Intro & Installing VRTK

VR Placing Assets (using VRTK)

VR Interactable Objects (using VRTK)

VR Snap Zones (using VRTK)

VR User Interface

The goal of this project is to get students up and running with a Virtual Reality (VR) project as quickly as possible without any coding required. Students will learn how to implement fundamental VR tasks like picking up objects and snapping them into place, which are incredibly useful for a lot of VR applications.

Before reviewing the tutorials here, it is recommended that you have completed at least one beginner non-VR project in Unity to provide more context, such as:

Low Poly Car

Clamp.fbx

GoodBattery.fbx

DeadBattery.fbx

Lesson Plans - VR in Unity.zip

For those new to creating virtual reality in Unity, this project utilizes a popular free plugin called VRTK to create a "Jump Start Your Car Battery" app prototype that focuses on getting started quickly, with minimal or no development experience.

VR in Unity: A Beginner's Guide (using VRTK)

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New Canvas in World Space

Custom Google Fonts

Formatting Text

Billboard Background for Text

Clipboard-sized Instructions

Adjustments and Precision Grabbing Objects

11.6 New Canvas.mp4

11.10 Custom Fonts.mp4

11.11 Formatting Text.mp4

11.40 Billboard Cube.mp4

11.41 Clipboard Cube.mp4

11.7 Clipboard Adjustments.mp4

Import custom fonts from Google Fonts to use with Text Mesh Pro

Precision Grab Interactable Objects that avoids "jumping" to your hand

Introduction to UI in Unity

In Inspector, see "Render Mode" to World Space

Set Width to 3, Height to 4. Set the X position to -4.23, and Y position to 2.06

Add text (right click > UI > TextMeshPro) If you don't have TMP, go to Window > Package Manager and install it.

In the Inspector, set text Width to 3 and Height to 4.

Set font size to 0.7, and Center the text

Our new Text Mesh Pro text in a new canvas

Visit fonts.google.com, pick a font, click the "+" button.

Click the resulting box "1 Family Selected" and click the download button

Extract the font, and drag the TTF (TrueType Font) into Unity to import it.

To make the font usable by TextMeshPro (TMP), go to Window > TextMeshPro > Font Asset Creator

In the Font Asset Creator window, drag the font you imported into the "Source Font File" field.

Click "Save As". I saved it into the Assets > TextMeshPro > Resources > Fonts & Materials folder. Close the Font Asset Creator window.

With the TextMeshPro Text selected from the Hierarchy, Drag the newly created TMP Font Asset (F icon) into the Inspector window's "Font Asset" field.

Adjust the font size so "Jump Start!" is on one line (I used .41)

Add an "Underlay" (a drop shadow) in the Inspector window. I used settings: Offset X: .46, Offset Y: -.82, Softness: .137

In the Hierarchy, duplicate the TMP text (Control + D), naming the title "JumpStartText", and the new copy, "Directions"

In the Inspector's Text field, add the directions (the order clamps should be connected). I used the text:

Left align the text (click the left alignment button)

Select the Canvas in the Hierarchy and move it down the Y position. I used .42 so it's not so high in the air.

Drop in an Interactable prefab cube (the same one we used earlier, so I can later shrink this down into a small "clipboard" sized instructions) from Assets > VRTK > Prefabs > Interactions > Interactables

Set the cube scale to X:1, Y:2.59, Z:3.2 and the position to X:-4.85, Y:1.31, and Z:-0.8

In the Hierarchy, rename the Interactable prefab to "Billboard".

Drop the Canvas onto the Billboard, making it a child object (allowing you to move the billboard and canvas & text together)

In the Hierarchy, duplicate (control + D) the Billboard, naming it "Clipboard".

Set the scale of the Clipboard to X: 0.1, Y:0.2, Z:0.2

Move the Clipboard using vertex snapping (Control + Drag) to the clamp table.

Optional: Hide the "Test SZ" and Cylinder, it's just in the way, by selecting them in the Hierarchy and unchecking the box at the top of the Inspector Window.

Result after these steps

In the Hierarchy, select the Canvas inside the Clipboard. Adjust it's X position so it's closer to the cube. I used X: 0.51

In play mode, currently, when I pick up the Clipboard, it "snaps" to an unexpected orientation on my hand. Let's change to to be more precise.

In the Hierarchy, expand the Clipboard > Interaction Logic > Interactable.GrabLogic > Actions > PrimaryAction > select the Interactable.GrabAction.FollowAction

In the Inspector, set the Grab Offset dropdown menu to "Precision Point".

Test out the difference between grabbing a clamp (it jumps to your hand's orientation) and the Clipboard (doesn't jump).

VR User Interface

1. New Canvas in World Space

2. Custom Google Fonts

3. Formatting Text

4. Billboard Background for Text

5. Clipboard-sized Instructions

6. Adjustments and Precision Grabbing Objects

Complete this tutorial