Key Terms

As described earlier, MaxWhere is available in Desktop and Web versions; additionally, many aspects of MaxWhere spaces can be managed via the MaxWhere Portal.

Before moving on to the particulars of using either of these components, it’s useful to go through a few of the key terms that define the MaxWhere functionalities and user experience:

Space browser

When opening MaxWhere or visiting the MaxWhere Portal, users are presented with a tile-based interface known as the Space Browser. Each tile within the browser is referred to as a space card and represents a 3D space. The space browser includes functionalities for finding, to some extent managing and opening the spaces. Most users interact will interact with the space browser via its category-based filter tool and search bar.

Inside any given space, users can navigate in the 3D using the 3D navigation methods. However, each space also includes a “MaxWhere menu”, which is a 2D menu that appears as an overlay on top of the 3D space. Users can switch between 3D and 2D navigation to access and close the MaxWhere menu using their mouse, keyboard or touchscreen.

Smartboards

2D content presented inside the 3D spaces appears on flat display panels, known as Smartboards, that have a specified position, orientation and size (width and height) within the space. Details of the smartboards (including their appearance and behavior, depending on the content they display) can be configured by their creator.

Projects

2D content stored inside every MaxWhere 3D space can be organized into projects. A project can hold any number of smartboards with a specific arrangement in the 3D space. Projects can be loaded / unloaded via a Project Explorer or optionally via any one of several Selection Panels (selection boards located in the 3D space).

Demo spaces

Spaces that are freely available to anyone, such that each user who enters them will see his or her own content, are referred to as Demo Spaces. With the appropriate subscription level, users are given the option to clone (i.e., create their own duplicate) of any demo space. The new space thus obtained will be owned by the given user, therefore, he or she will have the opportunity to specify its title, description, thumbnail and sharing options, as well as moderate the content inside the space.

Guided tours

Each space can hold any number of guided tours, which are sequences of viewpoints (position, orientation) inside the 3D space. Guided tours can be opened and managed from the Guided Tour menu inside the MaxWhere menu; and viewpoints can be navigated between using either the Guided Tour menu, or the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard.