Camera 101

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 27 Dec 2006, 23:13

Hi all, it was suggest that these information maybe usefull to be share.

I spent few hours on how camera works. It is complicated and easy at same time. Up to now, it took me 4 hours to understand this.

I took SteveB Sylverstone track. 1 deleted all info in cam file to keep only 1 camera. Then with that single camera, the POS value works with 3 value the X Y Z

With 1 camera : put the POS at 0.000000, -10.000000, 0.000000 and look down were you are on track. This position on Sylverstone is in middle of grid stat/finish line.

I will use cardianal points to help you figure how (North, South, Est and West)

POS 1st value : is the X distance (from 0 value, the plus value (+) will be the 'south' and minus (-) will be the 'north' position from the 0)

POS 2nd value : is the Z distance (from ground to sky) Plus value (+) is under the ground and the (-) value is getting you close to the sky. A -8.000000 is and excellent position close to a Camera post on top of a pole at +/- 75feets height. A -5.000000 is a cam set close to a barrier height and Zero is flat to ground. Watch out, some track have denivelation that may change the height of cam from ground.

POS 3rd value : is the Y distance (from 0 value, the plus value (+) will be the 'West' and minus (-) will be the 'East' position from the 0)

Exemple, Sylverstone (refer to map curve name to see where it is)
Grid is at 0.000000, -10.000000, 0.000000
Copse curve is around -350.000000, -10.000000, 0.000000
Stowe curve is around 0.000000, -10.000000, 1700.000000

Then you have the FOV value. That one im still not shure. The distance of the previous value is the position (POS) of the cam. If you choose a cam around the track, that you can move the view with your mouse, that is exacly were the cam is located. Thos same cam are the same one that when you look at replay, and they folow a specific car. This is the main problem of few track that we race last year (2006). That is the distance that the cam will be zooming to follow a car. Theyrs 2 value, and im still trying to figure what 1 value do, and what the second do. BUt FOR SHURE a good value is in a range of 10-60. But this depend on how close the cam is from the car. A 10 on 1 cam maybe too close, and too far on another cam. Try this on your test cam and see the difference.

Up to now i only done those test and that is what i understand after 4 hours. This is only what is taken to fix any cam on steveB track of 06 season. Other value may be usefull, but i dont know how the value change will react. I can speculate on them by logic, but not mucth more.

Here the info you need to play with to keep it simple (Position and Fov that i explain up) :

TrackingCam=TrackingCam013 //Last Sector
{
Position=(248.000000, -19.000000, 12.000000)
Orientation=(0.000000, -3.100000, 0.000000)
Fov=(10.200000, 10.000000)
Clear=TRUE
Color=(0, 0, 0)
ClipPlanes=(1.000000, 1500.000000)
LODMultiplier=(45.000000)
Size=(1.000000, 1.000000)
Center=(0.500000, 0.500000)
Flags1=(0)
Flags2=(0)
ActivationLocation=(212.000000, -5.000000, 284.000000)
ActivationRadius=(131.000000)
TrackingRate=(6.000000)
MovementRate=(0.000000)

If any expirement more or just know more, let us know. Hope i was able to help any of you a little.

brad · Post by **brad** » 11 Jan 2007, 00:48

Flow wrote:
Then you have the FOV value. That one im still not shure. The distance of the previous value is the position (POS) of the cam. If you choose a cam around the track, that you can move the view with your mouse, that is exacly were the cam is located. Thos same cam are the same one that when you look at replay, and they folow a specific car. This is the main problem of few track that we race last year (2006). That is the distance that the cam will be zooming to follow a car. Theyrs 2 value, and im still trying to figure what 1 value do, and what the second do. BUt FOR SHURE a good value is in a range of 10-60. But this depend on how close the cam is from the car. A 10 on 1 cam maybe too close, and too far on another cam. Try this on your test cam and see the difference.

excellent, heres what i found. it is the second value that determines close up of the camera. here is my modified values for the first camera at spa, la source. this brings the zoom back to be able to fully see your car and cars around you, the stock value was 2.038224, i changed it to 10.038224, and its almost perfect. im going to change them all for spa, get it how i like, then post it up here and see what you peeps think. thanks flow, just what ive been looking for!!

TrackingCam= 1 - La Source
{
Position=(-283.4, 6, -1.8)
Orientation=(0.097444, 2.019933, 0.000000)
Fov=(10.000000, 10.038224)
Clear=TRUE
Color=(0, 0, 0)
ClipPlanes=(6.000000, 1100.000000)
LODMultiplier=(50.000000)
Size=(1.000000, 1.000000)
Center=(0.500000, 0.500000)
MipmapLODBias=(0.000000)
Flags1=(1)
Flags2=(0)
ActivationLocation=(-164.4, -2.437160, -89)
ActivationRadius=(30.000000)
TrackingRate=(0.000000)
MovementRate=(0.000000)
}

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » 11 Jan 2007, 02:14

but how do you determin which cam your adjusting?
Like if you want to adjust the cam at T1 how do you know which one it is in the cam file?

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 11 Jan 2007, 02:20

Easy but not fast to do. Follow a car doing a lap, and note all place were cam is positionned, can be done aproximately. Then opne the cam file, delete all cam and keep only the first one. If cam are well done, the 1st shoud be at the pit exit. Load the track and see what cam you looking at, easy, you will only have one. Also some track have reference of curve '//x curve' to guide you.

I know that the problem of track are the value that you playing with Brad, but on the FOV, theyr is 2 value, and its not easy to figure withc one of 2 value do what, i would need to test more.

brad · Post by **brad** » 11 Jan 2007, 20:20

actually, all the cameras are labled in the ini file. if you notice the one camera i copied up, it says: TrackingCam= 1 - La Source i found that every camera had the exact same 2nd fov data: 2.038224. i changed them all to 10 and it works pretty good. heres the modified file, just copy and paste into your cam file for belgium.

SEE BELOW FOR THE ZIP FILE OF THIS

brad · Post by **brad** » 11 Jan 2007, 20:22

oh, i was laughing at camera 14s name: Fagnes sweaper thing---lol

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 11 Jan 2007, 21:22

lol Brad next time, just zip the CAM file, make smaller post

brad · Post by **brad** » 12 Jan 2007, 00:40

ooppps sorry about that, i guess i would have to host it on megaupload or something?

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » 12 Jan 2007, 01:20

you don't have to Brad you can attach it here.
When posting your reply just scroll down to where it says add an attachment then click browse find the file then click the submit button

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 12 Jan 2007, 01:21

As you can see here, zip it (edited, unzip work, but file change name as i can see), just post your direct zip cam file... see this atachement if it works.

Bilbo · Post by **Bilbo** » 12 Jan 2007, 01:21

brad wrote:ooppps sorry about that, i guess i would have to host it on megaupload or something?

No. for relatively small files, you can attach it to your post by using the buttons in the "add an attachment" section (just over the preview/submit buttons) when you're editing a post. Click "Browse" to select which file to attach, type a comment in the "file comment" window (optional) then click the "add attachment" button to actually bind the attachment to your post.

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 12 Jan 2007, 01:23

Lol we post 3 comment at same time,

Just edit your post up, and delete all info, and attach your file, and all will be fine.

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » 12 Jan 2007, 01:23

it is better if you zip it Flow so we can download the actual cam file instead of it opening in text form.

Flow · Post by **Flow** » 12 Jan 2007, 01:25

edited

brad · Post by **brad** » 12 Jan 2007, 20:37

ok, here we go

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » 13 Jan 2007, 00:39

nice work on the cams for SPA Brad.

Now you have to do ALL the cams for ALL the tracks.
Wlcome to MY HELL !!!!!!
LMAO jk

brad · Post by **brad** » 13 Jan 2007, 18:50

actually, if others dont mind, i will do that. like ive said, i want to contribute to nar, i dont know how to make mods or tracks, dont really have the time to be an admin, but maybe i can do this. im re-doing spa cam file as i type this, pulling some cameras back a bit more (3,4,10,11,12,13,14,17,19,20) and im going to play with moving a few around (11 and 19). once im done ill post it up and see what you guys think

brad · Post by **brad** » 13 Jan 2007, 19:45

ok, here's 2 more spa camera files. i like them both, although i think i prefer spa2. there are 2 files, spa2 and spa3, obviously when you try them, back up your original cam file, and change then new one you try to just spa. both files are exactly the same except for the bus stop entrance camera. spa2 is on the inside of the first corner of the bus stop, a little ahead of the apex, while spa 3 is in the runoff area(kinda near pit-in) the other changes both files share compared to my original cam file is: tweaked several cams by pulling out a little more, cam 11 (malemdy high) is moved lower and closer to rivage, not realistic(as its actually in the hill) but i like how it looks. also camera 8, les combs, is pulled back a bit, but i changed the activation location as to activate that camera sooner, giving a bit more of a view head on while going through les combs. try both and let me know what you think.

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » 13 Jan 2007, 19:54

I wanted to ask you Brad can you edit the speed of the tracking cams?

Some of the cams are moving a little slow compared to the speed of the cars a certain points.

Just asking

brad · Post by **brad** » 13 Jan 2007, 19:59

i think so steveb, im still playing with all the settings, ill see if i can get it figured out, i did notice that as well. a couple of settings seems to have no affect, like "activation radius" i changed that multiple times with camera 8(les combs) and never noticed a change, but i may have not made a big enough change.

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Camera 101

Camera 101

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