Attaching a camera to a bot

#1 // UPDATE: Notes on how to control the camera
// attaching the camera to an object
// this can be any object you have a "handle" to
// this can be set on each client (as needed)
//
// Authors: AA WM

// Get the object
$objName = ClientGroup.getObject(0); // Get's the 1st player (object)

// Set the control state to the camera
$objName.camera.setControlObject($objName.camera);

// Set the camera "follow" mode (orbit)
// params:
// 1. object to attach to
// 2. attach object's tranformation
// 3. min distance (from attach object)
// 4. max distance (from attach object)
// 5. current distance (from attach object)
// 6. (bool) using self (ownClientObject)
$objName.setOrbitMode( $objName.player, $objName.player.getTransform(), -1.5, 1.5, 0.05);

#2 Hey, thats a cool idea :)
Here's a function that attaches the camera to any AIPlayer object you pass in...

function serverCmdAttachCamToObject(%client, %bot)
{
   // Set the control state to the camera
   %client.setControlObject(%client.camera);
   
   // Set the camera "follow" mode (orbit)
   // params:
   // 1. object to attach to
   // 2. attach object's tranformation
   // 3. min distance (from attach object)
   // 4. max distance (from attach object)
   // 5. current distance (from attach object)
   // 6. (bool) using self (ownClientObject)
   %client.camera.setOrbitMode( %bot, %bot.getTransform(), -1.5, 2.0, 0.05);
}

Use it like this: (I call this from a client-side gui script)

commandToServer('AttachCamToObject', $currentBot);

where $currentBot is an AIPlayer instance... :)
works like a charm ;)

#3 Before you ask, here is the code to give the control back to the client ;)

function serverCmdResetCam(%client)
{
   %control = %client.player;
   %control.mode = observerFly;
   %client.setControlObject(%control);
}

:)

#4 Hi guys

Nice one
Anyway to tie this to a new gametsctrl so you can have 2 or 3
differnt views ?

#5 Im sure Melv made a resource that did just that...

here it is. However, he made it almost 2 years ago... So it may not work anymore, and it had some problems with networking and remote clients...

#6 Dylan

I tried it, but to bad its not working on clients .
Im not a skilled coder so i cant fix it either :(

thx anyway

#7 Using...
%client.camera.setOrbitMode( %bot, %bot.getTransform(), 0, 0, 0);

Is it possible to let the bot control the viewing angle rather than the player with the mouse. I tried setting the bot as control object but that gives the player control of the bot.

Hopefully I won't have to hack through the camera engine code to sort this out :P

Cheers

#8 Well, yes, you have to edit the camera engine code :P
I have added a new follow mode, which basically copies the orbit mode but sets the whole camera transform instead of only the position... I can make this a resource if you have problems getting it to work....

#9 Yeah, I was already trying something along those lines but haven't made much progress so far. If it isn't much hassle you could post a resource, otherwise I'll post one when I work it out.

If it is going to be too much work for you to post a resource, could you just quickly explain to me the difference between processTick() and interpolateTick().

Thanks

#10

AIPlayer *aiPlayer = dynamic_cast<AIPlayer*>(obj);
if (aiPlayer != NULL)
    ((ShapeBaseData*)aiPlayer->getDataBlock())->observeThroughObject = true;

Added to the end of camera::setOrbitMode did the trick. :)

#11 Whoo, very cool :) never heard of that, how did you find it? ;)

#12 I looked at Camera::getCameraTransform and say that flag, and tried it :)

#13 Stefan, I've tried the control camera thing with some bots of mine which are moving along a path... this way:

%client.camera.setOrbitMode( %bot, %bot.getTransform(), -0.2, 0.2, 0.05);

I just changed the maxdist and mindist... but I get pretty jerky movements of the camera. Using the distances you posted, however, everything works perfect (-1.5, 2.0, 0.05).

I need the camera to be really close to the object I'm following. It's a car, and I want the camera to simulate the driver's point of view.