​ ​and​ ​interpreting​ ​the​ ​FPS​ ​display 
➔ Measure​ ​power​ ​usage​ ​on​ ​mobile​ ​devices 
➔ Mitigate​ ​heat​ ​management​ ​issues 

GRAPHICS​ ​PIPELINE  ➔ Track​ ​which​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​a​ ​3D​ ​scene​ ​tax​ ​the​ ​CPU,​ ​GPU,​ ​and​ ​battery 
➔ Use​ ​the​ ​Frame​ ​Debugger​ ​to​ ​analyze​ ​how​ ​a​ ​scene​ ​is​ ​rasterized 
➔ Use​ ​the​ ​Stats​ ​window​ ​to​ ​get​ ​a​ ​high-level​ ​overview​ ​of​ ​the​ ​local 
scene​ ​performance 
➔ Implement​ ​SetPass​ ​reduction​ ​strategies 

THE​ ​PROFILER  ➔ Measure​ ​the​ ​performance​ ​of​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​application​ ​running​ ​on​ ​a 
mobile​ ​device​ ​using​ ​Remote​ ​Profiling 
➔ Identify​ ​poorly​ ​performing​ ​scripts​ ​using​ ​the​ ​Profiler​ ​and 
Debugger 

SCRIPT​ ​PERFORMANCE  ➔ Analyze​ ​code​ ​for​ ​inefficient​ ​algorithms,​ ​object​ ​lookups,​ ​and 
unnecessary​ ​overhead 

OPTIMIZATIONS  ➔ Implement​ ​an​ ​object​ ​pooling​ ​strategy 

➔ Optimize​ ​poorly​ ​performing​ ​shaders 
➔ Optimize​ ​game​ ​physics 
➔ Optimize​ ​inefficient​ ​game​ ​art 
   

 
 

Project​ ​7:​ ​The​ ​Protagonist's​ ​Journey 

In​ ​this​ ​project,​ ​you'll​ ​do​ ​everything​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​prepare​ ​for​ ​a​ ​360​ ​shoot.​ ​You'll​ ​write​ ​the​ ​script,​ ​produce​ ​the 
storyboard,​ ​and​ ​then​ ​finally​ ​plan​ ​the​ ​logistics​ ​surrounding​ ​the​ ​shoot.​ ​By​ ​the​ ​end,​ ​you'll​ ​be​ ​prepared​ ​to​ ​make 
a​ ​great​ ​360​ ​film. 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​360​ ​Media​ ​Pre-Production 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

INTRODUCTION​ ​TO  ➔ Understand​ ​the​ ​principles​ ​of​ ​immersive​ ​360​ ​media​ ​such​ ​as 
IMMERSIVE​ ​MEDIA  spherical​ ​projection​ ​by​ ​critically​ ​reviewing​ ​professional​ ​360 
content 
➔ Understand​ ​the​ ​basic​ ​workflow​ ​of​ ​creating​ ​360​ ​Video 
➔ Applying​ ​Metadata​ ​to​ ​360​ ​video​ ​and​ ​publishing​ ​that​ ​content 

DEVELOPING​ ​A​ ​CRITICAL  ➔ Analyze​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​existing​ ​360​ ​video​ ​content 
EYE  ➔ Analyze​ f​ ootage​ ​for​ ​the​ ​various​ ​techniques,​ ​tips,​ ​and​ ​tricks​ ​other 
film​ ​makers​ ​may​ ​use​ ​to​ ​direct​ ​attention​ ​in​ ​360 

SCRIPTING​ ​AND  ➔ Create​ ​a​ ​script​ ​for​ ​360​ ​content 

PLANNING  ➔ Plan​ ​a​ 3
​ 60​ ​shoot 
➔ Edit​ ​scripts​ ​to​ ​match​ ​equipment​ ​and​ ​budget 

360​ ​STORYBOARDING  ➔ Storyboard​ ​using​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​methods 

➔ Differences​ b
​ etween​ ​storyboarding​ ​for​ ​360​ ​and​ ​regular​ ​video 

360​ ​CAMERAS  ➔ Exploration​ ​of​ ​existing​ ​360​ ​cameras 

➔ Differentiate​ b
​ etween​ ​monoscopic​ ​and​ ​stereoscopic​ ​capture 
➔ Place​ ​cameras​ a ​ ppropriately​ ​for​ ​360​ ​imaging 

MICROPHONES​ ​AND  ➔ Explore​ ​different​ ​equipment​ ​and​ ​techniques​ ​used​ ​for​ ​audio 
LIGHTING  capture 
➔ Explore​ ​lighting​ ​techniques​ ​for​ ​360​ ​video 

Project​ ​8:​ ​The​ ​Storyteller’s​ ​Revenge 

In​ ​this​ ​project,​ ​you’ll​ ​stitch​ ​together​ ​your​ ​own​ ​footage​ ​(or​ ​footage​ ​provided).​ ​Then,​ ​you’ll​ ​correct​ ​the​ ​color 
and​ ​edit​ ​the​ ​raw​ ​footage​ ​into​ ​a​ ​story.​ ​Finally,​ ​you’ll​ ​build​ ​a​ ​custom​ ​360​ ​video​ ​player​ ​in​ ​Unity​ ​and​ ​add 
controls,​ ​particles,​ ​titles,​ ​credits,​ ​and​ ​at​ ​least​ ​one​ ​interaction​ ​(like​ ​a​ ​button​ ​and​ ​trigger​ ​pull,​ ​or​ ​a​ ​gaze-based 
interaction).​ ​The​ ​interaction​ ​should​ ​trigger​ ​a​ ​different​ ​video,​ ​branch​ ​the​ ​story,​ ​or​ ​allow​ ​for​ ​replayability. 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​360​ ​Media​ ​Production 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

STITCHING  ➔ Stitch​ ​360​ ​video​ ​using​ ​Autopano​ ​Video​ ​Pro 

 
 

➔ Blend,​ ​weight,​ ​synchronize,​ ​and​ ​stabilize​ ​footage  

EDITING​ ​BASICS  ➔ Edit​ ​footage​ ​in​ ​Adobe​ ​Premiere 

➔ Create​ ​transitions​ ​in​ ​360​ ​video 

ADVANCED​ ​EDITING  ➔ Color​ ​correct​ ​360​ ​footage  

➔ Add​ ​title​ ​screens​ ​to​ ​your​ ​video 
➔ Add​ ​points​ ​of​ ​interest​ ​using​ ​GoPro's​ ​plugin 

ADVANCED​ ​STITCHING  ➔ Use​ ​Autopano​ ​Giga​ ​to​ ​edit​ ​and​ ​refine​ ​stitching​ ​using​ ​control 
points​ ​and​ ​masks 
➔ Gain​ ​a​ ​deeper​ ​understanding​ ​of​ ​how​ ​blending​ ​works 

SPATIAL​ ​AUDIO  ➔ Cut​ ​spatialized​ ​audio 

➔ Place​ ​sound​ ​in​ ​3D​ ​space​ ​using​ ​Google​ ​audio​ ​spatializer 

INTERACTIVITY​ ​WITH  ➔ Create​ ​an​ ​interactive​ ​360​ ​experience​ ​using​ ​Unity's​ ​video​ ​player 
UNITY  ➔ Create​ p​ layer​ ​controls​ ​and​ ​branching​ ​storylines​ ​using​ ​a​ ​custom 
360​ ​video​ ​player 

 
HIGH​ ​IMMERSION,​ ​UNITY 

Project​ ​9:​ ​Rube​ ​Goldberg​ ​Challenge 

This​ ​project​ ​is​ ​a​ ​chance​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​create​ ​your​ ​first​ ​fully-functional​ ​high-immersion​ ​VR​ ​game.​ ​You’ll​ ​create​ ​a 
Rube​ ​Goldberg​ ​game​ ​that​ ​challenges​ ​players​ ​to​ ​create​ ​contraptions​ ​that​ ​solve​ ​physics​ ​puzzles.​ ​First​ ​you’ll 
import​ ​SteamVR​ ​and​ ​set​ ​up​ ​your​ ​scene​ ​environment.​ ​Then​ ​you’ll​ ​add​ ​locomotion,​ ​grabbing​ ​physics,​ ​and​ ​a 
menu​ ​system.​ ​With​ ​the​ ​core​ ​components​ ​built,​ ​you’ll​ ​create​ ​Oculus​ ​versions​ ​of​ ​your​ ​code. 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​High​ ​Immersion 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

DESKTOP​ ​VR​ ​BENEFITS  ➔ Understand​ ​the​ ​benefits​ ​and​ ​constraints​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Vive​ ​and​ ​Oculus 
AND​ ​CONSTRAINTS  Rift 
➔ Differentiate​ ​“modes”​ ​of​ ​high​ ​immersion​ ​development 
➔ Understand​ ​design​ ​techniques​ ​of​ ​existing​ ​VR​ ​experiences 

HIGH-IMMERSION  ➔ Import​ ​SteamVR​ ​and​ ​use​ ​it​ ​for​ ​input​ ​handling 

ENGINEERING  ➔ Create​ ​several​ ​locomotion​ ​mechanics 
➔ Create​ ​hand​ ​interaction​ ​via​ ​grabbing​ ​and​ ​throwing​ ​of​ ​objects 
➔ Create​ ​a​ ​swipeable​ ​object​ ​spawning​ ​menu 

CROSS-PLATFORM  ➔ Use​ ​the​ ​Oculus​ ​SDK 

DEVELOPMENT  ➔ Translate​ ​our​ ​SteamVR​ ​functionality​ ​to​ ​use​ ​the​ ​Oculus​ ​SDK 
➔ Manage​ ​two​ ​separate​ ​SDKs​ ​in​ ​one​ ​project​ ​for​ ​a​ ​cross-platform 
VR​ ​experience. 

 
 

Project​ ​10:​ ​Performance​ ​Bounceback 

Performance​ ​optimization​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​important​ ​skillsets​ ​for​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​developer,​ ​since​ ​apps​ ​running 
below​ ​the​ ​target​ ​framerate​ ​are​ ​essentially​ ​unplayable,​ ​causing​ ​nausea​ ​and​ ​discomfort.​ ​This​ ​project 
simulates​ ​a​ ​real-world​ ​scenario​ ​in​ ​which​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​game​ ​has​ ​been​ ​hastily​ ​built​ ​with​ ​a​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​functionality​ ​rather 
than​ ​performance.​ ​You’ve​ ​been​ ​hired​ ​to​ ​take​ ​the​ ​game​ ​and​ ​make​ ​it​ ​a​ ​performant​ ​app​ ​ready​ ​for​ ​release! 

Supporting​ ​Module​ ​Content:​ ​Performance​ ​and​ ​Publishing 

Lesson​ ​Title  Learning​ ​Outcomes 

DESKTOP​ ​VR  ➔ Understand​ ​Unity's​ ​most​ ​common​ ​performance​ ​bottlenecks 

OPTIMIZATION  ➔ Identify​ ​and​ f​ ix​ ​them​ ​with​ ​Unity's​ ​performance​ ​tools 

ADVANCED​ ​LIGHTING  ➔ Use​ ​Unity's​ ​lighting​ ​system​ ​to​ ​maximize​ ​performance 

➔ Understand​ ​the​ ​pros​ ​and​ ​cons​ ​of​ ​Forward​ ​vs​ ​Deferred 
Rendering 
➔ Balance​ ​real-time​ ​and​ ​baked​ ​lighting​ ​for​ ​optimal​ ​performance, 
➔ Use​ ​optimal​ ​shadow​ ​settings 
➔ Use​ ​lightprobes 

PUBLISHING​ ​FOR  ➔ Understand​ ​how​ ​to​ ​host​ ​your​ ​app​ ​on​ ​Steam,​ ​Viveport,​ ​and​ ​the 
DESKTOP​ ​VR  Oculus​ ​Store 

Project​ ​11:​ ​VR​ ​Nanodegree​ ​Capstone 

For​ ​your​ ​final​ ​project,​ ​you​ ​will​ ​work​ ​to​ ​complete​ ​a​ ​series​ ​of​ ​VR​ ​challenges,​ ​winning​ ​points​ ​as​ ​you​ ​progress. 
You​ ​will​ ​create​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​project​ ​of​ ​your​ ​choosing,​ ​using​ ​any​ ​hardware.​ ​But,​ ​it​ ​must​ ​meet​ ​certain​ ​criteria​ ​in​ ​order 
to​ ​“win.”​ ​You​ ​can​ ​choose​ ​from​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​range​ ​of​ ​achievements​ ​like​ ​“app​ ​store​ ​submission,”​ ​“use​ ​of​ ​speech 
recognition,”​ ​or​ ​“mixed​ ​reality​ ​trailer.”​ ​Each​ ​achievement​ ​then​ ​wins​ ​you​ ​a​ ​different​ ​number​ ​of​ ​points.​ ​To 
successfully​ ​complete​ ​the​ ​project,​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​reach​ ​the​ ​required​ ​points​ ​level.