Diploma in Apple Development 🍎👩🏻‍💻: Spatial 2: Lecture 1: Introduction to the Spatial Two unit.
Back to slide index.
Hi! 👻
First, don't forget to confirm your attendance using the Seats Mobile app!
Second, I'm going to start every lecture with a meditation from the fantastic Sitting Still Like a Frog book, all read by Myla Kabat-Zinn. If you don't want to participate that's completely fine.
Third, let's review the solo playful apps that the Apple worms made last year:
What are we going to be doing in Spatial Two? This time it's a solo brief around play (as defined in David Graeber's talk: "From Managerial Feudalism to the Revolt of the Caring Classes"). Please watch the video if you haven't already.
Let's take a look at this great article from Raph Koster: Game design is simple, actually - a 12 step program for understanding game design.
We are going to make a studio together - each of you developing a playful app on your own - but this doesn't mean you can't support each other. We'll be doing presentations of progress every two weeks.
As mentioned on the wiki - you should be making use of the App Design Workbook throughout the unit. You are going to have to make a 30 minute presentation at the end of this unit to me and then the week after at Apple Battersea - that presentation should be much shorter 10 minutes at the most. Your aim should be to have a fully launched TestFlight app by the end of the Block. You should use TestFlight to release and test your app with select users. Are you all members of the CCI Development team? Let's check at: https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/access/users. If you aren't, I'm going to re-invite you now, please accept, say when you have.
To be clear, it's up to you to keep developing your individual app through the remainder of this unit - the aim is to be as close as possible to a real solo app developer practice. I won't be as pescriptive as in Block 1 - it's up to you to use the App Design Workbook to guide the steps that you take.
Remember that hand and other RealityKit anchor based interactions are only useable when using the headset - not in the simulator. That's why it's really important to get into a regular schedule of time with a headset - I'd suggest doing this on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons. Remember you'll need to book out the headset from the technician on duty and return it before the end of the day - I'd aim for 1400-1700. Perhaps find a buddy to work with regularly? I'd suggest at least one afternoon a week to work together, testing each other's work and supporting each other. Any questions? Have you found a study buddy?
Keep it simple to start with! Get to a fully running game and then make it more complicated - skateboard, skateboard, skateboard! I'd rather see 10 amazing simple playful apps that make me smile and are fully launched than 10 broken prototypes.
Let's take a look at the Apple Developer Games Pathway and specifically the Human Interface Guidelines for Designing for Games.
Which of the Introductory visionOS samples could you combine and hack together to make a skateboard for your playful app? I'd like everyone to pick one, get it building on the simulator and wait your turn to try on a headset.
Let's watch a session from WWDC23: "Design for Spatial Input".
Let's watch another session from WWDC23: "Build great games for spatial computing".
I want to highlight the work of Jack Atherton, who is now at Apple! He did a project back in 2019 that we should take a look at: 12 Sentiments for VR - "12 Sentiments for VR is an extended aesthetic exploration of the emotional life cycle of a plant". Each single interaction is direct and beautiful - you only need one for your app! What is your key spatial moment going to be?
Let's take a look at some games that are already out there for the Vision Pro:
Next lecture we are going to start with everyone showing their 1 minute presentations on:
  1. Which anchor you are going to concentrate on for the rest of the year
  2. How the anchor relates to your BA or wider practice
  3. Your initial thought for a playful app to make
Which anchors are available? Have a look at the ARKit in visionOS homepage for a complete list. TLDR: you must choose one of: Do any stand out to anyone already? Let's discuss. I recommend picking either Plane or Hand anchors as multiple Image anchors are not properly supported by Reality Composer Pro and Object anchors require a large amount of processing power to train.
How the anchor relates to your BA or wider practice. If you can't decide, then go for hands or planes? Let's discuss.
Your initial thought for a game to make - here are some thoughts I had while I was writing the lectures: Does anything stand out for you? Let's discuss.
A reminder, next lecture you should come prepared with a 1 minute Keynote (must be Keynote!) presentation on:
  1. Which anchor you are going to concentrate on for the rest of the year
  2. How the anchor relates to your BA or wider practice
  3. Your initial thought for a playful app to make
And any code experiments you've already of course - as well as other research. Thanks!
Back to slide index.