Distance Factors for Stairs and Escalators

Stairs and Escalators, when used as filtering objects rather than as direct targets, have a parameter named 'Distance Factor' and, as part of LEGION Model Builder's auto-navigation it influences how Entities perceive the effort required to follow particular routes and therefore how they decide which route, terrain or vertical circulation elements to take.

Escalators have a default Distance Factor of 0.2, implying that for every metre travelled an Entity will use only 20% of the energy they would walking one metre on flat ground. Stairs have a Distance Factor of 1.98, implying that using the stairs requires almost twice the effort per metre than walking on flat ground. This illustration shows how this perceived effort can influence an Entity's choice of route.

While the actual distance of the Stair Route is shorter than the distance of the Escalator Route, the perceived distance in terms of effort is much longer, so the Entity will choose the Escalator Route as the effort required is less even though the distance is greater.