June 15, 2020 skunkfrakker

Tool Guide – Add to Fast Menu

Latest Version: 0

The Besti SDK Add to Fast Menu tool is a simple way to give your users in-game choices that can be selected from a menu. These choices can alter a scene, or be used in an animation to invoke unique behaviors.

Options can be set to be available from any distance, or they can be limited to a proximity around the object specified in meters. For example, an option to get a character to find you wherever you are might be appropriate to set with an unlimited range, but an option that turns on and off a lamp might be best to only be available within a few meters.

Video Overview

Coming soon. This is missing a couple features that once I add them I’ll make a video for it.

How to use

  1. Add the “BestiSDK_AddToFastMenu_x” tool to any active game object.
  2. Configure the settings for your new option.

Section Information

Options

 

The options section contains 7 parts

  • The Name of the source data entry field.
  • The Text of the option itself data entry field.
  • The Object this is for field.
  • The Range from object field.
  • The Hand used to access dropdown
  • The Unique name field
  • The What happens when this is pushed Action section

The Name of the source option allows you to specify what shows up as this menu option’s “source.” When users open the fast menu and see the options in there, the text nearest the central hub should describe what nearby thing is creating that option. This is to help users draw a connection between the menu option and the real things in the environment. If this is used in a scene and is to flip a light switch, you may want to have this say something like “Scene Options” or “House.” You can put anything in there, but clarity will help users feel less confused. In this field, you can specify multiple languages if you want to localize this text. Increase the number next to “size” to add additional languages. If the user has his or her settings using a different language than you provide, it will use the first option in the list.

The Text of the option itself should describe what the setting affects. To continue the example from the previous option, you might put “Change Lights” or something in this field. Like the previous option, you can put multiple languages in here if you want to.

The Object this is for field specifies where we should measure distance from. Ideally, you should drag and drop the object that this setting affects into this field. When the user opens the menu, we measure the distance between the player and the object specified in here. If you do not specify an object in this field, no measurements will take place, and the menu option will always be available to the user.

The Range from object field relates to the object this is for field, and is in meters. If you put a 3 in this field and an object in the Object this is for field, the new menu option you are creating will only be available for users when they are within 3 meters of the object you specified.

The Hand used to access option allows you to specify which fast menu this option can appear in. There are three fast menu types: the left hand, the right hand, and the center. If your option is to pick up a firearm or something, you may wish to require that to go to a hand. If the option is to turn on a light, it doesn’t matter. There are four options:

  • Left Only: This will only appear in the fast menu spawned from the left hand. It will not appear in the center or right hand menus.
  • Right Only: This will only appear in the fast menu spawned from the right hand. It will not appear in the center or left hand menus.
  • Either: This will appear in both of the hand’s menus. It will not appear in the center.
  • Neither: This will appear in all menus and does not consider which hand made the selection (if any hand was used at all.)

It is very important that you use the three “handed” options sparingly. Exclusively VR users will be able to use these options, and 2D users will be excluded from whatever choice this is. 

The Unique name for this option must contain a string of text that is not used for any other menu options. This should be considered the unique key that accesses whatever option you are creating. If another entry uses the same name, that action will ALSO be fired when you select this choice. This can be made of letters, numbers, or a combination of those things.

The What Happens when this is pushed Event section is an arbitrary unity event that you can make happen when this option is selected. This can be any kind of Unity Event.