Introduction -> Camera Guide
Camera Introduction

Scorched3D is a game set in a 3D environment. To be able to aim correctly the camera view will need to be manipulated to give the best view of the target. Scorched3D has serveral different methods for moving and selecting different camera angles. Each method is discussed below.

Pre-defined Camera Presets

One of the easiest ways of moving the camera is to use the set of pre-defined camera angles (or presets) built into Scorched3D. A camera preset is a camera angle that can be quickly selected by pressing a key on the keyboard. Each camera preset presents the user with a different view of the landscape or current player. Once selected the camera preset will keep the camera locked to its view until another preset is chosen.

Each preset is useful for a different task. For example the tank views can be used for aiming, while the action and shot views can be used to determine where any fired shots actualy finished up.

Keyboard Key | Camera Name | Description
1 | Top View | Looks directly down on the current players tank from above. This view tracks the current tanks rotation so it is always positioned behind the tank.
2 | Behind View | Looks from above and behind the current players tank. Tracks the current tanks rotation so it is always positioned behind the tank.
3 | Tank View | Looks from directly behind the current players tank. Tracks the current tanks rotation so it is always positioned behind the tank.
4 | Gun View | During aiming looks out of the gun turret of the current players tank. During play follows any shots the current tank makes showing the impact position of the shots.
5 | Left View | Looks at the left of the current tank. Tracks the current tanks rotation so it is always positioned on the left of the tank.
6 | Right View | Looks at the right of the current tank. Tracks the current tanks rotation so it is always positioned on the right of the tank.
7 | Left Far View | Looks at the left of the current tank (from a long distance). Tracks the current tanks rotation so it is always positioned on the left of the tank.
8 | Right Far View | Looks at the right of the current tank (from a long distance). Tracks the current tanks rotation so it is always positioned on the right of the tank.
9 | Action View | During aiming looks out of the gun turret of the current players tank. During play automaticaly tracks any action around the island by moving to view any explosions and tank deaths.
0 | Spectator View | Looks at the island from afar.

Custom-defined Camera Presets

If you find that the pre-defined camera presets aren't sufficiant then 5 additional user defined camera presets can be defined. When setting a user defined preset the position is taken from the cameras current position. The user defined presets are not saved when Scorched3D quits.
To set a user defined camera preset, move the camera to desired position and then press and hold the control key followed by a number key (in the range 1 to 5). This camera position will now be stored under this preset number. To later recall/use a previously stored camera preset press and hold the shift key followed by the number key used to store the preset.

Camera Mouse Control

Although the preset camera angles are easy and quick to select, sometimes finer grained control of the camera angle is required. For this situation the mouse can be used to move the camera and tweek any of preset angles. The basic camera mouse controls are listed below. The camera is prevented from entering landscape but this can be disabled by holding down the left alt key.

Mouse Action | Result
Left Clicking On Landscape | Moves the camera to look at the point on the lanscape where the mouse button was clicked.
Left Clicking On Plan View Dialog | Moves the camera to look at the point on the lanscape where the mouse button was clicked.
Right Draging On Landscape | Rotates the current camera view up, down and left, right.
Middle Draging On Landscape | Zooms the camera view in and out. For mice that dont have a middle mouse button, holding down both the left and right buttons at the same time emulates the third button.
Scroll Wheel | Zooms the camera view in and out.

Camera Scrolling

The camera can also be panned left and right and up and down. To pan the camera to the left simply move the mouse pointer to the far left of the screen. To pan the camera to the right move the mouse pointer to the far right of the screen and so on.
Holding down the left shift button during this process will rotate the camera rather than panning it.

Moving the Camera Using the Keypad

The camera can also be controled via the keyboard. All of the functions available via the mouse are available via the keyboard.

Keyboard Key | Result
Keypad Left | Rotates the camera left around the current viewpoint.
Keypad Right | Rotates the camera right around the current viewpoint.
Keypad Up | Rotates the camera up around the current viewpoint.
Keypad Down | Rotates the camera down around the current viewpoint.
Keypad PageUp | Zooms the camera in.
Keypad PageOut | Zooms the camera out.

Camera window

To prevent the user from having to constantly change the camera angle a window containing a second camera angle can be displayed. To bring up the camera window press the "c" key. The second camera window is always fixed to the shot view and shows both the view from behind the current tank and where its shots land.