How to control camera when av is moving?

[LydiaDeCremorne]

I hope no-one minds this slightly off topic post here: i figured this would be the best place to find people who know the ins and outs of camera control.

So...this is relevant to machinima. I need a way to make sure the camera is locked to the avatar's pov when sat on a moving (pirate) ship. As the ship turns, the camera drifts away from where the avatar is looking and I have to keep readjusting the position. I think the difficulty lies in the position of my av, it is facing perpendicularly to the usual view, as it is a gunner - and thus faces out to sea.

Is this something I can change myself with firestorm camera tools, or is down to the creator of the ship to map the camera positions? 

Thanks in advance.

[ByteDreams Slade]

I'm guessing - I think you Alt-left click the avatar to lock the camera. I can recall using that to zoom out from the avatar to see more road while riding on a  motorcycle. Firestorm lets you save and load camera positions as preset, and I think SL viewer has on their camera tool also. Maybe take a look at the Spot-on tool sets which choreographers use to position, move, and animate avatars as well.  Hope this helps.

Edited June 20, 2021 by ByteDreams Slade

[LydiaDeCremorne]

Sorry for the late reply. Thank you! I did not know about these.

[Nalates Urriah]

Controlling the camera with mouse only gets tricky. Assuming you are in 3rd person view, the Alt-LMB will lock the focus point on a target, stationary or moving. As a moving object moves so will the camera. It follows. But the camera angle does not change. Say you click and the camera is looking north. As the object turns the camera remains looking north.

IF you are in 1st person view (press M) the camera is anchored to the avatar. If the avatar is riding something and it turns, so does the avatar and camera.

Things change when you turn the object, i.e., steer a boat. Now everything depends on how the boat or whatever is programmed to control the camera. Pressing a key to turn usually snaps the camera to a pre-programmed position. There may be camera controls in the vehicle or whatever. But, it tends to be a battle between steering and camera positions. Steering usually breaks the Alt-LMB lock.

You can find all the camera control's explanations and shortcuts here.

The SL Marketplace has a number of camera control add-ons.

Those doing machinima in SL usually opt for a SpaceNavigator - 3D mouse. I have several videos up using SN. Look here.

 

[Jackson Redstar]

there are huds on MP where you can 'lock' a camera for a particular angle on a moving avatar,  as well as some free scripts you can find to put in a prim and attach it to yourself where you can then  the camera angle to any position. of course you'll want to attach the prim to like the pelvis or spine 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Jackson Redstar