Making Apps for Google Cardboard

Thomas Papa and Daniela Fontes go over their experience of developing and publishing for Google Cardboard, under their brand Lynx VR (lynxvr.com).

This presentation was given at the Android Talks #3[1], on 17th February 2016, held at Nest Collective[2].

[1](https://www.bloco.io/talks-archive/2016/android-talks-3)
[2](http://nestcollective.co/)

Transcript

1. Daniela Fontes & Thomas Papa Android Talks #3 17th February, 2016 Making Apps for Google Cardboard
3. 2013 Highland (Oculus Rift DK1) 2014 Eyes Wide (Oculus Rift DK1) Project Hong Kong (Oculus Rift DK2) 2015 QimmiQ (Oculus Rift DK2) Maker from Below (Gear VR) 2016 Space Shuttle Tour Cardboard (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Cardboard) unannounced (Valve/HTC Vive, Oculus Rift)
4. Space Shuttle Tour Cardboard https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lynxvr.SpaceShuttleTourCardboard
8. What is google cardboard? “a ramp into VR”
9. v1.0 (Google I/O 2014)
10. v2.0 (Google I/O 2015)
11. v3.0 Google I/O 2016 ? Cardboard++?
12. Currently - in numbers 5 million viewers shipped globally, different shapes and sizes: NYT, Star Wars, Mattel. More than 25 million downloads of VR compatible apps (just from Google Play store) Nearly 350 thousand hours of YouTube content have been watched in Cardboard viewing mode 750 thousand VR photos taken with the Cardboard Camera. VR educational experiences are big, 500,000 students had gone on these virtual reality expeditions source: https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/unfolding-virtual-journey-cardboard.html
13. Why? ★ Virtual reality in a simple, fun, & affordable way ★ Visit new places ★ Have new experiences ★ Play immersive games
15. At the core VR Apps that: display 3D scenes with binocular rendering that track and react to head movements, button press
16. Design Cardboard Design Lab is a VR App that teaches good design practices from within a VR environment
18. 1. Using a Reticle 2. UI Depth & Eye Strain 3. Using Constant Velocity 4. Keeping the User Grounded 5. Maintaining Head Tracking VR Design Principles Covered 6. Guiding with Light 7. Leveraging Scale 8. Spatial Audio 9. Gaze Cues 10. Make it Beautiful
20. Technical Go to resources: https://github.com/googlesamples/cardboard-unity https://github.com/googlesamples/cardboard-java
21. Forget about the demo samples! Cardboard Design Lab https://github. com/googlesamples/cardboard- unity/tree/master/Samples/CardboardDesi gnLab Ray Wenderlich http://www.raywenderlich. com/116805/make-vr-game-unity-google- cardboard
22. Engineering a VR App Framerate Apparent Resolution Thermals http://gamasutra.com/blogs/BrianKehrer/20160125/264161/VR_Distortion_Correction_using_Vertex_Displacement.php
23. Framerate Minimum: 60 fps Ideal: 90-120 fps Most devices (screens) in current smartphone generation are limited to 60fps
24. Apparent Resolution According to Michael Abrash, for a good VR experience we need: 4K by 4K (at a 90º FOV) per eye With current gen smartphones we get 1K by 1K. MSAA helps getting a higher apparent resolution! 4xMSAA helps us achieve an apparent resolution of 4K by 4K But it’s very expensive.
26. Thermals Thermal output of a mobile device is a bottleneck.
27. "Brace yourself: Android setup and development really does suck. It’s no fun at all." John Carmack
28. "This will be the first place where VR enters a market, with a store and an ecosystem where you can go out and target customers. Much will be learned from that." John Carmack
29. Monetization Paid App Ads: VR Ad networks are still in Beta In-App Purchases: Non-VR Bundle (with viewer)
31. Expected Android Ecosystem Landscape (minimum version that supports Cardboard SDK)
32. Most popular devices (42%) Google Nexus 5 Google Nexus 6P Samsung Galaxy S6 Google Nexus 5X OnePlus One LG G3 Samsung Galaxy S5 Samsung Galaxy Note4 LG G4
33. Global Interest In Google Cardboard (Google Trends)
34. NOW! ➔ Very dynamic industry ➔ Market is growing ➔ A lot less competition ➔ Way easier to stand out ➔ and build an audience
35. Thanks! Get in touch www.lynxvr.com www.mimicrygames.com ★ @LynxVR ★ @MimicryGames ★ @DanielaFIFO ★ @thomasjpapa