Forum Discussion
Floating Avatar for Rise and Storyline
It would be super useful to have a floating avatar to both Rise and Storyline courses.
The attached example shows an avatar positioned on the right-hand side of a Rise lesson, remaining visible as the learner scrolls through. Rather than being embedded within a specific block, the avatar would sit independently above the lesson content and could be positioned anywhere on the screen.
The avatar could serve as a virtual trainer, guide, or assistant, providing narration, instructions, tips, reminders, or contextual support throughout the learning experience.
Potential functionality:
- Position the avatar anywhere on the screen.
- Resize the avatar.
- Keep the avatar fixed while the learner scrolls through a Rise lesson.
- Show or hide the avatar on selected lessons or Storyline slides.
- Associate audio, AI text-to-speech, captions, or speech bubbles with the avatar.
- Choose from different characters, poses, and styles.
- Support transparent PNG backgrounds for seamless integration.
- Trigger animations, messages, or interactions based on learner actions.
Benefits:
A floating avatar would create a more engaging and personalised learning experience by providing a consistent on-screen guide throughout a course. In the example shown, the avatar could explain key information as learners move through the lesson, drawing attention to important notices, mandatory requirements, and other critical content.
Thank you 😀
5 Replies
Hi MeeraLynn-UK,
Thanks for sharing your idea with us! I can see why a floating avatar would be handy in Rise and Storyline- something that stays on screen while learners move through a lesson and points out what matters most.
I’m curious how you draw learners’ attention to important notices and requirements in your courses today. And what happens when someone misses that information? Your answers will help our team better understand your learners and their needs.
Hi LucianaPiazza​ - in Rise there is no overlay option (apart from within labeled graphic block) within a block so, at the moment, if I want to draw attention to important information, I typically use custom blocks with headings such as IMPORTANT, NOTE, or INFORMATION, followed by the guidance I want learners to read. While this works, the information remains tied to the content flow and can easily be missed.
But what I'd like, and suggested, is an overlay avatar that doesn't sit inside blocks only but which "follows" the learner as they go through the lesson/scroll up and down the page. Like an angel waiting to rescue the learner so the learner knows I've got their back. Remote self-study can sometimes feel isolating, and learners may worry that they're missing something or don't know what to do next and who to ask for help😰
In Storyline I insert an image in the corner of all my slides which I've already told the user (in my housekeeping slide) to click if they need help to find out where they need to click next. When the user clicks the image, another silder layer is revealed giving the information they need.
I've attached a screenshot to illustrate this.
Hi MeeraLynn-UK,
Appreciate you following up with additional context! The screenshot and your examples make it easy to picture how you support your learners.
Your custom blocks work, but they stay tied to the content flow and can be missed. You’d like an avatar that follows learners as they scroll, so remote self-study feels less isolating, and they know help is there. It’s clear how much you want your learners to feel supported, and your Storyline corner image that opens a help layer shows how you already do that.
I don’t have anything to share about what’s ahead, but hearing how you support your learners helps us understand what you’re looking for.
Really like this idea, A floating avatar that stays visible while scrolling would make Rise lessons feel much more guided. The key part for me is the positioning and the show/hide per lesson, A trainer that follows you everywhere is helpful, but on some lessons you'd want it out of the way.
The audio / speech bubble pairing is the bit that would sell it — narration tied to the avatar rather than a separate block would keep the lesson cleaner. Transparent PNG support would be essential for it to look right on different backgrounds.
+1 from me, this would be a strong addition to both Rise and Storyline.
Hello DavidJayson,
Welcome to the community, and thanks for adding your voice!
Your examples highlight the balance between giving learners guidance and keeping the content easy to focus on. Control over where and when the avatar appears would be central to making that work, alongside how its narration and appearance fit into the lesson.
I appreciate you laying out what would make this useful for you!
