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📍 Waypoints: Crafting Your Narrative Path

Waypoints are the fundamental building blocks for creating guided narratives and interactive experiences within your StorySplat scene. They define specific camera positions, rotations, and fields of view (FOV) along a path that the viewer follows, primarily in Tour and Hybrid navigation modes.

Purpose of Waypoints

  • Define Camera Path: Create a smooth, cinematic camera trajectory through your 3D scene.
  • Control Perspective: Frame specific views and highlight important details at key moments.
  • Trigger Interactions: Attach actions like playing audio or displaying information popups when the camera reaches a certain proximity to a waypoint.
  • Set Initial View: The very first waypoint created defines the starting camera position and orientation when the scene loads. You must create at least one waypoint to save or export your project.
  • Structure Narrative: Break down your story into sequential points or chapters.

Accessing Waypoint Controls

  1. In the StorySplat editor, locate the vertical toolbar on the left.
  2. Click the "Waypoints" button (📍 icon).
  3. The Waypoint Controls panel will appear, listing existing waypoints and providing controls for managing them.

Creating and Managing Waypoints

  1. Adding a Waypoint:
    • Navigate the camera in the 3D view to your desired position and orientation.
    • In the Waypoint Controls panel, click the "+ Add Waypoint at Camera Position" button (or "Set Initial Camera Position" if it's the first one).
    • A new waypoint is added to the list, capturing the current camera state.
  2. Selecting a Waypoint: Click on a waypoint item in the list to select it for editing (though most editing is done directly on the list item).
  3. Updating Position/Rotation:
    • (Recommended) Select the waypoint in the list. Navigate the camera in the 3D view to the new desired position/rotation. Click the Update Camera button (📷 icon) next to the waypoint's name in the list. This updates the selected waypoint to match the current camera view.
    • (Manual - Advanced) Expand the waypoint details (click "Show") and manually enter precise X, Y, Z coordinates and RX, RY, RZ rotation values (in degrees).
  4. Naming: Click into the input field below the waypoint number and type a descriptive name (e.g., "Entrance View", "Detail Shot"). Press Enter or click outside the field to save.
  5. Reordering: Use the Up (▲) and Down (â–ŧ) arrow buttons next to each waypoint to change its position in the sequence. The camera path follows this order.
  6. Deleting: Click the Trash Can icon (🗑ī¸) next to the waypoint's "Edit Interactions" button to remove it.
  7. Showing/Hiding Details: Click the "Show" / "Hide" button to expand or collapse the detailed coordinate and rotation inputs for a specific waypoint.

Waypoint Properties

Each waypoint has several configurable properties accessible when its details are expanded:

  • Name: A custom label for easy identification.
  • Position (X, Y, Z): The 3D coordinates where the camera will be positioned for this waypoint.
  • Rotation (RX, RY, RZ): The camera's orientation (pitch, yaw, roll) in degrees at this waypoint.
  • FOV (Field of View): (Optional) Override the global camera FOV specifically for this waypoint. Enter the desired FOV in degrees. If left blank or unchanged from the default, the global FOV setting applies. This allows for zooming in or out at specific points.
  • Trigger Distance: (Accessed via "Edit Interactions") The radius (in scene units) around the waypoint's position. When the camera enters this radius, the waypoint's associated interactions are triggered. Default is typically 1 unit.

Adding Interactions

Each waypoint can trigger actions as the camera approaches its Trigger Distance.

  1. Click the "Edit Interactions" button for the desired waypoint.
  2. An Interaction Editor window will appear.
  3. Add Interaction: Select the type ("🔊 Audio Interaction" or "ℹī¸ Info Pop-up") and click "Add Interaction".
    • Audio: Configure the audio source (URL or Upload), spatial settings (3D sound), volume, looping, and whether it should stop when leaving the trigger distance. See Audio System for details. Note: Only one non-spatial audio track can play at a time per waypoint.
    • Info Pop-up: Enter the text content to be displayed. How this text appears depends on the "Waypoint Info Style" chosen during export (Standard integrates into controls, Pop-up shows a modal). Note: Only one Info interaction is allowed per waypoint.
  4. Modify Trigger Distance: Adjust the radius around the waypoint where these interactions will activate.
  5. Remove Interactions: Click the "Remove" button within the Interaction Editor for a specific interaction.
  6. Close Editor: Click the 'X' button on the Interaction Editor when finished.

Path Settings (Waypoint Controls Panel)

These settings control the overall behavior of the camera path defined by the waypoints:

  • Autoplay Mode: (Checkbox) When enabled, the camera automatically moves along the path without requiring user scroll input.
  • Autoplay Speed: (Slider - appears when Autoplay is enabled) Controls the speed of automatic camera movement along the path.
  • Loop Mode: (Checkbox) When enabled, the camera path loops seamlessly from the last waypoint back to the first. When disabled, the camera stops at the beginning and end of the path.

Edit Mode

  • Toggle: Click the "Enter/Exit Edit Mode" button at the top of the Waypoint Controls panel.
  • Functionality:
    • Makes waypoint markers (red spheres) and the connecting camera path (cyan line) visible in the 3D scene.
    • Disables automatic camera path animation/following, allowing you to freely move the camera (typically switches to Explore mode) to precisely position it for updating waypoints using the "Update Camera" (📷) button.
    • Essential for visualizing the path and accurately placing/adjusting waypoints.

Best Practices

  • Start Strong: Your first waypoint sets the initial scene view – make it engaging!
  • Smooth Transitions: Avoid abrupt changes in position, rotation, or FOV between consecutive waypoints unless a specific dramatic effect is intended.
  • Logical Flow: Order waypoints to tell a coherent story or guide the viewer logically through the space.
  • Use Names: Give waypoints descriptive names for easier management.
  • Test Interactions: Preview your scene to ensure trigger distances and interaction timings feel right.
  • Optimize Audio: Use compressed audio formats (.mp3, .ogg) for faster loading.

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