Functionality improvement: New Quest builder UI

At the core of innovation lies simplicity. That's precisely what we had in mind when we reimagined our Quest Builder. We drew inspiration from popular City Builder games because we believe in the universal understanding of dragging and placing assets in a virtual world. The gaming industry has honed this art, and we're here to elevate it to new heights. But remember, this is just the beginning; there's more to come, so stay tuned!

One question we've pondered for some time is how to distinguish between what we provide and what you, our creators, bring to life. In this latest release, we've chosen to categorize based on purpose. With your creator license, you gain access to the main Creator tab, where you can craft and share your unique stories. Here's where you create, manage, and share your Quests. A word of advice: Every great story starts with a compelling title, so don't make the same mistake we did by naming your introductory quest "Introduction Quest." (this is a bad title!). Choose your location carefully, as it's something people will remember. After all, you wouldn't want to tell a romantic story in Venice (45.4408° N, 12.3155° E) when Paris (48.8566° N, 2.3522° E) sets the perfect scene. Enter your location's latitude, longitude, and elevation meticulously, and then set the stage for your story by selecting your desired environment from the dropdown list.

(Technical note: Keep in mind, the coordinates set represent the world's origin. Inside the quest builder, you can simply press "Ctrl+D" to display your cursor coordinates.)

Should you need a bit of inspiration, we've made it easy to get started with the dropdown menu. You can access a variety of fictive worlds such as Poly-Town, Poly-City, and Construction, or opt for more open settings like the meadow world (check this video to have an overview of this world). For those seeking greater creative freedom, choose one of the generic worlds for a blank canvas. You can select from options like "FlatGroundTerrainScene" or "FlatGrassScene" from the dropdown list.

Within the Quest Builder environment, you'll find a brand-new interface:

Toolbar: Located on the left, this toolbar provides quick access to essential Builder environment functions.

• Event List: Open this panel to view the list of events you've created, arranged in the order they occur. You have the flexibility to reorder events using the burger handle.
• Prop Gallery: Access a comprehensive gallery of assets. Initially, you'll be provided with a selection of assets like dozers, cranes, traffic cones, and more. However, the true treasure trove lies in imported files or assets from Trimble Connect, available in the bottom ribbon. Trimble Connect allows you to browse all your projects, and once you've selected a model to import, you can click the eye icon to import it and return to the world or click the download button to continue downloading more models. Assets are loaded only when needed, enhancing project loading speed. Thumbnail images and names are added to your model's card.
• Event Highlights: You can incorporate an unlimited number of event highlights in your world. These highlights are designed to detect user proximity, triggering pop-ups when approached. Events appear in a specific order (refer to your event list). You can enter titles, paragraph instructions, images, and external links as needed. The storytelling is entirely in your hands, and we provide the interface to make it happen. Stay tuned for further enhancements in this area.
• Instruments: By default, you can place a total station on a tripod within your world. In the future, we'll explore allowing more customization, including the choice of instrument and its placement on a tripod or other supports. Exciting updates await!
• Character: Every world needs a character, and you'll need to place yours. This character defines your starting location when playing a quest and represents you in the virtual realm. In the future, we plan to offer flexibility in editing the instrument and inventory your character carries.

As you place assets throughout your world, remember that, by default, the asset's origin aligns with your mouse cursor. Once placed, click away and let your creativity run wild. The stage is set; now it's your turn to create a world that reflects your favourite environments, your construction site, or even your dream destination (learn more about my world - Video).