🏗️ Builder Mode
Builder Mode in Topia provides a comprehensive set of tools for efficient, enjoyable, and user-friendly world-building. It allows users to select, move, erase, and transform assets.
Permissioning
Builder mode is accessible to users with at least 'Editor' permission in a world.
Turning Builder Mode On/Off
- Turn On: Click the Builder Mode
icon on the left sidebar or press the B key on your keyboard.
- Turn Off: Click the Builder Mode
icon on the left sidebar or press the B key on your keyboard.
Builder Mode Anatomy
- Left Sidebar
- Builder Toolbar
- Select Drawer
While in Builder Mode
- Your avatar cannot move, and you will be in audio mode.
- Video modes other than audio mode are disabled.
Select Drawer
The Select Drawer is where you can perform actions to edit your selected assets. It has two tabs:
- Design Tab: Clear selection, perform actions on your selection, transform assets, and view asset details.
- Configuration Tab: Configure your asset options (previously under ‘Modify Asset’).
Actions
Select
- The Select
tool allows you to select or multi-select assets you want to edit.
- Default Tool: Selected by default when entering builder mode. Accessible via the select
icon in the builder toolbar.
- Single Selection: Place your cursor over an asset and click on it.
- Multi-Selection: Hold Shift or Command (⌘) while clicking to multi-select assets.
- Assets Drawer Selection: In the Assets Drawer, view the placed assets list and select assets from here. Multi-select using Shift or Command (⌘) key. When selected, the camera pans and zooms to display the selection on the canvas.
Move
With an active selection, click and drag the selection to move it to the desired location.
Pan
The Pan tool lets you move the view around your world.
- Activate Pan Tool: Click the pan
icon in the builder toolbar.
- Pan Mode: The cursor changes to a hand; click and drag on the canvas to pan. Note that selection is disabled in pan mode.
Erase
The Erase tool allows you to remove assets from your world.
- Activate Erase Tool: Click the erase
icon in the builder toolbar.
- Erase Asset: The cursor changes to an erase icon; click on an asset to remove it. Alternatively, click and drag over an asset or assets to remove them.
Undo
The Undo tool allows you to undo up to 10 asset editing actions.
Undo Action: Click the undo
icon in the builder toolbar after erasing, moving, or transforming 1 or multiple assets.
Redo
The Redo tool allows you to redo up to 10 asset editing actions.
Redo Action: Click the redo
icon in the builder toolbar.
Zoom
The Zoom tools allow you to adjust the view of your world.
Fit to Screen: Click the fit to screen
icon to view the entire world on your screen.
Zoom Out: Click the zoom out
icon to zoom out in 10% intervals.
Zoom In: Click the zoom in
icon to zoom in in 10% intervals.
Copy
The Copy tool allows you to create copies of your selected assets.
- Copy Selection: With an active selection, click the copy
icon in the select drawer. Move the cursor to the canvas and click to drop copies. You can keep dropping copies until you press the escape key.
Align
The Align tool helps you align and distribute your selected assets.
- Activate Align Tool: Click the align icon in the select drawer when at least two assets are selected.
Align Left: Aligns left edges with the leftmost edge of the leftmost asset.
Align Horizontal: Evenly spaces and aligns assets based on their horizontal centers.
Align Right: Aligns right edges with the rightmost edge of the rightmost asset.
Align Top: Aligns top edges with the topmost edge of the topmost asset.
Align Vertical: Evenly spaces and aligns assets based on their vertical centers.
Align Bottom: Aligns bottom edges with the bottommost edge of the bottommost asset.
Distribute Horizontal Space: Evenly spaces and aligns assets along a horizontal axis.
Distribute Vertical Space: Evenly spaces and aligns assets along a vertical axis.
Flip
The Flip tools allow you to flip your selected assets horizontally or vertically.
Flip Horizontal: Click the flip horizontal
icon in the select drawer to flip the selection horizontally.
Flip Vertical: Click the flip vertical
icon in the select drawer to flip the selection vertically.
Scale
The Scale tool lets you adjust the size of your assets.
- Adjust Scale: With one asset selected, use the Asset Scale slider or number input in the select drawer to change the asset's size.
X & Y Positioning
The Positioning tool allows you to adjust the position of your assets on the X and Y axes.
- Adjust Positioning: Change the values in the X or Y fields in the select drawer to reposition the selection on the canvas.
Rotate
The Rotate tool allows you to rotate your selected assets.
- Rotate Asset: With one asset selected, adjust the rotate field value in the select drawer to change the asset's rotation.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Note: Keyboard shortcuts are fully functional on Windows and Linux. On Mac, they work with an EN-US keyboard, but may vary with other layouts.
Action | Mac | Windows |
Activate Builder Mode | B | B |
Leave Builder Mode | B | B |
Select Tool | V | V |
Add an asset to a multi-selection | Shift + Click | Shift + Click |
Remove an asset from a multi-selection | Shift + Click | Shift + Click |
Select all | Command (⌘) + A | Control (Ctrl) + A |
Pan Tool | H | H |
Pan | Spacebar + Click and drag mouse | Spacebar + Click and drag mouse |
Erase Tool | E | E |
Erase selection | Delete | Backspace |
Undo | Command (⌘) + Z | Control (Ctrl) + Z |
Redo | Shift + Command (⌘) + Z | Shift + Control (Ctrl) + Z |
Show / Hide Grid | Shift (⇧) + G | Shift + G |
Fit to Screen | Command (⌘) + F | Control (Ctrl) + F |
Zoom out 10% | Minus (-) | Minus (-) |
Zoom in 10% | Plus (+) | Plus (+) |
Duplicate | Command (⌘) + D | Control (Ctrl) + D |
Align Left | Option (⌥) + L | Alt + L |
Align Horizontal Centers | Option (⌥) + H | Alt + H |
Align Right | Option (⌥) + R | Alt + R |
Align Top | Option (⌥) + T | Alt + T |
Align Vertical Centers | Option (⌥) + V | Alt + V |
Align Bottom | Option (⌥) + B | Alt + B |
Distribute Vertical Space | Shift + Option (⌥) + V | Shift + Alt + V |
Distribute Horizontal Space | Shift + Option (⌥) + H | Shift (⇧) + Alt + V |
Flip Horizontal | Shift + H | Shift + H |
Flip Vertical | Shift + V | Shift + V |