Metafocus: Nine Steps to Learning How to Make Serious Games in VR

The virtual reality (VR) and serious games industries aresmall and relatively new. There are no formal gameratings and standards, no serious game guilds, noVR ethics boards. There aren’t many bachelor’s or master’s degreeprograms that focus on VR or serious games. As a result, it’s not obvious howto learn the skills needed to create successful projects in either niche. Andyet, both industries are evolving and growing at exponential paces. The VR industryis largely making everything up as it goes. The serious games industry is too, albeitto a lesser degree. And so must we, if we wish to keep pace. How can we, aseLearning professionals, learnwhat we need to survive and thrive in this Wild West environment? Bycreatingour own curriculum, of course.

Create our own curriculum

This means we must decide exactly what we want to learn,understand how we learn best, research the available resources, make a plan forlearning it, and then execute the plan. I created my own curriculum forlearning to make serious VR games—and more generally, to develop my technologicalliteracy. This curriculum has nine distinct steps, listed below inthe chronological order that I started doing them. However, I’m still workingall nine concurrently.

Nine steps to learning how to make serious games in VR

1. Make a plan

First, I wrote down specifics of what I wished to accomplish,such as learning how to use Unity game engine, learning to program in C#,interviewing serious game developers, etc. I decided to deploy multiple methodssimultaneously. I wrote down SMART goals withspecific timelines that I refer to frequently.

2. Take out the (head) trash

This one is tough for me, as I often get tripped up byself-doubt. However, I shouldn’t overthink everything. Instead, I should justget to work. For example, I have to remind myself repeatedly that programmingis not hard to learn. People who know how to code aren’t special. They just satdown and did the work. I can do that too. I shouldn’t be too hard on myself if Idon’t get something right away, I just have to keep plugging away.

3. Read

I read everything I can get my hands on. This includes blogs,books, and magazines. Learning Solutions is a great resource, with countlessarticles on VR, serious games, and eLearning. Learn Code the Hard Way is afantastic ebook and video series for beginning and intermediate programmers. Myfavorite blogs about VR include Road to VR, UploadVR, and VRScout.

4. Join the community

I attend relevant events and meetups. I interview VRexperts and seriousgame developers.I had 100 coffees (i.e., coffee meetings with 100 industry insiders). Within afew months, I personally knew many of the important players in the VR andserious game industries in Central Texas.

5. Take classes

Over the past couple of years, I’ve taken inexpensive (andsometimes free) online courses at Udacity, Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare. Manyof these courses were better than courses I took in college and grad school. I’vealso completed some of the many wonderful (and free) tutorials offered by Unityitself. I occasionally watch YouTube how-to videos. I’ve taken classes at communitycolleges and universities.

If you want to dive even deeper into programming, GeorgiaTech offers a reasonably-priced, self-paced online master’s in computer sciencethat’s rated the eighth best CS program in the country. Master’s aren’tnecessary for most of us, but know that quality, affordable resources areavailable, no matter how far down the rabbit hole of learning we want to go.

6. Start a project

Perhaps the best way to learn how to do something is to juststart doing it. Come up with a project idea (the crazier the better), break itdown into its components, pick the single easiest or most important componentto build, and start building it. You’ll learn everything you need as you go.One of my more fun projects, BirdFeeder 3000, taught me a lot about programming, 360 video, andvarious other emerging technologies. I also got to talk about itat a major conference, where I met even more people in the VR industry.

7.  Write about yourproject

As part of my own long-term plan to increase my technicalexpertise and learn to develop serious VR games, I started writing this column.My own knowledge and skills increase every month as I do the research requiredto write each article.

8.  Stay up to date

This one is easy if you’re a teenager or a parent of one.I’m neither, so I have to make an effort to learn about the latest social mediaapps, games, trends, memes, etc. For example, I not only have Snapchat andInstagram accounts (unlike many of my 30 to40-something friends), I recentlywent to an AR meetup where the speaker taught us how to make filters andeffects for Snapchat and Facebook. It was surprisingly easy to do. It’s onemore tool for the toolbox, and, more importantly, each time I do something likethis I feel a little more tapped into the rapid evolution of technology andculture.

9. Reassess as you go

I think of this whole plan as an experiment. Therefore, Iapply the scientific method to test my hypotheses about how I can best learn VRand serious game development. One way I do that is by checking my progress on aweekly basis. I collect data on everything I do. If I’m lagging in some area, Ichange tactics. I continually update and improve my plan.

Accountability is important to assessment, too. My partner,Jenn, and I discuss our goals and weekly progress every Sunday evening. We holdeach other accountable during the week if we’re slacking off or allowingself-doubt to derail our efforts. Mentors are also good for accountability. Idon’t currently have any VR or serious game mentors, though I’m working on it.

How do you learn best?

These are my nine steps to developing the technicalexpertise to create serious games and experiences in VR. It’s always a work inprocess. I’d love to hear what you include in your curriculum for learning tobuild VR and serious games. What’s working for you? What isn’t? What did Imiss? Please let me know in the comments.