201 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
201 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
# Cameras and triggers
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The game has no free camera: it follows the llama on its own, and special objects in the level
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change how it does that – camera zones, focus points and cut scenes. Other invisible objects react
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when the llama enters an area or comes close: secrets, cut-scene triggers, force zones. This
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chapter shows how to see, set up and tune all of them.
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## How the game camera works
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During play the camera hangs behind the llama at a certain **distance** and **height** and turns
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with it smoothly. Camera objects change these values while the llama is inside their area:
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* a **camera zone** sets the height, distance and often a fixed view direction (yaw),
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* a **focus point** turns the camera towards an object when the llama is near,
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* a **cut scene** takes over the camera completely and flies it along a path.
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All camera objects are invisible in the game. In the editor they are drawn as markers, their
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areas as boxes and their cameras as frusta (pyramids showing the view).
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## The start camera
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The **Llama** (the player start) owns a waypoint chain. Its **first node is the camera's start
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position** when the level begins; the game then moves the camera to its normal place behind the
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llama. Levels made with the editor put this node 8 cells behind the llama (the
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[Player start](09-objects.md#player-start) setup keeps it there when you move the start).
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The Llama's *Camera mode* parameter switches between the normal and an alternative camera
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behaviour.
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> **Note:** In the original levels the Llama's chain is often a longer list used by the level's
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> scripts (for example the village's fly-by at the start). Edit it with care.
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## Camera zones
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A camera zone is an object with a **box**: two waypoints marking opposite corners on the ground.
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While the llama stands inside the box (the game only tests x and z), the zone controls the camera.
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Edit the box with the [Zones and triggers tool](#the-zones-and-triggers-tool-j).
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### CameraSide
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The most common camera zone. Its parameters (Inspector → **Object parameters**):
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| Parameter | Meaning |
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|---|---|
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| **Height** | Camera height above the llama, 0 = keep the current value |
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| **Distance** | Horizontal distance behind the llama, 0 = keep |
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| **Yaw mode** | **free**; **node yaw** – the camera looks in the direction of the zone's first node; **node yaw ±180°** – that direction or the opposite one, whichever is closer to the current view; mode 3, mode 4 (unknown) |
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| **Height limit** | Only active while the llama is below the first node's height |
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| **Flag 0x10000** | Sets an object flag (purpose unknown) |
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| **Several boxes** | The chain holds several boxes (node pairs 1–2, 3–4 …) |
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| **Height offset** | Added to the camera height |
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| **Alt. height** / **Alt. distance** | Used instead of Height / Distance in a special game state |
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| p5 … p9 | Not decoded (originals use small values) |
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With the **Camera frusta** layer on, a selected CameraSide shows where the game camera will be:
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the editor assumes the llama in the centre of the first box (and distance 2, height 1 when the
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parameters are 0).
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> **Tip:** The easiest way to set up a CameraSide is [Look through camera](#look-through-camera):
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> select the zone, press **Ctrl+Shift+L** and fly the viewport to the view you want. Height,
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> distance and the node yaw follow.
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### CameraLift
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A camera zone for lifts and object-relative views, with one box.
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| Parameter | Meaning |
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|---|---|
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| **Yaw source** | **none**, **object yaw** (the camera turns with the zone object) or **player yaw** |
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| **Use helper position** | Tests the box against a helper object instead of the llama |
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| **Smooth** | Softer camera movement |
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| **Height limit** | Only while the llama is below the node's height |
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| **Flag 0x10000**, p2 | Not fully understood |
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### CameraSetDistance and CameraFocusPoint
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* **CameraSetDistance** sets several camera values while it is active: *Height* and four raw values
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(*Value g82*, *g68*, *g83*, *g73*) whose exact effect is not known yet.
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* **CameraFocusPoint** turns the camera towards the object while the llama is within **Radius**.
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Further parameters: *Min. height*, *Max. angle* (largest angle between object and view),
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*Height limit*, three flags and *Blend* (0–1, how fast the camera turns). The radius can be
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dragged in the viewport (see [Radius triggers](#radius-triggers)).
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## Cut scenes
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Cut scenes are made of two kinds of objects:
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* **CutSceneTrigger** starts a scene when the llama comes within its **Radius**. Its chain is the
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camera path. Parameters: *Character* (the trigger is a talking character: drops onto the floor),
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*Radius*, *Event bit* (the scene is skipped once this progress bit is set – so it plays only
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once), *Height check* (the llama must also be above the trigger), *Flags* (1 = face the
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llama, 2 = cannot be skipped) and two flags whose purpose is unknown.
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* **CutSceneCameraDirectional** is the camera of a scene. Every node of its chain is a camera
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position; the node's **yaw** and **pitch** give the view direction. Parameters: *Event bit*,
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*Mode*, *Wait*, *Disabled* (removes itself at the start), *End mode*.
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The dialogue, animations and character movements of a scene are part of the object scripts and
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cannot be edited – but you can move, re-aim and re-time the camera, move the trigger and change
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its radius.
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## Camera frusta layer
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The **Camera frusta** layer (options bar → **Layers**, on by default) draws, for the selected
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objects:
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* **CameraSide** / **CameraLift** – the computed game camera looking at the zone,
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* **cut-scene cameras** and **camera nodes** – a frustum at every node, pointing along the
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node's yaw and pitch.
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The game's field of view is approximated with 60°.
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## Look through camera
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**View → Camera → Look through camera (pilot)** (**Ctrl+Shift+L**), or the **Look through**
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buttons in the Inspector and the options bar of the Zones and triggers tool, turns the viewport
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into the selected camera:
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| Selection | The viewport shows | Flying changes |
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|---|---|---|
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| A camera node (any waypoint) | The view from the node | Node position, yaw and pitch |
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| A cut-scene camera or other camera object | The view from the first node of its chain | That node's position, yaw and pitch |
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| A **CameraSide** zone | The game camera of the zone | *Height*, *Distance* and the first node's yaw |
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| A **CameraLift** zone | The game camera of the zone | The first node's yaw |
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While pilot mode is on, fly as usual (right mouse button + **W A S D**, **Q / E**) – the camera
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object follows the viewport, and the whole pilot session is **one undo step**. Press
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**Ctrl+Shift+L** again, or select something else, to end it. The status bar shows *Piloting …*
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while it is active.
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> **Note:** The first node of some original cut-scene cameras is a fly-in start point, so looking
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> through it may show a wall.
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## The Zones and triggers tool (J)
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The **Zones & triggers** tool (toolbar, key **J**) adds handles to the selected object:
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* **pink corner handles** at the four corners of each box of a box zone – drag a corner to resize
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the box; the opposite corner stays,
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* a **yellow radius knob** for every radius parameter (CutSceneTrigger, CameraFocusPoint, guards'
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view and chase ranges, ForcePlayerMovement, Bunny) – drag it to change the radius; the status
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bar shows the value.
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Grid snapping applies (Ctrl inverts it). Clicks elsewhere select as usual. The options bar has a
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**Look through camera** button for camera zones. Each drag is one undo step.
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### Box zones
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These types use one box (two nodes) – or, for CameraSide with *Several boxes*, several pairs:
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| Type | Effect while the llama is inside |
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| **Secret** | Shows the secret message and counts the secret (needs *Box area* on) |
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| **CameraSide**, **CameraLift** | Camera control, see [Camera zones](#camera-zones) |
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| **ObjectDontDropInBox** | Objects (for example fruit from smashed pots) are not dropped here |
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| **FallOffNoHurt** | Falling off costs no energy (optional *Game state* condition) |
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| **RiverCurrentBox** | River current (not decoded in detail) |
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The box is a rectangle on the ground; the game ignores the height. The editor draws it with an
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estimated height of about 1.2 cells above the lower node.
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### Radius triggers
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Radius parameters are distances in cells. The scripts compare the *squared* distance, which the
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editor handles for you – just enter or drag the radius. The **Zone areas & trigger radii** layer
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draws the circles of the selected objects.
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## Force and water objects
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* **ForcePlayerMovement** pushes or steers the llama towards the points of its chain while it is
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within *Radius*: *Active*, *Radius*, *Game state* (only in that state), *Lock controls*,
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*Align yaw* (the llama turns to the node's yaw).
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* **WaterReboundPoints** (and **WaterReboundPointsTurnsOff**): the points of its chain are where
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the llama is thrown back to after falling into water. Parameter *Active*.
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## Zone areas layer
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The **Zone areas & trigger radii** layer draws the boxes of **all** zone objects as outlines and
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fills the boxes and radius circles of the **selected** ones. Switch it off in a busy original
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level if the outlines get in the way.
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## Known limits
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* The camera preview of CameraSide assumes the llama in the box centre and the default distance
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and height when the parameters are 0; the real camera also depends on where the llama enters.
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* Zone heights in the viewport are estimates; the game tests x and z only.
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* Many camera parameters are only partly understood (*p5 … p9*, *Value g…*). Copying values
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from similar zones in the original levels works best.
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* Cut-scene content (dialogue, animation) cannot be edited.
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