The Streamable Grid is a Scriptable Object that stores information about a grid of Streamable Cells, which in turn represent specific Asset Chunks.
5) Determine which Axes type you wish to use and set it (Grid Axes Sub-Section).
6) Determine how many Rows, Columns, and Layers (3D Axes only) you wish to use (Understanding Rows, Columns and Layers Sub-Section).
7) Change the Rows, and/or Columns, and/or Layers if you do not wish to use the default values (Setting Rows, Columns and Layers Sub-Sections).
8) Decide if you want an expandable World (Want An Expandable World? Sub-Section).
Return To Section Instructions
Axes control whether the Layer value is used in Asset Chunk names, and which axes within the scene Streamable Cells are placed on. There are three options:
1) Three Dimensional: Can have multiple Layers and the Layer value of each Cell is used when loading Asset Chunks (i.e., the layer value MUST be included in the names of your Asset Chunks).
Layers are placed on Y Axis, Rows on Z, and Columns on X.
2) Two Dimensional Using XZ Axes: Only 1 Layer and the Layer value of each Cell is NOT used when loading Asset Chunks (i.e., the layer value MUST NOT be included in the names of your Asset Chunks).
Rows are placed on Z Axis and Columns on X.
3) Two Dimensional Using XY Axes: Only 1 Layer and the Layer value of each Cell is NOT used when loading Asset Chunks (i.e., the layer value MUST NOT be included in the names of your Asset Chunks). Suitable for 2D side scrolling games.
Rows are placed on Y Axis and Columns on X (not useable with Unity Terrain).
2D vs 3D also impacts which components (x, y, z) of the Player position are tracked in order to drive dynamic streaming of World's that use the Streamable Grid (when using an Active Grid). For 2D Axes Types, the player's position on the unused axis has no effect on dynamic streaming.
2D vs 3D should not be chosen based on whether your game is 2D or not! While there is some correlation, a 2D game can use 3D Axes and a 3D game (in many instances) can use 2D Axes. Instead, usually the deciding factor will be whether you want all three Player Position components to drive dynamic streaming (if you are not sure, choose 3D to give yourself more flexibility later).
Confused? Examine Axes In Detail
--Note For Later--
There are some restrictions on the which Axes can be used when using multiple Streaming Grids together on one World. These restrictions will be explained later in the World Setup Sections, and are also explained in the Axes Section From the Streamable Grids Chapter.
--Upgrade Note--
The Axes setting was formerly called the World Type.
--Sample Scene Directions--
Use Two Dimensional Using XZ Axes for all 4 Streamable Grids.
--MicroVerse Directions--
Use Two Dimensional Using XZ Axes for both Streamable Grids, unless you are using a custom scene and are sure that the player's y position should factor into dynamic streaming decisions (in which case, use a Three Dimensional Axes type).
Return To Section Instructions
Each Streamable Grid is made up of Rows, Columns, and Layers of Cells. The number of Rows, Columns, and Layers used is up to you, with one restrictions. If using Two Dimensional Axes, only one Layer can be used.
Each Column can have a unique width, although it is unusual to have columns of different widths on the same Streamable Grid. The same goes for Rows and Layers.
Because Cell Dimensions are defined by the individual Row, Column, and Layer dimensions, all Cells on the same Column will have the same width, all Cells on the same Row will have the same length, and all Cells on the same Layer will have the same height.
Return To Section Instructions
At this time, you should hopefully already have a group of Assets that you have created the Streamable Grid for. If that is the case, you should usually set the number of Rows, Columns, and/or Layers to match the number of assets in that group. If you do not have a pre-existing Asset Chunk group, you can guess at the number of Rows, Columns, and Layers to use.
The number of Rows, Columns, and/or Layers (only visible if the Axes is set to Three Dimensional) can be modified via the Rows, Columns, and Layers fields that sit below the Axes option.
Because changing these values can have a significant impact on the makeup of the Grid and result in the erasure of data (when reducing the number of Rows/Columns/Layers), changing the values does not actually update the Grid's data immediately.
In order to commit the changes, you must press one of the Update buttons that sit below the fields (the difference between them is explained in the next Section).
The number in parenthesis tells you the actual Rows/Columns/Layers values the Grid is currently set to, in cases where you have changed the fields' values but not committed the changes.
--Sample Scene Directions--
For the Terrains Grid, set Rows and Columns to 2. This matches the number of terrain on each axis, so is a good choice.
For the Large Structures grid, you have more freedom, however we recommend setting Rows and Columns to 8.
For both the Plants and Small Objects grids, you also have some leeway, however we recommend setting Rows and Columns to 16.
You can use either Update button after setting the values for each Grid, as we will be disabling all Cells in just a minute anyway.
--MicroVerse Directions--
Since the first grid is intended to represent the terrains, if using the 2x2 Demo scene you can leave the number of rows and columns to their default value of 4. If you are using a custom scene, set the rows/columns to equal the number of rows/columns of terrains/ground meshes you are using.
For the MicroVerse Hierarchy grid, change the number of Rows and Columns both to 1, then use either of the Update buttons to lock in those changes. This grid will just have a single Streamable Cell that contains the hierarchy.
Return To Section Instructions
Streamable Grids can easily be expanded in the positive direction of each axis by adding more rows, columns, and layers (for 3D Grids), however expansion in the negative direction is difficult. Fortunately, with the introduction of Zones, you can now expand your World on the negative axes more easily, by simply adding additional zones when you need to expand.