Part of Computer Science A level is the personal project, a chance to develop a program of your choice whilst following a project’s lifecycle and responding to stakeholders’ feedback. I decided to make a virtual reality video game for google cardboard, which would help students learn about projectile motion. This is the biggest project I have ever done and I am so proud of how much I have learnt in the process. I now feel confident using Unity and designing for 3D.
The game opens in a level select menu surrounding the user as they float in space. Each ‘card’ of the menu shows the planet/moon, its gravity, and their high score for that level. They can travel to the planet by clicking on it.
The four levels are Earth, Moon, Mars, and Saturn, and each has a unique design. 5 archery targets surround the user and a heads-up-display shows their score, arrows left, angle, and firing velocity. Tapping and holding the button increases this velocity to a maximum of 20, then releasing it shoots the arrow.
Each ring of the target gives a different number of points, depending on accuracy. The physics is mathematically accurate, allowing students to calculate the ideal angles to obtain higher scores.
My goal was to make the game a possible classroom resource for teaching mechanics, as students could use their phones and the very cheap Google Cardboard headsets. It would also be available for use at home, subtly teaching about the factors affecting a projectile’s trajectory.
All of the programming was done in C# in Unity. There were lots of variables that needed to be passed between objects and this was initially quite difficult to implement, but got easier as I got more experience.
I used the Google Cardboard Unity package, which was crucial to the project. Setting it all up was complicated as each API had to play nicely with the others, but once that was finished it all just worked perfectly.
Having never tried 3D modelling before, I decided to go for a low poly style. The models could be very simple but still incredibly effective. I used Vectary online and a beta iOS app called Polydust, which were both intuitive and easy to export from. Terrain was painted in Unity, then exported and re-imported in a low poly form using a script called TerrainObjExporter from the Unity wiki.
For 2D elements in the UI, I used Inkpad. I am particularly happy with the translucent parts like in the level select menu, as they let the environment show through and feel more rooted in the 3D environment.
I composed a main theme in GarageBand, then took small melodic phrases from this and included with in ambient synth notes for the different level soundtracks. I wanted each world to feel unique, but still linked by the common tune. For the grand but futuristic feel I was aiming for, I used a combination of the Alchemy synth and orchestra string sections.
I also made a few sound effects in GarageBand, but made the rest with a microphone.
WorldView – GUH2019