Storyflow Workspace Setup
- Sara Johnston
- Catherine Hillier (Unlicensed)
In depth learning on Project Setup for a Successful Handoff can be found in this course in Motive Academy.
In order for authors to be able to work quickly and efficiently without any barriers, the Storyflow Workspace must be set up with these goals in mind. The following checklist will help you determine if the Storyflow space is set up for success:
Named Objects
Every item you have configured with a Motive Scene Object has a name. These names must be included in a Named Object Catalog in Storyflow. Ideally the names will be human readable so that there is no question for the author which object they are using.
Best practice: group objects into different Catalogs based on object type, use etc.
Named Anchors
Authors will also need Anchors. Both to move objects (and the user) to different spots in the Scene and to anchor UI objects.
Best Practice: At a minimum you should have the following Catalogs:
User Anchors - predetermined spots where authors may want to put the user and given times in the scenario. Having a “scenario start” anchor is very useful to make sure the user always starts from the same spot.
UI Anchors - predetermined and preconfigured UI anchors in common spots throughout the scene that authors can use to anchor screen messages, videos etc. These anchors should be named descriptively to help the author predict where they will show up. You might consider creating a demo script that shows where all of these UI anchors are.
Beyond this you may have need for additional catalogs, like anchors that designate spots for equipment or characters in the scene.
The better named and organized these are, the easier they will be to work with.
Equip Targets
If the scenario involves donning and doffing of clothing and equipment, create a Catalog of Equip Targets. The list of targets is:
Head
Face
Body
Left Hand
Right Hand
Feet
Named Regions
You can set up Named Regions in your scene that authors can use to trigger events and actions in their Scripts. If the Scenario requires that actions take place in specific regions, set them up with descriptive names in the Scene and create a “Named Region” Catalog. Authors can now use these regions with the “Inside Region” Condition.
Example/Demo Scripts
As you configure assets you will test their functionality in SF with short scripts. Group these in a folder for your authors with descriptive names so that they can see how the asset is meant to be used.
Behaviour Models
If you have used Behaviour Models to configure your Assets, make sure you include them in a Behaviour Models Catalog in the Storyflow space. When using Behaviour Models remember you can reuse them for efficiency. States like attached/unattached and open/closed can apply to several objects in your scene
Setup Scripts
With the behaviour models created, create setup scripts that bind the relevant objects to the behaviour models. Create global variables and events that the authors can use. When creating the scenarios, authors will call these setup scripts after asset spawning. This allows authors to control behaviour of assets with events and variables without having to worry about setting up models as they go.
Reusable/Template Scripts
If the Scenario you are setting up involves steps that are repetitive, you can create reusable Scripts for those repetitive actions. Template scripts are created by authoring the action once and then creating Variables for the pertinent fields in the Script that may change from step to step. Set the Variables to “input” and they become exposed on the Script launcher for authors to change quickly and easily:
This is what a Script launcher looks like with a template script:
The above fields have been created with input Variables.
These Scripts are easy to set up and save authors a lot of time and repetitive scripting.