The Sansar Store, Terrain Editor, and avatar improvements were among the hot topics at the most recent Product Meetup, held Aug. 25. Creators also learned a bit more about the next Sansar release and were able to discuss the future development road map.
As mentioned during last week’s Meetup, a new release packed with new features is coming very soon!
Check out last week’s notes for more details on what to expect in the next release - highlights include the Terrain Editor, support for Shoutcast streams, trigger animations, and more! You can also get a peek at the expected scripting updates in the discussion post Upcoming: Performance and Technical Changes.
Lead Environmental Artist Mario Wagner leads a tour of Voyage Live: Egypt by Sansar Studios.
COMMUNITY Q&A
Here’s a summary of the questions and answers from the most recent meeting:
Beyond the Terrain Editor and other features expected in the next release or two, what are the next big features on the road map that we can expect?
There’s lots of new features and improvements that we are focusing on! For example, we know that collaborative editing is important and also better inventory organization. We know that it is hard to find and chat with people in Sansar, so we’re working also prioritizing improvements to socialization.
What can we expect for the future of The Sansar Store?
The current version is very sparse in terms of features, but we want to add much more for merchants and customers. We do want to give merchants the tools to build strong businesses in Sansar.
Will creators have the ability to send customers updates to previously sold items on The Sansar Store?
Yes, we do plan to support this feature. We’re also planning to develop a Customer Dashboard to give creators/sellers better understanding of their customers and transactions. In the shorter term, we’re working on improvements to the “Manage Listings” page on the web.
What about other important features for The Sansar Store? There is strong interest in support for demos, customer reviews and ratings, the ability to hold a limited-time “flash sale” for our items and also sales of collections/multiple items.
During the meeting, attendees were asked to rank/rate which features were most important to them -- and this information will be used in future roadmap planning. Among the top-rated improvements were product updates, the ability to sell in groups/collections, and support for “flash sales.” However, it was clear that these features are all important and we’re taking this feedback seriously as we think about how to evolve The Sansar Store.
Will there be changes on the requirements for how we merchandise our items on The Sansar Store? For example, the white transparent background does not work for all types of items (such as landscaping).
The current implementation will likely change, according to Senior Product Manager Carolyn Gudmundson. The transparency background doesn’t do justice for all types of items. We'll revisit the requirements soon to allow for better visual representation of your creations. We want a balance in keeping the Store clean versus showing the items in the best way possible.
When will we see desktop point-and-click interactivity?
In VR mode, people can currently point at an avatar to identify them or friend/un-friend them. In the near future, you’ll be able to do the same with a mouse in desktop mode. We’re working on adding even more interactivity for desktop users, so stay tuned!
When will chat windows support true hyperlinks within text?
In the short term, any link pasted into text chat by itself has a “Go” icon that can be clicked to launch a website. However, we’re aware of the value of having hyperlinks available within larger text messages within chat and are planning to support that in the near future.
How often will there be major releases?
You can continue to expect a major release about once a month with periodic bug and/or patch fixes as needed.
Will the number of spotlights that can cast shadows go up from six?
“Eventually,” according to Lead Environmental Artist Mario Wagner “Machines will only get more powerful in time, so I can’t see why this won’t be supported.”
Community members showed off their attachments to each other during the recent meeting.
Will there be a “Preferences” option added so that we can better customize how they experience Sansar?
Yes. We are working on adding features that allow the Sansar community to better customize various parts of Sansar including the UI, in-app default settings, etc.
What changes can we expect with avatars? For example, will skeletons be released soon so that designers can start creating original clothing and fashions?
We’re looking at making several improvements to the avatar system. For example, clothing right now is baked in. However, we will separate that so we can support the fashion market.
Any update on when the Discord community chat will be available?
Soon. We’re trying to implement Discord in a way that helps us potentially connect the Discord and Sansar accounts. We are getting closer to making it available to the community.
Can we expect that Sansar will eventually give us the ability to donate money or pay people for services?
That’s not on the immediate roadmap, but it is something that we hope to support soon.
Another view of Voyage Live: Egypt by Sansar Studios.
LET’S MEET UP IN SANSAR
Did you miss the most recent Product Meetup? Watch for announcements in the blog about upcoming opportunities to connect with the Sansar team - including discussions about the many new features in our next release!
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