Test Your World
During development, you are likely to be regularly testing your world. This page outlines some approaches for testing.
When you are building in the desktop editor, you can immediately preview the results in the application.
At the top of the application, you should see the following toolbar:
Previewing toolbar
The three tools on the left control playback of the simulation.
| Tool | Description |
|---|
Play button | The Play button launches the simulation, which does the following:
- Initializes the entities in the world.
- Runs all active scripts in the world.
When a world is first loaded in the desktop editor, the simulation is launched. The scripts continue to execute as long the simulation is playing.
- Starts physics simulation. |
Stop button | The Stop button ends execution of the simulation, including script execution. |
Reset button | The Reset button restarts the simulation from the beginning, including resetting of any runtime variables. |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
Build mode | In Build mode, you can add, manipulate, and remove entities in the world. Through Build mode, you can also develop scripts to power your entities and overall experience. |
Preview mode | In Preview mode, your avatar is dropped into the world at a spawn point, allowing you to explore the world to test various aspects of it.
When Preview mode is launched, the onPlayerEnterWorld Code Block Event is triggered, which allows you to test it. Similarly, when you exit Preview mode, the onPlayerExitWorld event is triggered.
You can also test other player-driven events in the world, such as Custom UIs, collision, navigation, and trigger-based activities.
Tip: In the Main panel of the desktop editor, you can preview from any location. Right-click an entity or a location in the world and select Preview from here. |
If you are collaborating with other people, enabling these options can be disruptive to others’ work in the same world.
| Option | Description |
|---|
Auto-start simulation on preview entry | When enabled, entering Preview mode also presses the Play button. |
Auto-stop simulation on preview exit | When enabled, exiting Preview mode also presses the Stop button.
When the simulation is stopped, you may lose contextual information from the playback. |
In TypeScript, you can push messages through code to the Console log in the desktop editor.
Console log messages
The added message above is pushed to the console as part of the function that responds to the player entering the world. The code looks like the following:
console.log(`added player ${player.name.get()}`);
You can also issue warn and error logging:
console.warn('Game resources at 90%!');
console.error('Cannot spawn the Terrible Turtle!');
Console logging is an important debugging tool in the desktop editor.
- Review the Preview configuration controls before beginning a testing session. See previous.
- When you are building and making changes, press the Stop button.
- Avoid making too many changes before retesting.
- When you are ready to test:
- Press the Reset button to re-initialize the simulation.
- Press the Play button to begin simulation.
- Review console messages as needed.
- Press the Preview mode button to drop in and explore.
- Review console messages as needed.
- Be direct in what you explore.
- To stop previewing, press ESC. You are returned to Build mode.
- Make changes in your assets or TypeScript.
- Repeat.
- Periodically, you should test your world in VR.
- If you are developing for mobile, you should regularly test on a mobile device.
Tip: Periodically, you should test in VR.
Testing in VR typically focuses on refinements to your world. You can verify things like:
- Entities are placed in the correct location. No unexpected gaps have been created.
- Collision volumes work as expected.
- Navigation volumes work as expected.
- Gameplay is functioning properly.
- Physics of entities and avatars works as expected.
- Overall experience is satisfying.
In the VR headset, you can enable a set of runtime utilities in your wrist.
- In the headset, click the menu button on the left controller.
- Click the Settings icon.
- Click the Utilities tab.
- Select Turn on utilities menu.
The Utilities menu is now available in your avatar’s wrist when you are in VR.
Utilities menu
- In the headset, click the menu button on the right controller.
- From the toolbar, launch your preferred development environment.
- Click the menu button on the left controller.
- In the toolbar, click the Create button.
- Select your world to edit.
- Your world is opened for editing. You are placed initially in Preview mode, which simulates a player exploring it.
In Build mode, you can perform edits to your world while you are in the headset.
You cannot edit TypeScript in VR.
- To enter Build mode, pull down and hold on the right thumbstick while in VR.
- To exit Build mode and return to Preview mode, push Up on the left thumbstick.
- To exit your world, switch to Preview mode. Press the menu button on the left controller. Then, from the context menu select Shutdown Server. Your changes are saved, and the world is shut down to all users.
For more information on setting up a testing environment for mobile and web, see
Preview device.
