Idea for a New Forum Front End Using Unity and SciFi Assets

Tonight I was looking into maybe creating a new front end using something like this (see video below) where the database stays the same but the user interaction happens in a virtual scifi world, such as 3D Scifi Base Vol 1 which is a 3D Models/Environments in Sci-Fi for Unity.

In this model, the database and all existing website (forum style) would stay basically the same for now (and could still be used); but we would build a virtual world where each scifi room is a "forum" and there would be some kind of user interaction; combining forum Q&A with a new type of virtual environ.

I think I can program this in Unity, since I have been programming in Unity for about a year now on another project; but it would be a lot of work.

Porting to another forum is really a "non starter" because we have way too many custom plugins that are not supported and would all have to be rewritten (by Scott and I).

If I am going to write code, I prefer to write in Unity 3D and build out a virtual world that accesses the database and permits users to interact, search and display in the virtual environment, similar to what we do in the forums now. Of course, we could leave the existing forums "as is" (maybe make the HTML more responsive for mobile); but the bulk of the new work would be in Unity.

That's one thought I had today.

//youtu.be/onGqeu_n06A

Haha. That would drive me bonkers after about 5 minutes, TBH

Yeah, me too... but it is more fun (for me) to code than HTML, haha

i am at that stage of life where HTML / PHP coding is too boring and I prefer game programming, complex graphics, etc.

But I realize that is only me and I am almost sure I am the only Unity / C# programmer in the UG these days!

Kudos to you, sir! If you have time on your hands, I'd be interested to see how that might play out.

It could have appeal. I mean, seeing a spammer lurking, then switching to 3D Game Mode to run into the room (forum) to zap him with the Spam Blaster 3000 FragomaticTM would turn an otherwise mundane task into a fun one.

Thanks. Not sure if I will program it or not. It is a lot of work and not sure if the results would be worth the effort, since so much of the forums are text based (code, solutions, discussions).

My other thought is to simply create a new mobile skin.

I was looking at the current mobile skin (I use it every day) and it is not that bad (it works find for normal tasks like reading and posting simple text); it just needs to be polished up a bit.

Hello Neo,

Just wanted to request here, if possible/feasible and we are starting to code here or kind of a new project. I would like to volunteer myself(though I am not a great programmer like you guys and other GURUs are here, I could give my 200% to learn and complete tasks), I believe many others will also be interested too. Kindly do let me know on same, will be grateful to you if we could also contribute.

Thanks,
R. Singh

Hi!

Thanks for the offer!

May we ask publicly about your coding experience? PHP? HTML? C# ? Other? Or do you prefer to discuss privately?

If we go with the "new template to make the forums more responsive for mobile" we need HTML experience, mostly.

If we go with a future "build some cool virtual world to interact with the forum database", we need both C# and PHP programmers (mostly C#) to code in Unity 3D.

PS: My personal favor collaboration is using Unity 3D to create a virtual world which interacts with the forums database.

Here is an older example of a Unity SciFi asset which is kinda cool to use:

//youtu.be/IDMtADFmI5U

However, you need to learn the Unity 3D IDE (it's free) and also C#. The learning curve is quite steep, but it is really fun and worth it! The good news is that Unity 3D also has free collaboration tools for version control etc. The other good news is that creating something like this is based on our imagination, not on following some set of standards "from the past" because this project would not change the web based view of the forums; it simply creates a new virtual environment to operate in.

Also, just a note, over the lifetime of the forums we have had three admins who were "coders". Myself, Scott, and Hugh. Hugh has not been around for many years did mostly back end stuff on the linux side and did a bit here and there on the PHP/HTML side. Scott has created some truly great PHP plugins for the forums (and the HTML to go with it), the ones we use every day. I currently code mostly in PHP and more recently in C#/Unity. I really like app programming in a game engine (but not games, building apps). It's very powerful and very creative. So, personally, I spend most of my "coding time" in C# these days and write PHP code as needed to support my Unity app development.

Note: some of my recently app prototyping in Unity was featured on ResearchGate this year:

Cybersecurity experts team up on ResearchGate to make threats in cyberspace easier to see

.... so naturally, I am keen on this type of visual "virtualized application" programming these days. Also, note that I had no experience in C# or Unity before I started this project in the 4th quarter of 2016, so even old dogs like me can learn new fun tricks!

Edit: If you need some inspiration on the future of multi player gaming in an infinite multiverse, check out Star Citizen:

//youtu.be/3l-epO6oUHE

Also, it is kinda ironic that my collaborator (R. Zuech) who introduced me to the idea of using Unity for the project above has yet to write a single line of production code (due to his work schedule at his full time job) so I have written every line of code for the project features above on RG myself - and I am the "old guy" ... LOL It's funny. I thought Rich would do all the C# coding (because he had prior experience coding in C#), but it turned out to be just the opposite!

Here is a very good demo "cyberpunk" virtual world built with under $300 of Unity assets, Neon.

I am kinda considering building an optional front end for the forums which is similar to Neon, which would have some kind of dystopian scifi rooms where there is some kind of (TBD) database interaction with the forums.

//youtu.be/5ePB_bQT-iI

Here is an intermediate work in progress Neon video:

//youtu.be/pl7tVKNp4ik

Attached is a complete list of Unity assets used (from the Neon blog post above, just in case the blog post is every removed).

This is really fun programming, combining real application data (like our database information, which is rich in information) with a dystopian world.

Unity 3D is free (the personal edition) and there is a bit of a learning curve with the IDE and C#, but it is well worth the effort, in my view. There is also distributed collaboration tools for teams with version control, etc.

Volunteers welcome!

Here is another Unity asset which is interesting:

Sci-fi Design Kit, 3D Models/Environments/Sci-Fi by Br2 ArtsWorks

Example YT demo here:

//youtu.be/oL6_hjn5q3I

Also, here is a different Unity tutorial for the HD Scifi Level Kit - Simple room prefab tutorial;

//youtu.be/HMbbinAzjSw

So, there are quite a lot of scifi prefabs that can be used for a cool user frontend for the forums; but the trick of course is to figure out what kind of user interaction works well for the forums!

One of my thoughts that came to me in a dream last night was to create some lowel level scifi prison which would house all the banned users in some kind of scifi glass enclosure (similar to in the Matrix movie were humans are kept as batteries for the matrix)..... each banned user would be "coded" according to severity of the ban, LOL...

Scott posted about have a blaster to shoot and delete spam posts; which is also a cool idea.... that kind of "spam preview and destroy room" might be very fun as well for mods.

So, in this line of thinking, no idea is too crazy, because the more ideas we have, the better.

Here is an example of Scifi Level Kit on IPAD 2:

//youtu.be/0YRXWVWD_hM

So, have been thinking about this more and how to make this idea feasible (easy to begin, scaleable)... current thought:

(1) Create a nice SciFi Environment like one in the example Unity assets.

(2) Interface the forum database to pull the avatars for each active user into the environment and have those avatars "hanging out" near a common object in the scene that represents the location of their last activity.

(3) Interface the forum database to pull the avatars for each active guest user that might be a bot into the environment and have those avatars "hanging out" in a room where we can easily see the amount of "hits" (activity).

(4) Added an embedded web browser object into the scene where users could browser the forums using the browser, or even simulate what others are browsing (posts, threads) using an embedded browser in the SciFi environment.

(5) Add a mod room that shows basic stats on newly registered users with a spam risk score and the ability to shoot them with some cool space cannon that automatically updated the backend db and bands these users.

Any more ideas?

If not, this might be the initial base line for a future front end app for the forums.

Note: I think I may move this thread out of the UG so we can get input from more members or members who are more interested in virtual worlds, etc.

hahaha
I am more of the old school, where in the early 90 you would explain UNIX by comparison with a mainframe e.g. IBM being a a huge black box, UNIX would be AliBaba's cavern or a big (very) room filled in with loads of tools that you can use to even make your own... and where sharing his discoveries and building together new things was a big part of the magic...
It would be nice to see in your environment some of these aspects pointing out from time to time
OK that's something hard to elaborate, but still we could imagine a thread depending in which forum giving the type of category ( tools /workshop... Design/office ) and activity of the thread ( one searching /brainstorming / teamwork...)
But then what would be bots and spiders???
:rolleyes:

Definitely getting old...
Don, what's your secret??

It's good to be "old school" but that should never stop anyone from learning new technologies (learning "new school").

In fact, the "secret" (so many wise gurus say) is to always keep the mind of the beginner, open to new possibilities and new things.

There is a book about this "secret" by a Japanese Zen master called:

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

It's a great book; and it can be summarized quite easily:

Never stop learning and keep the mind of the beginner. This is the secret!

In the past year (for example) I learned game programming in Unity 3D from scratch, including learning object oriented C# from scratch. It was truly a remarkable and fun year! It is also hard to believe that in less than a year after I started that project, the project was featured in a press release on ResearchGate.

I read and listen to science, math, physics, and other books daily; and watch MIT classes on the same topics on YouTube, and also watch physics, science, math, computer game programming, and similar videos on YT every day.

Also, exercise....

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD.

Most people think exercise is for the body, but in reality, according to modern science, it's the brain which benefits the most from exercise. Dr. Ratey's famous book above is a great read on this topic!

FIXED Seems like embedding YouTube videos break our new security and to see them in posts you need to click "permit" in the browser bar (permit unsecure content). I'll need to look into how to fix that, but it might not be possible using SSL since HTTPS sees embedded scripts as risky code from a foreign site (correctly);

Anyway, here is a another video which I think looks great for a future forum hangout in Unity:

Sci Fi Bridge Scene in Unity 3D Engine

//youtu.be/RMk5xf8DpCE

Anyone interested in coding in the Unity3D IDE in C# for this project?

Thanks

Update:

I'm going to delay this new application development (VR/AR dev for the site using a gaming engine) for a while and concentrate on new forum features (mobile and desktop) for the next few months using the same old tools (CSS, Javascript, HTML, PHP).

Cheers.

PS: I had a bad experience with a scifi asset seller in the Unity Asset store yesterday. Some real ***hole sold a Unity scifi environment asset with errors. It was cheap, just around $25 USD; but it had errors when I installed it. Since I am busy I asked for a refund because of the errors and the develop hurled insults at me and then accused me of trying to steal his $25 asset. I was amazed at how small minded and "Trump-Like" the world has become.

Because of this bad experience, I am going to stop developing in Unity3D and C# for a while as stick to "normal" JS/CSS and PHP forum upgrades for now.