Scenario
What are Levels?
There are many definitions for the word Level, of which the following is the most relevant for the Tygron Engine:
- A Level is a relative position or rank on a scale.
How do Levels relate to the Tygron Engine
For different reasons it is possible to divide a project in two or more levels. Reasons to do so can be (but are not limited to):
- to provide the session participants a learning curve, to get used to interacting with the Tygron Engine
- Create a first level as tutorial where a stakeholder can only perform a limited number of actions and measures. This can happen in a secluded area of the 3D World, to get acquainted with the interaction with the Tygron Engine, without affecting the outcome of the session as a whole.
- to gradually make the project interaction more complex, to match the issue in real life more closely
- Add more complex actions, measures and indicators to let session participants gradually experience the complexity of the spatial planning issue(s) at hand.
- to jump in time to a future scenario
- Each level can start with an event or measure that reflects future scenarios, such as floodings that only occur once every fifty and every one hundred years, or the sea level rising over time.
- to provide pause moments during a session
- Sessions often take place during business hours, taking up a whole morning, afternoon or even the whole day. By implementing levels the session flow can be interrupted to incorporate pause moments for reflection and refreshments.
By default, a project in the Tygron Engine always consists of at least one level.
Adding, duplicating and removing Levels in a project
Adding a Level
A level can be added in two ways in the Tygron Engine; through a ribbon drop down option or by selecting the Add button on the bottom of the left panel, after selecting Levels in the ribbon bar.
- Select Storyline → Levels
- Select Add new Level from the drop down menu
- Or select Add on the bottom of the left panel
Duplicating a Level
When levels are used to add complexity or to provide a tutorial, it can be very convenient to be able to duplicate a previous level. This avoids having to create and assign all previous actions, measures and indicators again for each consecutive level. Instead, only the added complexity needs to be put in the duplicated level.
- Select Storyline → Levels
- Select the level to be duplicated on the left panel
- Select Duplicate on the bottom of the left panel
Removing a Level from a project
Sometimes an earlier implemented level becomes redundant, or an error has occurred that renders a level useless. In such cases it is possible to remove the level completely.
- Select Storyline → Levels
- Select the level to be removed on the left panel
- Select Remove on the bottom of the left panel
Changing the properties of a Level
Level
By selecting a level entry on the left panel, the following properties become available on the right panel:
Name
In the Name field a more suitable name can be entered, if desired. Examples of this are: "Tutorial", "Prologue", etc.
- Select Storyline → Levels
- Select Level to be renamed from the left panel
- Select Name field on right panel
- Delete the previous name
- Enter new name
- Confirm by pressing the 'Enter' key
Description
The description field allows for describing the level in the Editor. This is convenient when the level has added complexity. The description will also appear on the Level panel of the Admin Interface, providing a short summary of the levels in the project.
- Select Storyline → Levels
- Select Level to have description added from the left panel
- Select Decription field on right panel
- Delete the previous text (if needed)
- Enter new description
- Text is instantly confirmed when typed ('Enter' key adds hard return to text)
Event Bundles
- Main article: Events
By selecting the Event Bundles option of a level, it is possible to add Server events to a level; send automatically a message to a stakeholder, make more action menus available, etc. These events will be triggered as soon as the new level starts.
Server Events fired when chosen
On the right panel it is possible to assign the actual events to be triggered by the level. Add the event with the 'Add Event' button on the bottom of the right panel, and assign the desired event from the bottom panel with the 'Commit' button. This selection can also be cancelled.
Measures
- Main article: Measures
Besides events it is also possible to assign predefined measures to the start of a new level. For example; in the first level the stakeholders looked into different spatial alignments of possible solutions, in the second level, one alignment is constructed at the start of the level as automated measure, to accommodate further discussions. Prerequisite for this is to have the measure(s) available, then select the Measures entry on the left panel. The available measures will then show up on the right panel, which can then be assigned to the selected level.
Stakeholders
- Main article: Stakeholders
Selecting the arrow next to 'Stakeholders' on the left panel opens up the stakeholder section, containing the names of all active stakeholders in the project. Here the stakeholder properties can be set up per level. The following properties can be adjusted:
Provided Budget
The Provided Budget is the budget increment that happens at the start of the level. This can be the fixed income per stakeholder per period, or a dedicated subsidy flow for a special cause for example. This increment is separate from any income generated during the level from stakeholder actions.
Start with Cinematic
- Main article: Cinematics
it can be very convenient to introduce the new level with a cinematic. Each stakeholder can have a tailor made cinematic triggered at the start of each level, to inform about the intricacies of the new level. These cinematics must be created first, before they are available for selection from the drop down menu.
Active Action Menus
It is possible to assign more (or even different) action menus for each consecutive level, for each stakeholder. This is very useful when levels are implemented to build up complexity over the course of a session. Available action menus are present in a list with check boxes. Checking a box adds the action menu to the selected stakeholder for that level.
Playable Zones
This section allows for assigning dedicated areas in the 3D world to the selected level. Any non selected area is not playable, which means that any action here here will not be deployable; the brush selection will color red.