Well if you still believe that virtual reality is something we might achieve in the near future. Then, my friend, you are in for a big surprise, as you are already living in the future. We live in an era of astonishing technological development where we have technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) at our command. This is a new tech tool, and its potential will blow your mind.
VR has seen a significant boost recently with the launch of multiple high profile headsets, ranging from the Oculus Rift to Samsung’s Gear VR to HTC’s Vive. These new launches of VR products have given the community a new inspiration to work further in developing creative VR products. Now it is only a matter of time when VR would become a new normal in the internet domain with ease of access and wide reach.
Developing VR products might seem difficult, especially for Top Vr Game Developers who had to sync the virtual gaming world with the real world environment. However, with proper planning and a team of skilled minds, you can achieve your goal. If you have VR product development in your mind then we have got something for you.
We are going to provide a proper 8 steps guide to help you develop your first VR product. So, whether you are a beginner, professionals or top VR game developer this would sort certain things in your process.
So, carry on reading as the guide to your VR product is about to unfold.
Choose A Platform And Target Audience
The very first and the most important choice along the VR journey you need to make is choosing the required platform and your target audience. This is very important as virtual reality is yet not accessible to everyone, only a handful of people can get their hands on these VR headsets. Also, these VR headsets vary in their prices, capabilities, input and user control, making cross-platform development difficult. This means that your application or game will run only on the specific handset you are developing it for. So the choice of your targeted audience will decide the maximum sale you can make.
Well, the other choice you need to make is of the development platform. While you have quite a number of options in this area, we recommend choosing something more economical like Google Cardboard. Google cardboard is pretty easily available and will not bankrupt anyone who buys it. It is probably the best and most efficient VR headset available in the market. Apart from this you also have to choose your development tools. At the moment the community lacks any specific development tools for VR development. However, there are development tools that could easily meet your requirement such as Unity 3D, Unreal Engine, Blender, etc. We personally recommend Google’s Unity SDK, in case you are developing your application or game for Google Cardboard. This is because Google Unity SDK and Cardboard are highly compatible with each other.
Start With MVP
Remember, building a VR product is a long and multi-step journey, so never charge directly toward a production-ready application or product. Make use of MVP (Minimum Viable Product). This a simple term from the start-up world which means the product is still under development and is either known as the beta product or testing product or Minimum Testable Product (MTP) or MVP. The goal of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is to create a project from scratch as quickly as possible. Then this MVP is tested through several cycles of refinement with input and feedback from real-life users before we consider the project market ready.
So once you have carefully planned everything about your project, first create a small MVP (or MTP) version that you can build upon and refine. The benefits are a process that’s both more time saving and resource efficient, which is why start-ups and companies have a tendency to use this methodology before the launch of the actual product. Also, in the end, you also have a fair idea about your project and how good it is going hold in the real world.
Observe Other VR Products
Successful people tend to have a healthy habit of learning from others mistake. And as a top VR game developer or any product developer, you have neither the luxury nor the resources to fail again and again. So it becomes quite crucial for you to observe and learn from your competition’s mistakes. Keeping a track of your competition helps you know where you stand and most importantly where you can possibly go wrong. You can avoid a lot of newbie mistakes just by observing.
Well, you can build your product from scratch, however, ideas require inspiration. So look for inspiration from other VR products in the market. Create a list of most popular VR products in the market and solicit ideas from peers. It is true that when you are exploring new technology you have a penalty of room to explore, however you should also take a look at the experience of others who have traveled down the same road.
Have A Feedback Loop
VR may be an exciting new technology, however, you still need to follow the traditional product journey for effective and efficient production and improvised sales. Others opinion matters a lot in this case as you won’t be utilizing your own product yourself. So you need to launch a feedback loops campaign to ensure that users must come back even after repeated usage of your product.
The feedback system can also be used as a great marketing strategy, where you give away goodies in return of brief reviews. You can also invite your reviewers to special events if they successfully provide enough feedback to your products. This feedback system will make your product more useful to customers while also helping you improve your product.
Keep Yourself Updated
Like we said before virtual Reality is a new technology and is under development that is it changing constantly. So even while you’re working on developing a product, stay up-to-date on the latest, greatest and most recent tech available, else your product will be outdated before its launch. This is especially important for the top VR game developers as, gaming development platforms such as Unity, Corona SDK, Construct 2 will get updated several times, while your project is under development process. So keep an eye on the market for improved tools and updated software. This opens up new features, remove bugs and glitches, makes software smooth and ensure your product is cutting-edge when it’s ready for market.
SWOT Analysis
This may sound a little old school and retro, but a good idea gets stronger when subjected to a little stress testing and validation. SWOT analysis is a simple process of pointing out the strength, weaknesses, and threats of any product. We recommend using Adobe Kickbox Canvas for effective analysis.
By articulating what’s strong or weak about your idea, you get better at navigating future conversations where those questions are going to come up. So when going for a SWOT analysis with the members of your team do not forget to raise at least these questions in your discussion –
•Why is your idea different? Or What’s New?
•Why is your chosen VR platform a natural vehicle for the idea?
•What backlogs you might face with this idea?
•Are there factors outside your control that could limit its effectiveness or potential?
•What are opportunities that your idea opens which were previously unachievable?
• Is your idea worth investing?
Carefully discuss and note down the pros and cons of your idea, this might help you improve your idea or open new doors of opportunity.
Explore Your Options
While VR is still new there are options and opportunities left unexplored. This gives developers a chance of experimenting and finding out new ingredients that create immersive, enjoyable VR experiences.
You don’t need to be afraid of prototypes, new features, custom user inputs, and settings. Well exploring new components fell thrilling and cool, be sure to test them with users before the launch.
You wouldn’t want to spoil your reputation because of a few bugs and untested functionalities of your product. With an ample number of options left to explore you might come across an entirely new type of VR experience. So while you still have your chance and Virtual Reality in your grasp, you can let your imagination go wild.
Give Back To The Community
Share your experience with other members of the community. The more we all spread what we have learned, the more VR is going to grow and thrive. You can provide your contribution by write blog posts about your experiences along the way, record podcast, speak at conferences, create YouTube tutorials and write reports, etc.
So don’t just sit on the sidelines while other companies, and top VR game developers firms enjoy the thrill of building new VR content. You’ve got the resources, creativity, and of course, our tips to get started. So go out there and explore the virtual world.
