All legacy tours (created before March 9, 2023) will behave EXACTLY the same as before when navigating scene to scene. If you are having issues, simply chat us and we can investigate.
You can check your tour creation date on your dashboard, right under the tour thumbnail.
In March 2023 we released a new Compass tool that makes dictating the navigation experience much easier for the tour creator.
The Compass System
The system is simple:
Navigation from scene to scene will always maintain the compass heading of the previous scene.
If you set an Initial View for a scene, the compass will be overridden to always face that Initial View.
To calibrate the compass, so that each scene has the same consistent North, simply click the compass to reset it.
This system is intuitive and is an upgrade from our previous system which required a lot of user education and used default values that confused users. You can read more about this Compass System here.
The Legacy System
Previously, creators had to specify what type of system they would like to use:
Initial View Mode: All scenes would require an initial view and Initial Views will be used all the time. If you didnt set an initial view for a scene, a default was always used.
North Point Mode: All scenes would require a North Point and North Point Navigation will be used all the time. If you didnt set a north point for a scene, a default was always used.
Hybrid Mode: North Points would be used if you arrived at a scene using a hotspot, otherwise, an Initial View would be used. If you didnt set a north point or a initial view for a scene, a default was always used.
You can verify the legacy Navigation mode your tour was created with in Settings-> Navigation tab.
Good to know: Legacy tours built with the Legacy Navigation system can be edited with the new Compass System. There is nothing to worry about.
Initial View Mode: How tours made using Initial View Mode work with the Compass System
When viewing and navigating your legacy tour, it will navigate the same as before until you make changes to it such as deleting an initial view or changing an initial view.
Editing Tours made with Initial View Mode
You will notice your initial views are now displayed on the compass. Every scene will have an initial view icon around the compass.
Common Pitfalls editing tours made with Initial View Mode
North Points aren't working!
Remember, if your Legacy System navigation mode was Initial View, then every scene had an initial view - either defined by your or set to a default. If you are editing a tour and expecting North Points to work, make sure you look for that Initial View icon on each scene to delete it.
Every Scene has an Initial View around the compass!
This is expected. In the Legacy System, every scene had an initial view. The reason you are seeing an initial view around the compass on every scene of your tour is because that is how the old tour was constructed.
Northpoint Mode: How tours made using Northpoint Mode work with the Compass System
When viewing and navigating your tour, it will navigate the same as before until you make changes to it such as adding an initial view or changing a north point.
Editing Tours made with Northpoint Mode
You will notice no changes from before. There should be no initial views around your compass, and your north points should be the same as before.
Common Pitfalls editing tours made with Northpoint Mode
None
Hybrid Mode: How tours made using Hybrid Mode work with the Compass System
When viewing and navigating your tour, it will navigate the same as before until you make changes to it such as changing an initial view or changing a north point.
Editing Tours made with Hybrid Mode
If your Legacy System navigation mode was Hybrid, then every scene had an initial view, and every scene had a north point. If a user entered a scene via a hotspot on a previous scene, then then the north point was used. Else, the initial view was used.
If a user failed to defined a initial view or a north point for any scene, then default values were set.
Because of this, you should expect that every scene will have an initial view and that it will be displayed around the Compass. Every scene will also have a north point, which may or may not be accurate depending on if the user created it or if the default was used.
Common Pitfalls editing tours made with Hybrid Mode
North Points aren't working!
First, are you entering a scene via a hotspot? If not, the scene will open facing the Initial View. And this Initial View may be a default value if it was never set - check the scene in the Editor to see what type of Initial View is around the compass.
Every Scene has an Initial View around the compass!
This is expected. In the Legacy System, every scene had an initial view. The reason you are seeing an initial view around the compass on every scene of your tour is because that is how the old tour was constructed.
I want to turn off hybrid mode!
You can toggle hybrid mode in the Navigation Settings of your Tour. Simply edit your tour, click Settings -> Navigation tab and uncheck the box that says, "Selectively enforce initial views"