How to: VR app

The SkelSketch app is designed to be used with a VR headset and controllers, allowing you to sketch in 3D in a natural and intuitive way.

Tutorial

Controls

The app uses the following controls:
In the VR view you can always see a summary of the controls in the floor plane.

Creating new nodes

To create a new node, press the trigger button on the right controller. This will create a new node at the position of the right hand.
The size of the node is shown in the blue preview sphere/box that appears on the right hand.

Any new node will be created as a child of the currently selected (red) node.
If there is no selected node, the new node will be created as a root node of a new hierarchy.

If the mirror is active, a mirrored copy of the node will be immediately created.

Selecting nodes

To select a node, move one of your hands on top of it, wait for it to be highlighted in red, and press the X button on the left controller or the A button on the right controller.
The selected node will be highlighted in red.

To deselect a node, press the X button on the left controller or the A button on the right controller when no node is highlighted.

When no nodes are selected, you can teleport in other positions on the scene by using the thumbstick on the left controller (see teleporting section).

New nodes size and shape

When you select a node, the sphere preview on your right hand will immediately change its size to match the size and shape of the selected node.
This is useful to have child nodes corresponding to their parent. You can always change the next node size by using the thumbstick up and down on the right hand.

Moving nodes

To move a node, bring you hand over it and wait it to be highlighted in red. Then press the grab button on the controller of the hand you are using.

All the child nodes will move together with the grabbed node.

If there is a mirrored copy of the node, it will be moved acccordingly.

Scaling nodes

To scale a node, bring you hand over it and wait it to be highlighted in red. Then press the grab button on the controller of the hand you are using, the same way you would do to move it.
Now you can scale the node by bringing the other hand near or far from the grabbed node.

All the child nodes will be scaled together with the grabbed node.

If there is a mirrored copy of the node, it will be scaled acccordingly.

Deleting nodes

To delete a node, you must first select it.

With a node selected, press the B button on the right controller to delete it.
If the node has child nodes, they will be connected to the next parent node up the chain.

If there is a mirrored copy of the node, it will be deleted too.

Adding a node in the middle of a chain

To add a node in the middle of a chain, select the node you want to insert the new node before.
Then position the left hand where you want the new node and press the trigger button on the left controller.
The new node will be created as a parent of the selected node.

If there is a mirrored copy of the selected node, a mirrored copy of the new insserted node will be created too.

Changing node shape

A node can be gradually changed from a sphere to a box and vice versa.
The links will be automatically adjusted to match the new shape.

You must first select the node you want to change.
Then move the thumbstick on the left controller left and right to change the shape.

Changing the shape of a node will also change the shape of the preview in your right hand, to create new nodes with the same shape of their parent.

If there is a mirrored copy of the node, it will change its shape too.

Changing link numbers

A node is linked to its parent node by a number of links, the default is 12.

When a node is selected, you can change the number of links by moving the thumbstick on the left controller up and down.

Note: this function at the moment does not work with mirrored nodes: you have to manually change the number of links on both sides, until the next update.

Teleporting

When no nodes are selected, you can teleport in other positions on the scene by using the thumbstick on the left controller.

The teleportation is done by pointing your left hand in in the direction you want to go and pressing the thumbstick up. A teleport preview will appear in the direction you are pointing, and you can confirm the teleportation by releasing the thumbstick.

Rotating view

In any moment you can rotate the view by pressing the thumbstick on the right controller towards the left or the right.

Menu

To open the menu, press the Y button on the left controller.
The menu will appear on your left hand, and you can select the options by pointing your right hand on them and pressing the trigger button.

To close the menu, press the Y button on the left controller again.

Reset orientation

In the menu there is the Reset orientation option, that will reposition you exactly at the center of the scene.

Mirroring

The app has a mirroring feature that allows you to create a mirrored copy of the node you are creating.
This is useful for creating symmetrical models, such as characters or vehicles.

The mirroring feature can be activated and deactivated at will, so models can have both symmetrical and asymmetrical parts.

To activate the mirroring feature, open the menu with the Y button on the left controller, and tick the Mirror checkbox.
You will see a green grid on the scene, indicating the mirroring plane.

When the mirror is active, nodes will snap to it when moved. Once a node is snapped to the mirror, it won't leave it until the mirror is deactivated.

Mirroring usage tip:

To create characters, the best way is to start from the center of the body, without using the mirror.
Once a couple of center nodes are created, you can activate the mirror, snap those nodes to the mirror, and then continue with the rest of the body.

You can use the mirror every time you need to perfectly snap nodes to the center.

Exporting

To export the model, open the menu with the Y button on the left controller, and select the Export SKS option.
The model will be exported in a format compatible with Blender, and you can import it in Blender using the SkelSketch addon.
The exported files are in a custom format, and you can only open them with the SkelSketch addon in Blender.

There are 5 export slots available, and you can select the one you want using the slider on the menu.

Note: Exporting a model in a slot will overwrite any previous model in that slot.

Export position

You'll find the exported files in the SkelSketch folder in your Documents folder.
The folder will be created the first time you export a model.
The exported files will be named ExportedSketch_1.sks, ExportedSketch_2.sks, etc. depending on the slot you selected.

You can change the file names and/or move them to another folder to avoid overwriting them in following sessions.

Restart

In the menu you can find the Restart option, that will empty the scene to start a new model.

Note: remember to export your model before restarting, or it will be lost.

Controls compatibility table

The app is designed to be compatible with most VR headsets and controllers, but please note that was not tested on all of them.
Here is a table of the controls compatibility: