Platform Solutions

Note: You are viewing the Unity version of this topic. To view this topic for native development, see Platform Solutions (Native). To view this topic for Unreal development, see Platform Solutions (Unreal).

The Oculus platform offers features that you can use to create engaging and social game experiences. Using the Oculus Platform allows you to focus on building your game.

Platform features enable you to combine and customize the set of features you use to create your unique game experience.

Each feature supports one of our platform objectives:

• Identity - Personalize the app by using the user’s friends list. Allow users to easily find and connect with friends.
• Social and Community - Foster active communities and encourage meaningful interactions in your app. Bring users around the globe together for shared social experiences.
• Engagement - Engaged users return more frequently and spend more time in VR. Incentivize users to return, interact, and invest in your app.
• Revenue - Maximize the return on your app by offering the right items and experiences at the right time in VR.
• Security - Protect your app and users with the robust security of the Oculus Platform authentication.

Platform Compatibility

Oculus platform features are compatible with native, Unity, and Unreal applications for both Rift and mobile VR devices.

For information on getting started building your app, see:

• Unity Getting Started Guide

Integrating the Platform Features

The Getting Started Guide contains the steps to get you ready for the SDK. The Getting Started Guide will walk you through the on-boarding and prerequisites required before you can integrate the Platform SDK features.

See the Reference page for a link to the latest SDK reference.

Platform Features

The Platform SDK features are the individual components that you can integrate in your app. Each of these features can be used independently, but using multiple in combination provides deeper, more engaging VR experiences.

• Achievements
  Create trophies, bapses, awards, and more to challenge your users to reach a goal or objective. Users can see the achievements their friends have earned creating a competition among friends.
• App Deep Linking
  App Deep Linking allows you to launch users directly into an app event or gameplay mode.
• Cloud Storage
  Seamlessly save, synchronize, and load data between devices and installs using our Cloud Storage service.
• Commerce (IAP)
  In-app purchases (IAP) allow users to purchase items without leaving your app.
• Coordinated App Launch (CAL)
  Coordinated App Launch (CAL) allows users to launch your social app together from Oculus Home.
• Custom Items
  Custom Items enable you to reward your users for their app entitlements or in-game achievements. Custom items are 3D objects that display in the user’s Oculus Home.
• Cross-Device Development
  App groupings enable you to share settings across apps targeted to different devices.
• Destinations and Rich Presence
  Downloadable content (DLC) and language pack asset files enable you to add additional content and languages without increasing the initial download size of your app.
• DLC and Language Packs for Rift Apps
  Downloadable content (DLC) and language pack asset files enable you to add additional content and languages without increasing the initial download size of your app.
• Expansion Files and DLC for Mobile Apps
  Expansion files and downloadable content (DLC) asset files enable you to add whole new experiences, characters, levels, and more to your app for sale that you may not have included as part of the original experience.
• Events
  Use Events to host time-specific gatherings for your users to attend, like a viewing party, social mixer, or game tournament. Events may be shown in Explore if the post matches a user’s interests. Events will be shown in the Oculus Events section of Home and Oculus Explore if deeplinks are implemented.
• In-App Content
  Preview self-contained experiences in your app, like a video, photo set, or standalone experience with In-App Content. In-App Content may be shown in Explore if the post matches a user’s interests. In-App Content will be surfaced in Oculus Search. We can show users your In-App Content post in Oculus Explore if you provide a trailer video for the post.
• Leaderboards
  Leaderboards create competition and increase engagement among your users.

• Matchmaking
  Matchmaking places users together in a shared multiplayer experience. User matching can be done by common skill or other criteria that you define.

• Parties
  Parties allow users to voice chat with friends in Oculus Home.
• Peer-to-Peer Networking
  Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networking allows your app to establish a connection and send data directly between users.
• Peer-to-Peer Networking
  Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networking allows your app to establish a connection and send data directly between users.
• Rooms
  Rooms are virtual places where users come together to interact in your app.
• Sharing
  The Oculus Platform allows users to share their VR experience with their Facebook network.
• Users, Friends, and Relationships
  Users, friends, and relationships manages information about each user’s unique persona, their relationship with their friends, and their recent encounters in VR.
• User Verification
  User Verification validates the identity of each user accessing your application.
• Voice Chat (VoIP)
  Use the Platform VoIP service to add voice chat to your app.