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Project Update
We have completed most tasks associated with the grant on our staging website, but have not yet pushed these to the live site. We scaled back some of our web monetization features to focus on areas that facilitate the creation and sharing of projects. These published projects are then monetized through WM. This level of integration, applying WM to published projects, is complete on the staging website. We will also include a call to action around WM on the home page to encourage users to participate in the program.
This grant has facilitated many major improvements to REACH (all implemented on the staging site).
Users can now browse and discover published projects (where WM is implemented).
Users can now search and filter published projects and assets from their library.
We have created a new, much improved asset manager, which includes integration with Sketchfab so new creators can more easily make and publish projects by drawing on a library of existing Sketchfab assets.
We also added the ability to pre-load users’ libraries with any assets we have created to make it easier for them to create projects from scratch.
We also implemented a new visual design throughout and improved the sign up/log in flow.
REACH has taken an enormous step forward thanks to the support of this grant. These new features have completely transformed the platform and we can’t wait to iron out the last couple of issues and launch to the public.
Progress on objectives
1) User Experience Refinement - Undo, Redo, Better project loading, web monetization modules implementation
We have implemented WM on published projects, and refined the platform UX throughout.
2) Sketchfab & Project viewing & Search, add and test Web Monetization standards with specific REACH projects (fashion show, Hayami)
We have implemented Sketchfab integration, project viewing with browse and search, and while we haven’t tested WM with these specific projects, we have tested in generally.
3) Timeline tool (Alpha), web interface design improvements, gather discovery from implementation of Web Monetization in specific REACH projects
We have developed exploratory wireframes for the timeline tool, but we decided that in order to pursue a broader rollout of Web Monetization a higher feature priority is to allow users to share their published projects with others through a browse interface similar to YouTube or Vimeo. That way we can apply Web Monetization to more publicly discoverable published XR pieces. We have implemented the Browse section.
4) Asset Management, Implement improvements of Web Monetization
We have implemented a new asset manager that makes it much easier to upload and browse assets. We’ve also implemented Sketchfab integration in the asset manager so that users now have access to a huge library of assets they can import into their projects. In addition, we can now pre-load the asset manager with REACH-created assets.
5) Timeline tool (Beta) & Multiple scenes storytelling, Web monetizaton module final Testing & QA
We have completed final testing and Q&A for WM. The timeline tool has been tabled, as described above.
6) Option for publishing and embedding content, refinements and REACH toolset final Testing and QA
We have completed publishing and embedding content through Share, and have completed final testing and Q&A. Before pushing changes live from the staging site to the live site we do need to address some issues (not WM related) that came up in testing. We are holding these updates until we have a window to launch with more of a focussed PR and outreach effort.
7) Post-grant period - Marketing and outreach
Once we complete development on the subscription system, we will target new Universities to incorporate REACH as part of their immersive development courses, journalism, and other departments that can benefit from it. Our CEO always has a large marketing platform due to her public profile, so we plan to use that to market the platform as well.
Key activities
We have completed the following activities:
Hired development team and UX designer.
Completed wireframes for: Asset Manager, Browse section, Search, Sketchfab integration, Share, Timeline, Asset Hierarchy and Grouping
Completed visual designs for: Asset Manager, Browse section, Search, Sketchfab integration, Share
Built and tested new features (launched on staging site): Asset Manager, Browse section, Search, Sketchfab integration, Share, improved Library.
Updated visual design throughout the entire platform and tweaked many additional features.
Communications and marketing
We have completed the following activities:
Redesigned trailer
Shot and edited first version of the trailer - https://www.dropbox.com/s/gzwgzjtdva7i7ur/REACH%20Hype%20V6.mp4?dl=0
Prepped material for new trailer once the wireframes are completed.
Created a “how-to” that will also be ready to swap material once we have new screenshots of the redeveloped site.
Begun new scripts to integrate more information on how web monetization works in REACH.
What’s next?
We have a manageable list of updates that were uncovered in QA and need to be addressed before we can launch all these new features and visual design on the live website. We also need to implement a revised home page design. This work is being scheduled for late summer so we can also have time to prepare a communications strategy for the launch.
What community support would benefit your project?
At launch, sign up for REACH and share the launch announcement.
Other sources for funding.
Top comments (2)
This is so cool!!!! Can you make sure to post when this goes live? I think this community would be keen to play, build and test out the WM considering most users here are WMized and have payment pointers.