Professional RTS Camera Movement

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Lazlazlaz 1

19

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Joined: 18th Sep 2005

Location: England

Posted: 27th Apr 2006 19:47

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I posted this on the codebase, but i thought i would post it here too to get some feedback.

Quote: "
RTS Camera Movement - This camera control system functions like in any professional RTS game. You move the mouse close to the edge and the screen moves, move it closer and the screen moves faster. It also allows for different speeds and angles for the camera
Full Description

This code works by seeing if the mouse is close to the edge (within two different distances) this is worked out as a value relative to the screen width and height. Left and right movement is simple enough using the move camera left/right commands.
Moving the camera forward/backward and maintain the angle the camera faces down can be done easily without any vector work. You just angle the camera to face directly forward as is default (angle camera 0), move it the required speed, then angle it back to the original angle."

Hmm

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Gen

20

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Joined: 6th Jul 2004

Location: Oklahoma, USA

Posted: 27th Apr 2006 20:56

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Use

+ Code Snippet

instead

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Lazlazlaz 1

19

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Joined: 18th Sep 2005

Location: England

Posted: 27th Apr 2006 22:28

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well for some reason it wont let me edit the last post (says unknown system error.sorry i have to abort now). so this the code:

REM Global variables to be declared before rest of program

global cam_speed# = 1.0 `camera speed
global cam_height# = 30 `camera's height above the terrain
global mat_num = 1 `matrix number

FUNCTION camera_control()
   if mousex()>screen width() - (screen width()/50) `slow right
      move camera right (cam_speed#/2)
   endif
   if mousex()<screen width()/50 `slow left
      move camera left (cam_speed#/2)
   endif
   if mousex()>screen width() - (screen width()/100) `fast right
      move camera right cam_speed#
   endif
   if mousex()< screen width()/100 `fast left
      move camera left cam_speed#
   endif
   if mousey()>screen height() - (screen height()/25) `slow backward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera -(cam_speed#/2)
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   if mousey()<screen height()/25 `slow forward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera (cam_speed#/2)
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   if mousey()>screen height() - (screen height()/100) `fast backward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera -cam_speed#
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   if mousey()<screen height()/100 `fast forward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera cam_speed#
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   position camera camera position x(),(get ground height(mat_num,camera position x(),camera position z())+cam_height#),camera position z()
ENDFUNCTION

+ Code Snippet

REM Global variables to be declared before rest of program

global cam_speed# = 1.0 `camera speed
global cam_height# = 30 `camera's height above the terrain
global mat_num = 1 `matrix number



FUNCTION camera_control()
   if mousex()>screen width() - (screen width()/50) `slow right
      move camera right (cam_speed#/2)
   endif
   if mousex()<screen width()/50 `slow left
      move camera left (cam_speed#/2)
   endif
   if mousex()>screen width() - (screen width()/100) `fast right
      move camera right cam_speed#
   endif
   if mousex()< screen width()/100 `fast left
      move camera left cam_speed#
   endif
   if mousey()>screen height() - (screen height()/25) `slow backward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera -(cam_speed#/2)
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   if mousey()<screen height()/25 `slow forward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera (cam_speed#/2)
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   if mousey()>screen height() - (screen height()/100) `fast backward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera -cam_speed#
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   if mousey()<screen height()/100 `fast forward
      cx=camera angle x()
      xrotate camera 0
      move camera cam_speed#
      xrotate camera cx
   endif
   position camera camera position x(),(get ground height(mat_num,camera position x(),camera position z())+cam_height#),camera position z()
ENDFUNCTION

Hmm

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Gen

20

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Joined: 6th Jul 2004

Location: Oklahoma, USA

Posted: 30th Apr 2006 07:18

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The exact same wy I was doing it, except I didn't have the fast or slow depending on the distance from the edge of the screen.

Looks nice

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Lazlazlaz 1

19

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Joined: 18th Sep 2005

Location: England

Posted: 1st May 2006 23:11

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thanks

Hmm

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Doctor Duddits

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Joined: 9th Feb 2005

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Posted: 24th May 2006 15:43

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too complicate for a simple mind like me

Same Shit Different Day

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Phaelax

DBPro Master

21

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Joined: 16th Apr 2003

Location: Metropia

Posted: 24th May 2006 19:10

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So basically, it looks like the camera will constantly be moving? Not sure why you're dividing everything like that.

Here's a way to get a more variable speed rather than just slow or fast.

+ Code Snippet

REM max speed of camera
S# = 5.0

REM mouse distance from bottom of screen
D = screen height() - mousey()

REM if mouse is less than 40 pixels from bottom of screen
if D < 40
    rem number between 0 and 1 for variable speed
    P# = (40-D)/40.0
    rem moves camera between 0.025(1/40) and 1.0(40/40)
    rem depending on how close to the edge of the screen the mouse is
    move camera S#*P#
endif

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Code Snippets / Professional RTS Camera Movement