regards to Cameras, tutes...

[TERA_Forrest]

ok, i'm trying to learn how to make an intro the "right way" (without triggers).  i've tryed looking for tutes, couldn't find snypir's... downloaded "cam_wizard.abel".  while whatching this i noticed in a couple scenes that the camera was shaking... giving me a headache.  Didn't look like it was suppose to shake either(could be wrong though, maybee the author was trying to show it was possible, don't know).

also, in the cam_wizard.abel the author used markers for the camera positions and such... do u have to use markers for this?  If i make a multi player coop with an intro i would rather not have to do that, the markers will show in the mission briefing.

Like i said, i'm new to this whole thing, i need a "For Dummies" tutorial or somthing... plz point me in the right direction.

[myke13021]

beside snYpir's excellent camera tut i suggest you look yout for my little Tips & Tricks for camera scrupting i wrote. You'll find it in the Pending section in the Editors Depot. I would give you direct link in here if i knew how  ;D

[Zombie]

OK, I'll try to explain briefly here.  I am assuming you know how to write basic scripts.  Make a script named title.sqs
 first lines:

Code: [Select]

_camera = "camera" camcreate [0,0,0]
_camera cameraeffect ["internal", "back"]
_camera camcommit 0
this creates the camera for you.

Then alt tab out of whatever prog you use for writing scripts, go to the ofp editor, load your mission, and on any unit put in the init block:
this exec "camera.sqs"
then preview the mission, you will find that you are now controlling a camera.  Move the camera around, just like flying a chopper, and using your number pad to tilt and rotate.
  When the camera is in posistion and showing what you want the first scene to be, press your keyboard fire button, mine is right alt.
Then alt tab back to your scripting prog and select paste.  this will put something similar to the following in your script:

Code: [Select]

;=== 10:29:12
_camera camSetTarget [9714.24,103820.04,30.25]
_camera camSetPos [9714.24,3820.04,2.00]
_camera camSetFOV 0.700
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera
then alt tab back to ofp, move your camera around and repeat the process.
Explained:
camsettarget=what the camera is looking at
camsetpos==where the camera is
camsetfov==not sure, I never change this!
camcommit==the time it takes to "fly"to this camera 0 is instant, any number is in seconds
@camcommitted=basically, wait until when the camera arrives here before moving again

when all the different cameras are completed, put this to end the script:

Code: [Select]

player cameraEffect ["zoomin","back"]
_camera cameraeffect ["terminate", "back"]
camdestroy _camera
exit
Now to show your movie, place a trigger somewhere when activated:
[]exec "title.sqs"
or even put that line in your init.sqs

Do not call your movie "camera.sqs"!!That is an embedded sqs file.

Hope this helps clear things up for you.  It really is not difficult once you get the hang of it.  There are many effects you can accomplish with cams too, but thay are MUCH more advanced.
Then make sure to remove the this exec "camera.sqs" command from your cameraman unit

[myke13021]

camsetFOV = sets camera field of view....in other words...ZOOM  ;D

(hint: try to make the camera move towards an object while you zoom out...it is called the "Hitchcock Zoom")  

[TERA_Forrest]

thanks alot, this was extremly helpful !

got a question though...  if i want the camera set in a place... but looking at a target (ai), do i do this:

change the "camset target #'s to the ai's name?

_camera camSetTarget [3167.87,99627.68,35429.09]
_camera camSetPos [3167.87,6105.09,2.00]
_camera camSetFOV 0.700
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera

===================================

also, how do i get the camera to zoom in while moving back (hitchcock zoom)?

[TERA_Forrest]

oh, how do i get the camera to whatch for a couple seconds, cause right now without changing the "camcommit" # it won't show anything.

[TERA_Forrest]

heres what I have so far (thanks to u guys   )

_camera = "camera" camcreate [0,0,0]
_camera cameraeffect ["internal", "back"]
_camera camcommit 0

;=== 11:25:48
_camera camSetTarget [-89223.80,40944.25,-16240.34]
_camera camSetPos [3181.55,6380.96,34.16]
_camera camSetFOV 0.700
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera

;=== 11:27:40
_camera camSetTarget [-13052.47,-91165.16,-22129.42]
_camera camSetPos [2666.92,5076.76,1.89]
_camera camSetFOV 0.700
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera

;=== 11:28:31
_camera camSetTarget [64316.82,79802.59,-25881.30]
_camera camSetPos [2874.98,5285.79,8.34]
_camera camSetFOV 0.700
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera

;=== 11:29:35
_camera camSetTarget [-41323.96,-80620.41,-25887.77]
_camera camSetPos [2846.03,5266.32,9.86]
_camera camSetFOV 0.700
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera

player cameraEffect ["zoomin","back"]
_camera cameraeffect ["terminate", "back"]
camdestroy _camera
exit

[myke13021]

first of all...camsettarget and camsetpos works with x,y,z coordinates also as with unit names.

so the command

_cam camsettarget chopper

will make target the camera the unit named "chopper".

Zombie showed the perfect way to create a cutscene in shortest time as possible...but sadly this cutscene is very unhandy to edit after it is created.
Try to move this camera pos 5 meters to the NorthEast: [3167.87,6105.09,2.00]

there 's a better way to do this...use Gamelocigs as camera positions (and targets if needed)

This works also:
create a gamelogic where you want to have your first camera position, name it something like "campos1" and put the following in it's init line:

this setpos [getpos campos1 select 0, getpos campos1 select 1, (getpos campos1 select 2) +50]

in fact, this line only sets its altitude (50 meters above ground)
if you want to look at nothin special (means, there's no unit or vehic you could set as target like the beautiful sunrise   ), create another gamelogic, name it e.g. "target1" and put the same init line as above...of course by replacing campos1 with target1

then your first camera commands would look like this:

_camera camSetTarget target1
_camera camSetPos getpos campos1
_camera camSetFOV 0.700
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera

This makes it possible to move camera position around without leaving the editor, opening the camera script, editing the positions, saving the script, switch back to the editor...just to see it isn't what you wanted.

Just drag the gamelogics around, change its altitude and you're ready to preview.

About the hitchcock zoom:

2 gamelogics campos1 and campos2...campos1 further away from object and campos2 closer to it

_camera camSetTarget object
_camera camSetPos getpos campos1
_camera camSetFOV 0.1
_camera camCommit 0
@camCommitted _camera

_camera camSetPos getpos campos2
_camera camSetFOV 0.9
_camera camCommit 2
@camCommitted _camera

this should do the hitchcock zoom...unsure about the FOV settings....just play around with it till you get the zoom you want

[Zombie]

to get the camera to watch for period of time, put:
~x
where  x is the number of seconds to pause,  right after the camcommitted and before the next camsettarget

[TERA_Forrest]

thanks for all the help guys, playing with it now.