VR TENNIS TRAINING SIMULATOR
**THE CONCEPT** The project's aim was to create a virtual reality product that offers players an immersive, game-like experience. This application enables players to train from home, specifically focusing on their reaction to hitting a ball from various positions. **THE CHALLENGE** The app's primary objective is to develop the tennis player's reaction time, which hinges on making the training feel realistic to the player's mind. Consequently, the main hurdle of the project was to replicate a believable environment and the physics of the ball and racket (including ball trajectory, impact dynamics, and angle of deflection, among others). **THE SOLUTION** Following an initial analysis, we identified two key goals critical to the project's success: achieving a photorealistic environment and implementing realistic physics. The first goal was relatively more straightforward; collaborating closely with a 3D artist allowed us to produce lifelike textures while adhering to the constraints of the Oculus Quest 1/2 platform, which ultimately yielded the desired results. One significant advantage of the Oculus Quest platform is its wireless capability, which is particularly essential for playing tennis. The second goal proved more challenging. Our tests with the standard Unity physics engine, powered by Nvidia PhysX, indicated that it yielded more arcade-like results rather than the realism we sought. After exploring various physics engines without satisfaction, we opted to develop a custom solution tailored to our needs. This approach required us to calculate numerous parameters using mathematical formulas and a sound understanding of physics. To enhance our team, we brought on a university physics lecturer who assisted in accurately incorporating all relevant parameters and variables into our engine, such as wind resistance, racket string tension, post-collision ball rolling, and others.