What if I told you that you can make VR applications without writing a single line of code? Too good to be true? Unreal Engine (UE) has a node-based visual scripting system, called Blueprints. Blueprints is a foundational tool that we will use to make our application interactive. While Blueprints still relies on basic coding principal, it eliminates the need to know C++ coding. Anyone with experience in any language (e.g. Python, Java, C#) will be able to use Blueprints to create powerful VR experiences. In the Introduction to Blueprints class, students will learn how to use the Blueprint visual coding system. We will go over the different types of blueprints in UE and how they relate to each other. We will explore the blueprint user interface, and how to create basic components within a blueprint. We will then get our hands dirty and start writing code! By the end of the class, students will write several pieces of code in Blueprints. They will be able to send commands between separate blueprints, and will understand how to use coding tools such as Function Libraries and Blueprint Interfaces.

This is a “no code” course and will focus on making VR applications primarily using the tools that are already included in Unreal Engine (UE). While the functionality of these VR sessions be more limited, this course will minimize the amount of coding required to make VR applications, so students will not need a background in coding to be successful in this course.