Adding SitePal Animated Character

With the help of the SitePal module, you can add SitePal speaking animated characters to your site, to enrich site visitor experience and increase sales. You can select the preferred character from the SitePal collection, design the character and scene as desired, and attach an audio file with your commercial to it.

You can create SitePal animated scenes in any language, but the editor interface is available in English only.

Note: To ensure correct operation of the module, enable pop-ups for the Plesk Sitebuilder server in your web browser settings. For viewing SitePal characters, Adobe Flash Player 9.0.115 or later is required.

To add a SitePal character to your site:

1. Go to the Edit step.
2. In the Modules area, click the SitePal module icon and keeping the left mouse button pressed drag the icon to the desired location on the page.

   To insert the module in the beginning of the page, double the click the module title in the Modules area.

3. To set up a character, click Properties on the module title bar.

   When you open the SitePal editor for the first time in your Plesk Sitebuilder Wizard, you see a pop-up window with a welcome message from SitePal. On this dialog, you will also find general information about SitePal characters (on the About Sitepal tab), and a list of available SitePal service packages (on the Packages tab).

   Important: By default, you are using the Free package, which allows you to create only two scenes, use only two models, does not allow using the Text-to-speech feature for creating scene audio and limits the number of streams (that is, playbacks on the site page) to 150 per month. All sites you create in your Plesk Sitebuilder will use one common SitePal package - therefore please bear in mind that the allowed number of scenes, models, and streams per month will be shared between all your sites.

   If later you wish to upgrade to one of the premium packages, use one of the following methods:

   • Click the UPGRADE or BUY button above the scene preview window. Such buttons appear each time you try to use a paid model or feature while working with a Free package.
   • Use the Upgrade Your Account button at the bottom of the page. This button appears after you save your first scene.

   To proceed, close the window. You can view this information any time later by clicking About.

4. In the SitePal editor, click Lets' Start.
5. Select a model you like on the Model Gallery tab.

   The default Free SitePal package allows you to use only two models, which you can choose among the free models only. Paid models are marked with the icon. To filter out the free models, select the Show only the models I own check box.

   If you wish to purchase a model (which requires upgrading to one of the premium packages), click UPGRADE or BUY above the scene preview window and follow the purchasing instructions on the SitePal web site.

6. On the Accessories step, adjust the parameters of the model's exterior.
   • On the Style tab, choose a hair style, clothes, accessories and other attributes for the model by switching between the attribute thumbnails and selecting the preferred design for each attribute in the work area.
   • On the Color tab, adjust the color of the model's hair, skin, eyes, make-up and mouth.
   • On the Attributes tab, you can adjust additional exterior parameters and age the model if necessary.
7. On the Backgrounds step, choose a background for the scene.

   If necessary, upload your own background image by clicking Upload on the Background Gallery tab. You can view and manage your custom backgrounds on the My Background tab.

8. On the Audios step, attach an audio file with the character's message.
   • To produce audio for the scene using the Text-to-speech feature (typed text transformed into an audio file), click the TTS tab.

     Type or paste a text in the text box and choose the language and speaker's voice for this language from the provided boxes. When you select a language, the list of available voices is narrowed down accordingly.

     Note: The Text-to-speech feature is not allowed in the default Free package. To be able to use the feature, click UPGRADE above the scene preview window and follow the package purchasing instructions on the SitePal web site.

   • To record a message using a plugged-in microphone, follow the instructions provided on the Mic tab.
   • To upload an audio file from your computer, follow the instructions provided on the Upload tab.
   • To have your message recorded by one of professional voices, click the Voice Talent tab, click Pick Your Professional Voice below and follow the purchasing instructions on the SitePal web site.
   • To record a message on the phone, follow the instructions provided on the Phone tab.

     You can view, edit or delete the created and uploaded audios on the Saved tab. This tab also contains a number of SitePal commercial audios provided as examples.

9. On the Players tab, select the style of the SitePal scene window.
10. Click Save Scene.
11. Fill in the registration form that opens and click Register.

    After you register with SitePal, the saved scene appears under the Scene List title on the left. Together with it, the default second scene appears, which is proposed as a basis for your new SitePal scene. Your registration details and the Upgrade Your Account button appear at the bottom of the SitePal editor screen.

    Note: The default Free package allows you to create only two scenes. After you exceed this limit, each new scene, when saved, replaces one of the former ones (the earliest one created).

12. Click Settings in the left part of the screen.
13. In the opened window, configure the basic playback settings for the scene and click Apply.

    For instructions on configuring these settings, click on icons in each section of the screen.

14. Click Publish.

    Configure the publishing parameters: the scene dimensions, background color (the color against which the progress bar is displayed when the scene is loading). If you wish the scene to be uploaded by the secure HTTPS protocol, select the Secure Protocol (https) option.

    If you wish the scene to be rendered in browsers with disabled JavaScript (such situations are quite rare, but possible), from the Publish To box, select Web Page (no Javascript). Otherwise, leave the default Standard Web Page option selected.

To create a new scene, click the default second scene (the one automatically created by SitePal editor) under the Scene List title and configure it as described the current procedure.

If you are using the Free package, after you create and save two scenes, you can only reuse models from these scenes; choosing new models, even among the free ones, becomes unavailable.

When reusing a model from one of the previously saved scenes, you have the following options:

• To redesign a formerly used model from scratch, select the check box Show only the models I own on the Models step and select a model you like.
• To reuse a model together with the previously applied design (clothes, hair style, etc.), go to the Saved Models tab on the Models step and select a model you like.