How to use Metareal Stage: Build Your Own vs. Built For You
There are two ways to create 3D virtual tours, floorplans, and models with Metareal Stage: Build Your Own and Built For You.
When you Build Your Own
Create a new project
Upload your panoramas
Create rooms from your Panos
Assemble your rooms into a tour/model/floorplan
Customize & brand your project
Publish & share
When you have your projects Built For You
Create a new project
Upload your Panos
Submit your project for processing & get your fully-built project back in a matter of days
Customize & brand your project
Publish & share
The answer to that depends on the following:
Metareal Stage is a pretty simple tool, once you get the hang of it. After doing enough tours the process becomes quick and automatic. But it does have a learning curve.
If you have experience with 3D modeling and/or photogrammetry, or maybe you like tinkering with houses in the Sims, it's not going to take you long to learn everything you need to make your own projects. You would likely do better with the Build Your Own route. We have a lot of tutorials on our YouTube channel to help get you up to speed.
If you don't have that experience though, and you just want to focus on photography or your business and don't have extra time to learn the software, then the Built For You route would suit you better.
If you're already familiar with the software, you'll just need an hour or two to build and publish a standard tour. If you're still learning it though, it might take you several weeks before you're building tours with acceptable quality.
That's why, if you're in a rush, have your projects Built For You. Then you can guarantee that your tours will be built by a team of experts in a matter of days.
If you have time to explore though, then take your time and Build Your Own tours. Eventually your building speed and quality will be just as good as the production team's.
Built For You requires an additional processing fee per panorama. The charge depends on your subscription plan. If you Build Your Own though, you don't have to pay that fee.
So if your budget is absolutely zero, then you'll need to Build Your Own projects. But if you have some money to spare, but no time, then have your projects Built For You instead.
There are two types of floorplans we can produce for you: Basic and HQ Schematic. The Basic floorplan is automatically generated whether you Build Your Own or have your tours Built For You. But if you need the HQ Schematic floorplan, you'll need to go the Built For You route.
Now that you've settled on which route to go with:
Learn more about how to shoot 360 panoramas for Metareal Stage
Learn how to Build Your Own tours
Learn how to have your tours Built For You
What's the difference?
When you Build Your Own
Create a new project
Upload your panoramas
Create rooms from your Panos
Assemble your rooms into a tour/model/floorplan
Customize & brand your project
Publish & share
When you have your projects Built For You
Create a new project
Upload your Panos
Submit your project for processing & get your fully-built project back in a matter of days
Customize & brand your project
Publish & share
Which route should you take?
The answer to that depends on the following:
1. Are you willing to learn the software?
Metareal Stage is a pretty simple tool, once you get the hang of it. After doing enough tours the process becomes quick and automatic. But it does have a learning curve.
If you have experience with 3D modeling and/or photogrammetry, or maybe you like tinkering with houses in the Sims, it's not going to take you long to learn everything you need to make your own projects. You would likely do better with the Build Your Own route. We have a lot of tutorials on our YouTube channel to help get you up to speed.
If you don't have that experience though, and you just want to focus on photography or your business and don't have extra time to learn the software, then the Built For You route would suit you better.
2. How soon do you need to have your project built?
If you're already familiar with the software, you'll just need an hour or two to build and publish a standard tour. If you're still learning it though, it might take you several weeks before you're building tours with acceptable quality.
That's why, if you're in a rush, have your projects Built For You. Then you can guarantee that your tours will be built by a team of experts in a matter of days.
If you have time to explore though, then take your time and Build Your Own tours. Eventually your building speed and quality will be just as good as the production team's.
3. How much is your budget?
Built For You requires an additional processing fee per panorama. The charge depends on your subscription plan. If you Build Your Own though, you don't have to pay that fee.
So if your budget is absolutely zero, then you'll need to Build Your Own projects. But if you have some money to spare, but no time, then have your projects Built For You instead.
4. What type of floorplan do you need?
There are two types of floorplans we can produce for you: Basic and HQ Schematic. The Basic floorplan is automatically generated whether you Build Your Own or have your tours Built For You. But if you need the HQ Schematic floorplan, you'll need to go the Built For You route.
What next?
Now that you've settled on which route to go with:
Learn more about how to shoot 360 panoramas for Metareal Stage
Learn how to Build Your Own tours
Learn how to have your tours Built For You
Updated on: 04/10/2023
Thank you!