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Elias Bormann

Software & XR Developer

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Elias Bormann

I'm a Software and XR Developer with a B.A. in Expanded Realities. I spend most of my time working in Unity and C#, building everything from Mixed Reality apps to interactive 3D tools.

I have a strong personal interest in graphics programming, spatial design, and exploring new technologies to build functional, user-focused immersive experiences.

My Work

February 2026

MR Chess ▼

A freelance role maintaining and expanding a Mixed Reality chess app for Quest 3, adding Lichess online multiplayer and updating core SDKs.

Meta Quest 3 Lichess API Photon PUN Freelance

General Description

  • This MR app allows users to place a virtual chess board on a real table, play with hand tracking, or use passthrough to play with physical figures.
  • I joined the project as a freelance developer to help maintain the app and implement new features envisioned by the lead researcher.
  • The main goals were updating the project to the latest Meta XR SDK and shifting from a local AI approach to integrating the Lichess eBoard API for online matchmaking.

My Contributions & Tech

  • SDK Maintenance: Updated the Unity project and migrated the codebase to the newer Meta SDK, ensuring compatibility and restoring the Photon PUN multiplayer avatars.
  • Lichess Integration: Implemented a secure login flow using the Lichess API. Added encrypted token storage on the headset so users stay logged in between sessions.
  • UI & Systems: Built new interfaces for matchmaking and time controls.
  • Codebase Navigation: Gained valuable experience working within an established codebase, adapting to existing architectural styles.

Gallery & Updates

Login UI Video

Lichess Menu UI

New Avatar SDK

November 2025

Space Safety VR ▼

An educational VR experience about space debris and solar storms commissioned by the ESA.

Meta Quest 3 Shaders & Optimization VR Consulting

Phase 1: Uni Project

  • Originally a 6th-semester project combining a Quest 3 with a massive 6x4K screen "Powerwall".
  • My team created a 5-minute cinematic experience explaining the Kepler effect and space debris.

Phase 2: ESA Project

  • Ported the concept to a standalone Quest 3 application, commissioned by the ESA.
  • Targeted complete VR beginners, focusing on high comfort and accessibility.

My Technical Work

  • Earth Shaders: Developed high-resolution Earth and atmosphere shaders.
  • Mobile Optimization: Optimized rendering for standalone hardware by using baked textures and bump mapping.

Visuals & Demonstrations

3rd Person Powerwall View
1st Person Quest 3 View
August 2025

XRAI Story Bubbles ▼

A mixed reality app where players use real-world objects for improv storytelling against an AI.

Meta Quest 3 Shaders & VFX Hackathon Winner

General Description

  • 3rd Place / Runner-up at the XRAI Hackathon in Cologne.
  • Players scan their room, pick objects, and engage in AI-driven storytelling.

My Contributions & Tech

  • Visuals & Shaders: Programmed the floating "story bubbles".
  • Depth Rendering: Wrote custom displacement shaders for a stereoscopic 3D effect inside the bubbles.

Playthrough & Demo

Hackathon Certificate
Hackathon Team Photo
February 2024

Saving Angkor Wat ▼

A story-based VR adventure built for my 3rd-semester project, raising awareness about the water-related corrosion of Angkor Wat's heritage site.

Unity VR Toon Shader Puzzle Logic University Project

Project Concept

  • Created as a "vertical slice" adventure focusing on the history of Angkor Wat’s massive channel system and its current danger from rainwater corrosion.
  • Players begin with a cinematic hot air balloon flight to the site, guided by a wristwatch AI that provides hints and lore.
  • The core gameplay involves solving environmental puzzles to restore the water system, including moving boulders with levers and crafting bamboo dams with a machete.

My Contributions & Tech

  • Visual Style: Developed a custom toon shader for all dynamic and interactive objects to create a distinct, readable art style.
  • Gameplay Systems: Programmed the modular water system blocks and the puzzle logic for leak detection and dam placement.
  • Optimization: Managed the performance balance between baked lighting for environments and real-time shading for interactive elements.
  • Leadership: Acted as a technical guide for the artists and other developers on the team to ensure a cohesive vertical slice.

Gallery & Shader Work

Hot Air Balloon View
Bamboo Dam Puzzle