One of the leading platforms for software development added improved support for Google’s upcoming Daydream VR platform. The new Google VR SDK 1.0 makes certain VR development tasks easier, so the developers can focus on building the main features of their VR applications and games. Google said that it has partnered with Unity and Epic Games, creators of two of the most popular third-party gaming engines, so developers can use the game-building tools they already know well. The company has updated its VR development site as well, where developers can read all the documentation for the new VR platform, and see sample applications and tutorials.
“Unity’s native support for Daydream aims to solve the hard problems for you. To get optimal performance and latency from the platform we have done a deep integration with the Daydream SDK to leverage the platform’s asynchronous reprojection and VR performance mode. We have also made it easy to switch in and out of VR mode so that your applications can easily expand to the Google VR audience.”
Google created tools for Unity SDK which provides Unity to add spatialized audio Daydream controller support, utilities and samples. Google also said that the first Daydream phones and VR headsets are coming this fall, starting with the launch of completely new lineup of Google-branded smartphones, which will be manufactured by HTC. The launch event is set for October 4th, on Google’s campus in Silicon Valley. The company also said that it’s opening the Daydream Access Program (DAP), where developers can submit application proposals. If certain apps get inside the program, then Google will work more closely with those developers to help them build better apps.
If you’re a developer and want to try the feature you’ll need to have the Unity Daydream technical preview installed as well as the Android Development platform software development tools for the latest version of the system, 7.0 Nougat. You also need a Daydream-enabled phone – so far only the Google Nexus 6P is considered a developer kit for the upcoming platform. That is set to change in just a couple of days from now.
