Help With The Camera - GameCreators Forum

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negi

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Posted: 18th Aug 2011 04:59

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I am trying to make a game that has the same kind of camera as Command And Conquer but I can't seem to get the camera to point at the ground and move indipendintly of the way it's facing can anyone help?

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Hassan

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Posted: 18th Aug 2011 15:33 Edited at: 18th Aug 2011 15:35

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well just change the object x and z and leave the y, and don't change rotation, for example:

+ Code Snippet

if ( dbUpKey ( ) )
dbPositionCamera ( dbCameraPositionX ( ) + 1, dbCameraPositionY ( ), dbCameraPositionZ ( ) );

that will move on the X axis when 'up' is pressed, without changing the camera direction

one more option, which is better (since you can press 'up' and move backwards in case the camera is in opposite direction), is to take camera angle and move according to it, for example:

dbMoveCamera ( 5 ); //move forward and capture the position there
D3DXVECTOR3 tempVecPos ( dbCameraPositionX ( ), 0, dbCameraPositionZ ( ) );
dbMoveCamera ( -5 ); //then go back, just as if nothing happened :D
D3DXVECTOR3 forwardVec ( dbCameraPositionX ( ), 0, dbCameraPositionZ ( ) );
forwardVec = tempVecPos - forwardVec; //now we have the direction to move in forwardVec
D3DXVec3Normalize ( &forwardVec, &forwardVec ); //make the direction a unit vector so movement speed is constant regardless the pitch of the camera

//IF YOU WANT MORE/LESS SPEED ADD THIS
forwardVec *= speed; //if speed is more than 1, motion is faster, between 0 and 1, motion is slower

if ( dbUpKey ( ) )
dbPositionCamera ( dbCameraPositionX ( ) + forwardVec.x, dbCameraPositionY ( ), dbCameraPositionZ ( ) + forwardVec.z );
if ( dbDownKey ( ) )
dbPositionCamera ( dbCameraPositionX ( ) - forwardVec.x, dbCameraPositionY ( ), dbCameraPositionZ ( ) - forwardVec.z );
if ( dbRightKey ( ) ) //just strafe
{
dbTurnCameraRight ( 90 );
dbMoveCamera ( speed );
dbTurnCameraLeft ( 90 );
}
if ( dbLeftKey ( ) ) //just strafe
{
dbTurnCameraLeft ( 90 );
dbMoveCamera ( speed );
dbTurnCameraRight ( 90 );
}

+ Code Snippet

dbMoveCamera ( 5 ); //move forward and capture the position there
D3DXVECTOR3 tempVecPos ( dbCameraPositionX ( ), 0, dbCameraPositionZ ( ) );
dbMoveCamera ( -5 ); //then go back, just as if nothing happened :D
D3DXVECTOR3 forwardVec ( dbCameraPositionX ( ), 0, dbCameraPositionZ ( ) );
forwardVec = tempVecPos - forwardVec; //now we have the direction to move in forwardVec
D3DXVec3Normalize ( &forwardVec, &forwardVec ); //make the direction a unit vector so movement speed is constant regardless the pitch of the camera

//IF YOU WANT MORE/LESS SPEED ADD THIS
forwardVec *= speed; //if speed is more than 1, motion is faster, between 0 and 1, motion is slower

if ( dbUpKey ( ) )
dbPositionCamera ( dbCameraPositionX ( ) + forwardVec.x, dbCameraPositionY ( ), dbCameraPositionZ ( ) + forwardVec.z );
if ( dbDownKey ( ) )
dbPositionCamera ( dbCameraPositionX ( ) - forwardVec.x, dbCameraPositionY ( ), dbCameraPositionZ ( ) - forwardVec.z );
if ( dbRightKey ( ) ) //just strafe
{
dbTurnCameraRight ( 90 );
dbMoveCamera ( speed );
dbTurnCameraLeft ( 90 );
}
if ( dbLeftKey ( ) ) //just strafe
{
dbTurnCameraLeft ( 90 );
dbMoveCamera ( speed );
dbTurnCameraRight ( 90 );
}

note that camera rotation Z (i.e dbRollCamera) shouldn't be altered, it must be 0

and one final thing: this is not tested, please let me know if you get any errors, and also there are a lot of ways not only this, find the one that suits you

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Hawkblood

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Posted: 18th Aug 2011 15:42 Edited at: 18th Aug 2011 15:45

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Not familiar with Command and Conquer... I think it points the camera from an overhead position at a spot on the ground and you can rotate around that point and zoom in and out...? You don't want to "orbit", you just want to "rotate"....? If that's the case, I have a solution:
make some globals:

+ Code Snippet

float px=0;
float py=0;
float pz=0;
float Zoom=50;
float Angle=0;

And now the function:

void MoveCamera(void){
  dbPositionCamera(0,px,py,pz);
  dbPointCamera(0,px,py-10,pz);
  dbRollCamera(Angle);
  int mx,my;
  mx=dbMousePositionX();//i think this is the command...
  my=dbMousePositionY();
  if (mx==0){
    dbRollCameraLeft(90);
    dbMoveCameraUp(1);
    dbRollCameraRight(90);
  }
  if (mx==ScreenW){//ScreenW is your screen's width
    dbRollCameraRight(90);
    dbMoveCameraUp(1);
    dbRollCameraLeft(90);
  }
  if (my==0){
    dbMoveCameraUp(1);
  }
  if (my==ScreenH){ScreenH is your screen's height
    dbMoveCameraDown(1);
  }
  if (dbMouseClick()==2){//rotate the camera around the point
    dbRollCamera(dbMouseX()/10.0);//adjust this to what you want for sinsitivity
  }
  //At this point you will want to put in the collision control for the ground. This collision will adjust the py value to be always on the ground.
  Zoom+=dbCameraZ();//will zoom in and out with the "scroll" wheel
  dbPitchCameraUp(22.5);//this will get the camera to look a little from the side of the px,py,pz point
  dbMoveCamera(0,-Zoom);//this will move the camera out to position
}

+ Code Snippet

void MoveCamera(void){
  dbPositionCamera(0,px,py,pz);
  dbPointCamera(0,px,py-10,pz);
  dbRollCamera(Angle);
  int mx,my;
  mx=dbMousePositionX();//i think this is the command...
  my=dbMousePositionY();
  if (mx==0){
    dbRollCameraLeft(90);
    dbMoveCameraUp(1);
    dbRollCameraRight(90);
  }
  if (mx==ScreenW){//ScreenW is your screen's width
    dbRollCameraRight(90);
    dbMoveCameraUp(1);
    dbRollCameraLeft(90);
  }
  if (my==0){
    dbMoveCameraUp(1);
  }
  if (my==ScreenH){ScreenH is your screen's height
    dbMoveCameraDown(1);
  }
  if (dbMouseClick()==2){//rotate the camera around the point
    dbRollCamera(dbMouseX()/10.0);//adjust this to what you want for sinsitivity
  }
  //At this point you will want to put in the collision control for the ground. This collision will adjust the py value to be always on the ground.
  Zoom+=dbCameraZ();//will zoom in and out with the "scroll" wheel
  dbPitchCameraUp(22.5);//this will get the camera to look a little from the side of the px,py,pz point
  dbMoveCamera(0,-Zoom);//this will move the camera out to position
}

Hope this helps.

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negi

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Posted: 19th Aug 2011 02:01

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The camera doesn't need to rotate accually it can't, I need the camera to look down and move forward, backward, left, and right. kind of like being in a heliocopter looking out and moving forward.

But thanks for the suggestions.

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negi

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Posted: 19th Aug 2011 03:04

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Ok I kind of figured it out I got the camera to move forward and backward but it wont go left or right.

here is the code

+ Code Snippet

if ( dbUpKey())
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			CameraZ = dbCameraPositionZ(1);
			CameraZ++;	
		}

		if ( dbDownKey() )
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			CameraZ = dbCameraPositionZ(1);
			CameraZ--;
		}

		if ( dbLeftKey() )
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
			CameraX--;	
		}
		if ( dbRightKey() )
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
			CameraX++;
		}

can anyone tell me what I did wrong?

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Hawkblood

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Posted: 19th Aug 2011 06:02

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This part of your code is not needed:

+ Code Snippet

CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
and all the others like it......

If you declared the camera's position using CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ earlier in your program, you don't need to tell those variables they are for the camera....

I can't tell if you did anything wrong exactly.... The snippet you showed may not contain the problem.

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negi

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Posted: 19th Aug 2011 09:00

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Ok then here is the complete code listing.

#include "DarkGDK.h"

void DarkGDK ( void )
{
	// turn on sync rate and set maximum rate to 60 fps
	dbSyncOn   ( );
	dbSyncRate ( 60 );
	dbSetDisplayMode(1920,1080,32);
	dbMaximizeWindow();
	dbMakeCamera(1);
	
	dbPointCamera(0,0,0);
	dbPositionCamera(1,0,80,0);
	
	//dbLoadObject("TempBace.x",1);
	//dbLoadObject("DefaltGrassBace.x",2);
	//dbLoadImage("TopBar.png",1);
	//dbSprite(1,0,0,1);

float CameraX =0.0; //dbCameraPositionX(1);
	float CameraY =0.0; //dbCameraPositionY(1);
	float CameraZ =0.0; //dbCameraPositionZ(1);

// our main loop
	while ( LoopGDK ( ) )
	{

//dbPositionObject(1,0,0,0);
		//dbControlCameraUsingArrowKeys(1,1,1);
		//dbPositionObject(2,0,0,0);
		dbXRotateCamera(1,50);

dbMakeMatrix(1,1000,1000,100,100);
		dbPositionMatrix(1,-500,-500,20);
		dbGhostMatrixOn(1);

if ( dbUpKey())
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			//CameraZ = dbCameraPositionZ(1);
			// CameraY = dbCameraPositionY(1);
			 CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
			CameraZ++;	
		}

if ( dbDownKey() )
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			//CameraZ = dbCameraPositionZ(1);
			//CameraY = dbCameraPositionY(1);
			//CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
			CameraZ--;
		}

if ( dbLeftKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraLeft(1,1);
			//dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			//CameraX += dbCameraPositionX(1);
			//CameraX--;	
		}
		if ( dbRightKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraRight(1,1);
			//dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			CameraX += dbCameraPositionX(1);
			//CameraX ++;
		}

// update the screen
		dbSync();
	}

// return back to windows
	return;
}

+ Code Snippet


#include "DarkGDK.h"

void DarkGDK ( void )
{
	// turn on sync rate and set maximum rate to 60 fps
	dbSyncOn   ( );
	dbSyncRate ( 60 );
	dbSetDisplayMode(1920,1080,32);
	dbMaximizeWindow();
	dbMakeCamera(1);
	
	dbPointCamera(0,0,0);
	dbPositionCamera(1,0,80,0);
	
	//dbLoadObject("TempBace.x",1);
	//dbLoadObject("DefaltGrassBace.x",2);
	//dbLoadImage("TopBar.png",1);
	//dbSprite(1,0,0,1);
	

	float CameraX =0.0; //dbCameraPositionX(1);
	float CameraY =0.0; //dbCameraPositionY(1);
	float CameraZ =0.0; //dbCameraPositionZ(1);
	

	// our main loop
	while ( LoopGDK ( ) )
	{

		
		//dbPositionObject(1,0,0,0);
		//dbControlCameraUsingArrowKeys(1,1,1);
		//dbPositionObject(2,0,0,0);
		dbXRotateCamera(1,50);

		dbMakeMatrix(1,1000,1000,100,100);
		dbPositionMatrix(1,-500,-500,20);
		dbGhostMatrixOn(1);

		if ( dbUpKey())
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			//CameraZ = dbCameraPositionZ(1);
			// CameraY = dbCameraPositionY(1);
			 CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
			CameraZ++;	
		}

		if ( dbDownKey() )
		{
			dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			//CameraZ = dbCameraPositionZ(1);
			//CameraY = dbCameraPositionY(1);
			//CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
			CameraZ--;
		}

		if ( dbLeftKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraLeft(1,1);
			//dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			//CameraX += dbCameraPositionX(1);
			//CameraX--;	
		}
		if ( dbRightKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraRight(1,1);
			//dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			CameraX += dbCameraPositionX(1);
			//CameraX ++;
		}

		
		
		
		// update the screen
		dbSync();
	}

	// return back to windows
	return;
}

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Hawkblood

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Posted: 19th Aug 2011 15:26

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You have some inconsistant code:

+ Code Snippet

		if ( dbLeftKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraLeft(1,1);
			//dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			//CameraX += dbCameraPositionX(1);
			//CameraX--;	
		}
		if ( dbRightKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraRight(1,1);
			//dbPositionCamera(1,CameraX,CameraY,CameraZ);
			CameraX += dbCameraPositionX(1);
			//CameraX ++;
		}

I've modified it:

+ Code Snippet

		if ( dbLeftKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraLeft(1,1);
			CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);	
		}
		if ( dbRightKey() )
		{
			dbMoveCameraRight(1,1);
			CameraX = dbCameraPositionX(1);
		}

I think that will work better.

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Dark GDK / Help With The Camera