"A Virtual World" is a standalone course where we'll construct a virtual environment entirely from the ground up. Get ready to use basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to craft this world where self-driving cars (or anything you desire, like Pokémon :-D) can roam freely. Our primary focus will be on generating this dynamic world, with the integration of self-driving car code coming at the end.
This course serves as preparation for Phase 3, "Understanding AI," where we'll delve into neural networks and other advanced AI techniques. By the end of Phase 3, you'll comprehend the inner workings of neural networks, the importance of hidden layers, and more. But to get there, we need this sophisticated world to create complex scenarios, as our previous one was too simplistic. So, if you're eagerly anticipating neural networks, please be patient and enjoy Phase 2 in the meantime.
In this phase, you'll acquire valuable skills, including mathematics, algorithms, programming, and design—skills that greatly benefited me during my PhD and my time at Microsoft. I'm confident they'll boost your career as well.
- Building a spatial graph from scratch and creating an editor with a dynamic viewport.
- Understanding the mathematics and logic behind user-friendly interfaces in modern software.
- Generating road borders, buildings, and trees using geometry and creating a 3D illusion.
- Implementing road markings to prepare for advanced self-driving challenges.
- Enhancing the world editor for user convenience and maximizing auto-generated content.
- Loading real-world data from openstreetmap for city-based simulations.
- Creating a minimap for navigation in expansive worlds.