This article covers different optional settings and additional tools available in the scenario editor. Do you want to restrict how much time your learners can spend interacting with the scenario, or do you want to assign points for different decisions they made? Then learn more below.
If you have not used the scenario builder before, check out this article first to learn about what kind of content you can include in scenarios.
Block Properties
You can enhance blocks by adding extra properties: scores to track learner progress and assign scores, timers to limit the time spent on a block, and labels to organize and identify blocks within the editor.
To add a property to a block, click on any block and select one of the corresponding options from the panel that appears above the block:
Timer
A Timer limits how much time a user can spend on a scenario block. Once the timer runs out, the user will not be able to interact with the block and will be prompted to move to the next block. Timers can be added to any block type. When a timer is added to a branching block and the learner doesn't choose before the timer runs out, they will be moved to the first (topmost) branch.
To add a timer, click on the timer icon and enter the minutes and seconds the block will be displayed for.
Note: if you've enabled the 'Back' button in scenario settings, the learner will be able to go back to the block and restart the timer. If the learner restarts the scenario, all timers will reset.
Scores
Scores allow you to provide numeric feedback to the user and track their progress through the scenario. You can assign scores for each completed path by putting the score to the last block in the path if you’d like to grade your learners based on how they completed the scenario. Different paths can contain scores with different score values.
Click on the scores icon and enter the value. The viewer will receive the score once they proceed to the next block.
Label
You can use customizable labels to make it easier to keep track of how your scenario is set up, e.g. by labeling the best options with a certain color. Note that labels are not visible to viewers - they'll appear only in the scenario editor.
Scenario settings
There are several different scenario settings you can change via the ‘Settings’ (cog) button in the upper-right corner. These settings affect how your learners interact with the scenario and how it is displayed. They are grouped into 3 categories.
General settings
-
Show back button: if enabled, your viewers will be able to freely move back through the scenario. This can be useful for exploration-style scenarios.
This setting is on by default. -
Show points: if enabled, viewers will see how many points they’ve received for completing blocks with assigned scores. If the setting is not enabled, the viewer will not see that they’ve received points during the scenario.
This setting is on by default. -
Use advanced tracking: if enabled, ThingLink will save detailed tracking data, including routes. Default tracking saves goals only. Note that the viewer has to be logged in. You can learn more about what data is collected here.
This setting is off by default.
Timer settings
Scenario timer allows you to limit how much time a learner can spend viewing the whole scenario. Click the Cog icon in the top bar to open scenario settings, select the Timer tab, and enter the time limit in minutes:
Note that you can also limit how much time learners spend on individual blocks using block properties.
The learners will be warned that they have limited time to complete the scenario, and the countdown will be shown in the lower tab. Note that the timer will refresh if the learner restarts the scenario or reloads the page.
'Timer auto advance' setting allows you to force learners to move to the next block when the timer for a block runs out. If this setting is off, the learner will see a popup explaining that they've run out of time.
End screen settings
End screen settings panel allows you to customize what is shown once the learner completes the scenario. To change these settings, open the settings window and select the 'End screen' tab.
- Show results screen: if enabled, the learner will be shown a special screen at the end of the scenario that will state how many points they've received, how many goals they've reached, what % of the scenario they've viewed, and a summary of all answers they provided in 'Question' blocks. This setting is off by default.
- Show 'Restart scenario' button: if enabled, the learner will see the option to restart the scenario once they reach the end.
This setting is off by default. - Heading field allows you to customize the heading of the message displayed at the end of the scenario. By default, the heading will say 'Congratulations!'. Note that the heading cannot be longer than 70 characters.
Editor tools
The scenario editor includes several tools to help you manage and organize your blocks and content. These tools allow you to edit, duplicate, or delete blocks, add scores and time limits, preview your scenario on various devices, and adjust layouts. You can also use undo/redo functions and switch between different views to streamline your editing process.
Block tools
You can add, remove, or edit blocks by left-clicking the block and selecting one of the options:
- Duplicate: copies selected block. This is useful if you want to reuse similar content that is in the selected block.
- Delete: this option will simply delete the block. Deleted blocks can brought back by clicking the 'Undo' button.
- Edit: allows you to modify any property of an existing block. Simply select Edit (pen icon), change any value, and click Save. Be careful when editing Branching blocks as deleting one of the options will delete all content in that branch.
- Edit scene: this option appears when you click on a media block, allowing you to edit ThingLink scenes you've added to your scenario.
- Preview: allows you to preview the scenario starting from the selected block. Use this feature if you want to test or preview specific changes instead of previewing the whole scenario.
'Redo' and 'undo' buttons
'Redo and 'undo' buttons are located on the left at the top panel.
- The ‘undo’ button allows you to reverse your last change, whether you’ve added a block, line, or edited a block's content. It’s especially helpful if you accidentally delete something.
- The ‘redo’ button lets you restore the last action you undid. This is helpful if you accidentally reversed a change and want to apply it again.
Note that 'undo' and 'redo' buttons only work during 1 user session, meaning they won’t function after you close the editor/refresh the page unless you make new changes.
Automatic layout button
Since you can place blocks freely in the scenario editor, the layout can become a bit crowded or disorganized. The Automatic Layout button helps tidy up the scenario for a cleaner appearance.
Search
The Search feature allows you to enter text to find a block or blocks containing it. You can use the arrows to navigate forward and backward through the search results.
Normal & micro view
Normal view and micro view change how your scenarios is displayed inside the editor. Normal view displays block titles, scene thumbnails and basic information about each block. Micro view minimizes the amount of information presented in each block, showing only the block types - use it to quickly navigate around the scenario or to get a high-level overview of how your scenario is structured.
Device preview
In the top right corner, you'll find the 'Preview on Device' button. This feature lets you see how your scenario will appear and function on various devices, such as phones, tablets, and computers.
Next steps
Once your scenario is ready, you can share it via a link or by embedding it into your LMS/website. Learn more about sharing scenarios in this article.
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