This section will help you set up your Windows PC for Windows Mixed Reality holographic development with Unity.

In addition to Android and iOS, a third important emerging target platform for augmented reality is Microsoft Mixed Reality. Microsoft uses the term "Mixed Reality" to encompass their combined strategy for augmented reality and virtual reality. These technologies do have a lot in common, and especially at the system and software architecture level, Microsoft has decided to mix these realities under one API banner. Microsoft's AR device is HoloLens, presently in Beta. And their mixed reality support specifically is often referred to as holographics.

Windows 10 brings us UWP, which provides a common platform for any device that runs Windows 10, including desktops, game consoles (Xbox), mobile devices, VR headsets, and HoloLens. It includes a common set of core APIs guaranteed across devices. And, Windows Store provides a unified distribution channel for your apps. This is not just for Microsoft-manufactured hardware. UWP is and will continue to be supported by products from Microsoft industry partners, including HP, Acer, and all.

While Microsoft UWP holographic refers to a class of mixed reality devices, this book will focus on the HoloLens device and may use the terms interchangeably.

We will now walk you through the setup steps. But given that this is a new platform, things are subject to change. Here are some first-source references that will also help you get started and keep you up to date:

• Microsoft Mixed Reality overview at https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality

• Microsoft Mixed Reality Unity development overview at https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/unity_development_overview

• Unity Windows Holographic Getting Started at https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/windowsholographic.html

• Vuforia development for HoloLens at https://library.vuforia.com/articles/Training/Developing-Vuforia-Apps-for-HoloLens

• Microsoft HoloToolkit Getting Started (renamed from HoloToolkit-Unity) at https://github.com/Microsoft/MixedRealityToolkit-Unity/blob/master/GettingStarted.md

• Get started with Visual Studio at https://www.visualstudio.com/vs/getting-started/

• Microsoft Holograms 101E, introduction with Emulator, at https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/holograms_101e

There are minimum requirements and software versions that you will need, as shown in the following list. Again, this will certainly change in time:

• 64-bit Windows 10 (not the Home edition)
• Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 or later, Visual Studio 2017 preferred
• Vuforia 6.1 or later
• Unity 5.5.1 or later, Unity 2017 preferred
• Hololens Emulator (recommended even if you have a physical device)
• Holographic Remoting Player (recommended, installed on a HoloLens device); refer to https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/holographic_remoting_player

The major steps for setting up your development machine for HoloLens development include:

1. Having a Microsoft developer account.
2. Enabling Windows 10 Hyper-V.
3. Installing Visual Studio.
4. Installing HoloLens Emulator.
5. Setting up HoloLens for development.
6. Configuring Unity project settings.
7. Configuring Unity player settings.
8. Vuforia settings for HoloLens.
9. Building and running.

OK, time to fire up the hologram and head over to Alderaan.