Desktop & Mobile user interface

The desktop and mobile versions of Arkio have a similar UI to the VR version. You are still working with objects that auto-collide and glue together like working with a physical model. The main difference between the desktop and mobile versions of Arkio is that you are using a mouse and keyboard vs touch controls.

When you start Arkio in Windows/iOS/Android without VR headset the navigation tools are located in the bottom-left and right corners. The default tool when starting the app is the orbit tool in the bottom-left corner.

To join a meeting,  tap on the meeting icon in the toolbar, type in the meeting name and password you've been provided with, and select Connect. You can do the same to initiate a new meeting from your device.

Pann, zoom and orbit

Panning and zooming in Arkio can be done using your scroll wheel on a mouse or using a two-finger pinch gesture on the model on mobile touchscreen devices.

When the orbit tool is selected in the bottom-left corner you can orbit around the model freely by touching/clicking anywhere on the screen and dragging the model around. If the orbit tool is not selected you can also orbit around the model by tapping/clicking outside the model and the green worktable and dragging your finger or mouse.

PC/Mac navigation

• Middle mouse scroll to zoom in and out
• Middle mouse press to pann
• Right-click anywhere on the screen to orbit around the model
• Use the orbit or teleport tool on the bottom left corner to directly orbit or teleport
• Use the thumbstick navigation controls for walking and viewing
• Use the WASD keys (+Q and E) or Arrow keys on the keyboard to walk and the right mouse button to view

iOS/Android navigation

• Two-finger pinch gesture to zoom in and out
• Two-finger swipe gestures to pan
• Touch and drag anywhere on the sky, the ground below the worktable or the bottom of the worktable to orbit the camera if an editing tool is selected.
• Use the orbit or teleport tool on the bottom left corner to directly orbit or teleport
• Use the thumbstick navigation controls for walking and viewing

Walking mode

In the bottom left and right corners, you'll find two navigation pads, the left one moves the camera like walking in human-scale and the right navigation pad rotates the camera around. On a PC you can also use your arrow keys on the keyboard to walk around and your right mouse button to look around

Using tools

Tools are activated in Arkio by clicking on the top toolbar buttons, the active tool will be highlighted and additional tool options may be shown on the right side of your screen. This right menu can sometimes be expanded for more options like selecting other colors or shapes/assets to create.

Tools like Create or Sketch require a drag motion while others like Paint require a single tap or click. The below example shows sketching on the model using the Sketch tool.

Some tools like the Create, Edit or Move work in three dimensions requiring toggling between working in a primary or secondary axis. While creating, moving or editing shapes you can briefly tap a second finger on your screen while still holding the first finger down to switch between axes.

PC/Mac tool usage

• Left-click anywhere on the model to use your active tool and release for finalize the position
• While using the Move/Edit tool you can press the space bar or click on the right mouse button to change the axis of the active tool
• While moving objects you can press the left/right keyboard arrows to rotate the selected object 45deg around its vertical axis. You can also hold the arrow keys to rotate the objects more slowly
• While moving objects you can press Ctrl+C (or CMD+C on a Mac) to duplicate your current selection

iOS/Android tool usage

• Tap anywhere on the model to start using a tool and drag to your final position
• While using the Move/Edit tool tap on the screen with a 2nd finger to to change the axis 
• While moving objects you can touch the screen with a 2nd finger and slide left/right to rotate the selected object around its axis (bashing an object to the ground makes the default axis vertical)