A Point of Interest (POI) is a circular area where avatars will either wait or wander around for a set amount of time before continuing to their destination.


Creating a Point of Interest

There are two ways to create a POI:

  • Click and drag: In the Transit tab, select Point of Interest, then click and drag in the environment to set the centre and radius.
  • By coordinates: In the Transit tab, click Create POI by Coordinate. A dialog will open where you can enter:
    • X and Y: the position of the POI’s centre on the site, in metres.
    • Radius: in metres.
    • Interest, Wait Time and Wander Time (see below).

Click Create to place the POI on the currently selected level. Any field left blank uses its default: Radius 3 m, Interest 0.5, Wait Time 3 s, Wander Time 0 s.



POI Parameters

Click on the pole in the middle of a POI to open its settings:

  • Interest: the probability that a passing avatar will engage with the POI. Otherwise the avatar ignores it. For example, 0.3 means 30% of avatars will engage.
  • Wait Time: how long (in seconds) avatars will stop and wait within the region.
  • Wander Time: how long (in seconds) avatars will walk around within the region before they leave.



Selecting Points of Interest

On large sites it can be hard to click on a POI with the mouse. To select POIs with a window instead:

  1. In the Transit tab, click Toggle POI Select Mode.
  2. Click and drag a window over the model. Every POI inside the window is selected, and the number selected is shown in the console at the bottom of the screen.
  3. The camera zooms in on one of the selected POIs and opens its settings.
  4. If more than one POI was selected, press the Left/Right Arrow keys to move between them.
  5. Click Toggle POI Select Mode again to return to normal selection.

You can also find and select POIs from View > Layer List.


Benches

Benches act as a Point of Interest where avatars sit down for a while before continuing.

To place a bench, select Bench Seat in the Transit tab and click in the environment. Press Up/Down Arrow while placing to rotate it 90°. Benches block avatars from walking through them, the same as an obstacle.

Click on a placed bench to open its settings. The dialog title shows the bench’s ID and how many seats it has. All benches currently have 3 seats, about one seat per 0.6 m of length.

  • Interest (0-1): the probability that a passing avatar will decide to sit on the bench.
  • Sit Time (s): the minimum time, in seconds, an avatar stays seated.
  • Sit Time Random (s): a random time between 0 and this value is added to the Sit Time. For example, a Sit Time of 30 and a Sit Time Random of 30 means each avatar sits for between 30 and 60 seconds.

An avatar will only choose a bench if it has a free seat the avatar can reach. If an avatar can’t reach its seat within 60 seconds, it gives up and continues to its destination.


How avatars choose Points of Interest

  • When an avatar enters a room, it considers the POIs and benches in that room one at a time, starting with the nearest.
  • Each POI or bench is considered only once per avatar. The avatar engages with it based on its Interest value; otherwise it moves on to the next nearest.
  • After finishing at a POI or bench, the avatar considers the remaining ones in the room the same way.
  • POIs and benches are only used in the Normal behavioural mode. In Emergency mode, avatars ignore them.

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