- - - prerequisite course: 3D Content Creation I - - -

🔵 🔴 🟡 Course description

The course introduces students to the concept, theory, and practice of developing virtual worlds. Participants will explore how a virtual world can be conceived, designed and implemented. The development of this work starts from the idea (dream, memory, artistic inspiration, reality, scenario) and reaches the three-dimensional representation and its functional implementation in a virtual reality environment. The course covers both the conceptual/artistic dimension (symbolism, aesthetics, narrative motifs and symbolism of the final product) and the technique (detailed description, three-dimensional modeling, development tools). At the same time, reference will be made to the modern applications of virtual worlds in the animation, cinema, interactive arts and gaming industries.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the basic theoretical principles that govern the conception and development of virtual worlds.

• Formulate verbally (in the form of a script) and visually (in the form of a Moodboard) the description of a virtual world.

• Apply basic 3D representation techniques for the composition and rendering of spaces, objects and atmosphere.

• Use selected software tools for the implementation of virtual worlds (Unity, Blender).

• Develop a first integrated project that combines theoretical design and practical application of the virtual world.

🔵 🔴 🟡 Theory (2 hours)

1. Introduction to Virtual Worlds – Announcement of Final Thesis What is a Virtual World? Definitions, historical development, differences between real, imaginary and digital space (VR, XR, AR). Presentation of the requested final individual work.
2. Virtual Worlds in the Art and Industry of the Image. Examples from animation, cinema (Virtual Production), gaming, VR experiences. Basic software presentation: Blender, Unity, Unreal Engine, Photoshop. Specialized tools: Quixel, Substance Painter, MidJourney/AI for visual capture suggestions.
3. From utopia to the sensible: Inspirations for Virtual Worlds. Reference to the philosophical concept of utopia. Exploration of the sources of ideas: dreams, memories, reality, artistic references.
4. Symbolism & Aesthetics. The use of symbolic language, myths and culture in the formation of virtual worlds.
5. Dreams: The individual as a system of composition of virtual worlds. From Freud to modern psychoanalysis.
6. Case Study I: Stray (BlueTwelve Studio, 2022) Analysis of the Stray game as an example of worldbuilding: atmosphere, narrative, environment, relationship with the player.
7. Worldbuilding methodologies. Verbal description: how the first idea is captured in speech, narrative, or text structure.
8. Case Study II: DISCO ELYSIUM (ZA/UM, 2019). Visual description: moodboards, concept art, storyboards.
9. Case Study III: Deep Sea (Tian Xiaopeng, 2023) Viewing excerpts and analyzing environments of the animation film Deep Sea (2023) as an exemplary rendering of the heroine's internal fluctuations.
10. Narrative in the Virtual World (Environmental storytelling). What actions take place in our virtual world? How can these be attributed to the people who visit them? How does a story integrate into the environment?
11. Composition of Space and Atmosphere. Principles of environment design, lighting, sound, materiality.
12. From Idea to Original. Recap / study of steps: from written/visual conception to playable prototype or VR demo.
13. Presentations of works Presentations of individual projects. Discussion and analysis

🔵 🔴 🟡 Workshop (1 hour)

1. Introduction to 3D modeling using related software
2. Workflow presentation from creation to final rendering of a model
3. Exploring concept art. AI tools, image references, moodboards.
4. Symbolic rendering of 3D objects. Different versions of the same object with different symbolisms. (the basin)
5. Creating an image indicative of the virtual world (any tool)
6. Creation of three-dimensional assets
7. Optimization of three-dimensional assets
8. Introduction to the Unity Graphics Engine
9. Introduction of models that we have made in a previous course on the Unity graphics engine. Installation, processing and lighting basics.
10. Create a first-person tour in Unity. Add a collision to the models. Create an executable application.
11. Adding sound to the environment and incorporating lighting into textures. Modes & techniques
12. Semi-final presentation of papers.

Review language: Greek

🔵 🔴 🟡 Evaluation method:

• Semester individual work - 60%

• Evaluation of attendance during lectures - 40%

• Face-to-face
• Support of the Learning process through the electronic platform e-class
• Use of slides, audiovisual examples, laboratory - practical exercises with relevant software

https://eclass.uop.gr/courses/PDA170/

🔵 🔴 🟡 Course Textbooks [Eudoxus]

• Vosinakis, S. (2015). Virtual worlds .Kallipos, Open Academic Editions. 
• Lepouras, G., Antoniou, A., Platis, N., & Charitos, D. (2015). Development of virtual reality systems  Kallipos, Open Academic Editions. 
• Kyriakoulakos, P. (2016). Computer Animation [Undergraduate textbook]. Kallipos, Open Academic Editions. 
• Williams, E. R., Love, M., Love, C., (2021). Virtual Reality Cinema, Routledge, New York.