New Project Creation Skill

Scaffold and configure new Meta Quest projects from scratch. This skill guides you through choosing the right platform and project type, then provides step-by-step setup instructions with recommended settings optimized for Quest hardware.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

Create a brand-new project targeting Meta Quest (Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest 3S, Quest Pro)
Choose between Unity, Unreal Engine, Android/Spatial SDK, or WebXR
Configure a project with the correct render settings, SDK versions, and build targets for Quest
Set up a project template with recommended architecture and folder structure
Understand which platform best fits your application type

Prerequisites

Before creating any Meta Quest project, complete these steps regardless of platform:

Create a Meta developer account -- Sign up at developer.meta.com and create an organization.
Set up your Quest for development -- Enable developer mode in the Meta Horizon app on your phone under your headset's settings.
Enable USB debugging -- Connect your Quest via USB-C, put on the headset, and accept the "Allow USB debugging" prompt.
Install hzdb -- The hzdb CLI tool must be available on your PATH:
```
npm install -g @meta-quest/hzdb
```
Verify with hzdb --version.

Verify your device connection before starting any project:

hzdb device list

Decision Tree

When a user wants to create a new Quest project, walk through these questions in order:

Step 1: What Platform?

Ask the user which development platform they prefer or are most experienced with:

Unity -- C# scripting, mature XR ecosystem, large asset store
Unreal Engine -- C++ and Blueprints, high-fidelity rendering, cinematic tools
Android / Spatial SDK -- Kotlin, native Android development, panel-based apps
Web / IWSDK / WebXR -- TypeScript, rapid prototyping, browser-based distribution

Step 2: What Type of Experience?

Ask what kind of application they are building:

Type	Description	Best Platforms
Fully Immersive VR	Complete virtual environment, no passthrough	Unity, Unreal
Mixed Reality	Blend virtual content with real world via passthrough	Unity, Unreal, Spatial SDK
2D Panel App	Flat UI panel floating in the user's space	Spatial SDK, Unity
Hybrid (2D + 3D)	Panels with optional 3D spatial content	Spatial SDK

Step 3: What Features?

Identify which Quest-specific features the project needs:

Hand tracking -- Controller-free interaction using hand and finger detection
Eye tracking -- Gaze-based interaction and foveated rendering (Quest Pro, Quest 3)
Passthrough -- Camera-based view of the real world with virtual overlays
Multiplayer -- Networked multi-user experiences
Spatial audio -- 3D positional audio with HRTF spatialization
Scene understanding -- Room mesh, plane detection, semantic labels
Spatial anchors -- Persistent world-locked content placement

Platform Comparison

Platform	Best For	Language	3D Engine	Learning Curve	Distribution
Unity	Games, complex 3D, social VR	C#	Unity	Moderate	Quest Store, App Lab
Unreal Engine	High-fidelity visuals, cinematic	C++ / Blueprint	Unreal	Steep	Quest Store, App Lab
Spatial SDK	Android panel apps, hybrid apps	Kotlin	Custom ECS	Moderate	Quest Store, App Lab
IWSDK / WebXR	Web-based, quick prototyping	TypeScript	Three.js	Low	Web, PWA, Store (via Bubblewrap)

Platform Selection Guidelines

Choose Unity when you need the broadest XR feature support, a large ecosystem of third-party assets, or your team already knows C#.
Choose Unreal when visual fidelity is the top priority, you need cinematic sequences, or your team is experienced with C++ or Blueprints.
Choose Spatial SDK when building panel-based Android apps, hybrid 2D+3D experiences, or leveraging existing Android/Kotlin expertise.
Choose IWSDK/WebXR when you want the fastest iteration cycle, browser-based distribution, or are prototyping an idea before committing to a native engine.

After Choosing a Platform

Once the user has selected a platform, refer to the corresponding reference guide for detailed, step-by-step project setup:

Unity -- Unity Project Setup
Unreal Engine -- Unreal Project Setup
Android / Spatial SDK -- Android Project Setup
Web / IWSDK / WebXR -- Web Project Setup

Each reference covers:

Required tool and SDK versions
Project creation steps
Recommended project settings for Quest
Build and deployment workflow
Testing and iteration workflow

Common Post-Setup Tasks

After the project is created and configured on any platform, these tasks are typically needed:

Register the App on the Developer Dashboard

Create an application entry at developer.meta.com to obtain an App ID. This is required for platform features like entitlement checks, multiplayer, achievements, and store submission.

Set Up Version Control

Initialize a Git repository and configure .gitignore for the chosen platform:

git init
# Use a platform-appropriate .gitignore (Unity, Unreal, Android, or Node.js)

First Build and Deploy

Build the project and install it on a connected Quest device:

# After building, install the APK
hzdb app install path/to/build.apk

# Launch the app
hzdb app launch com.yourcompany.yourapp

# Monitor logs during first run
hzdb log --tag yourapp

Performance Baseline

On first successful run, verify the application meets baseline performance targets:

Frame rate: 72 Hz minimum (90 Hz or 120 Hz preferred on Quest 3)
Frame timing: Consistent frame times without spikes
Thermal: No thermal throttling warnings during normal use

References

Skill References

Unity Project Setup -- Step-by-step Unity project creation and configuration
Unreal Project Setup -- Step-by-step Unreal Engine project creation and configuration
Android Project Setup -- Step-by-step Android/Spatial SDK project creation and configuration
Web Project Setup -- Step-by-step IWSDK/WebXR project creation and configuration

hz-new-project-creation

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