LUIDA › Scene menu

Two commands: create a new experiment scene from the LUIDA template, or duplicate the currently-open scene to start a variant.

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LUIDA › Scene is a small two-command sub-menu in the Unity top bar. It's how you add new experiment scenes (or variants of an existing one) to the project. Doing this through the menu rather than copy-pasting .unity files manually matters: the commands also set up the per-scene generated assets (StateList, ExperimentVariables) and ensure the new scene lives in the correct folder for the LUIDA runtime to find it.

The two commands

`LUIDA › Scene › Create new scene`

Opens a small dialog asking for a new scene name. After you confirm:

Unity creates Assets/_Experiment_/Scenes/<YourName>.unity from the LUIDA template scene.
The scene is opened in the editor.
The matching Settings/StateList/<YourName>.asset and Settings/ExperimentVariables/<YourName>.js files are not created yet — you'll be prompted to "activate the automation feature" the first time you open the Configure experiment automation window on this scene.

Use this when you want a clean experiment from scratch. The template scene includes the runtime prefabs (LUIDA-ExpManagers) pre-placed at the world origin, so the new scene is immediately functional even before you customize anything.

Screenshot pending — the LUIDA › Scene › Create new scene dialog with "Stroop_v2" typed in.

`LUIDA › Scene › Duplicate current scene`

Asks for a new scene name, then:

Saves the currently-open scene (prompts if there are unsaved changes).
Creates Assets/_Experiment_/Scenes/<YourName>.unity as an exact copy of the active scene.
Also duplicates the matching Settings/StateList/<SourceSceneName>.asset and Settings/ExperimentVariables/<SourceSceneName>.js into the new scene's names, so the new scene immediately has the same automation configuration as the source.

Use this when you want to fork an existing experiment to make a variant — e.g., a pilot version, a different condition setup, or a follow-up study sharing most of the same setup. Forking via Duplicate current scene keeps everything wired up; copying .unity files manually loses the per-scene asset bindings.

Duplicate current scene only works if the active scene lives under Assets/_Experiment_/Scenes/. Scenes outside that folder show a "not a valid experiment scene" error — the LUIDA runtime expects scenes in that path and won't load them from elsewhere.

What a "valid experiment scene" needs

The Scene menu commands generate the right folder layout for you, but if you're inheriting a scene from somewhere else (e.g., a colleague's project), here's what makes it valid:

Located at Assets/_Experiment_/Scenes/<Name>.unity.
Contains the LUIDA-ExpManagers prefab (or equivalent root that hosts the state machine, condition manager, and participant manager).
Contains the LUIDA-DataCollector prefab if the scene logs custom data (insert via GameObject › LUIDA › Data Collector).
Has a Settings/StateList/<Name>.asset and Settings/ExperimentVariables/<Name>.js referenced by the prefab.

Opening such a scene and choosing LUIDA › Configure experiment automation lets you edit it through the LUIDA tabs.

Common pitfalls

Renaming a .unity file in the Project panel without renaming the matching StateList / ExperimentVariables files. The references go stale. Always use Duplicate current scene for renames, then delete the old scene.
Putting scenes outside Assets/_Experiment_/Scenes/. They open in Unity but the LUIDA editor windows refuse them. Move into the right folder.
Two scenes sharing the same StateList asset. Possible but error-prone — edits to the state machine in one scene affect the other. Stick to one StateList per scene unless you have a specific reason to share.

Where to go next

Configure experiment automation → Variables — the first tab you'll fill in on a new scene.
Connect to Web Console — wire ExpIdentifiers.js to your registered experiment.
Project layout — the bigger picture of where scenes and their settings live.
Tutorial 1 — Priming + Proteus Effect (without LUIDA automation) — uses Duplicate current scene to build the Priming variant from the Hello LUIDA starter.