Camera Commands

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Camera manipulation commands


While we don't anticipate major changes the final implementation and behaviour of these commands isn't set in stone and subject to your feedback.

Setting Camera values

@setcam=<n|y>

Only one object can hold this behaviour at a given time following the same concept as @setenv where a single object can exclusively lock control. Debug output will show "locked" as the failure message on subsequent attempts.

When an object holds the lock, all camera commands from all other objects will be ignored; when the object releases the lock all other camera behaviours will be restored.


@setcam_eyeoffset[:<vector3>]=force

Changes the default camera offset in the same way as changing the CameraOffsetRearView debug setting (the debug setting is not changed).


@setcam_focus<agent|object|position>[;<distance>;<direction>]=force

Moves the camera and focus to the specified position (user can still change focus afterwards).

  • <agent>|<object>|<position> UUID of the object OR agent to focus on OR a position vector (in region coordinates)
  • [<distance>] optional (calculated based on the object's size if omitted) distance of the camera to the focus
  • [<direction>] optional (calculated on current camera if omitted) normalized directional vector

Focus on an agent(get your own UUID) from 20m away with your previous camera orientation. @setcam_focus:<uuid>;20;=force

Focus on an object (rez a prim for this and grab its UUID), this will cause the camera to look at the plywood cube (filling the screen) along negative X. @setcam_focus:<uuid>;;1/0/0=force Now resize the prim (20x20x20m) and retry the command. You'll note that the plywood cube still fills the screen. If you omit the distance RLVa will calculate it based on scale so the object is always fully in view.

Focus on an Location.Move the camera to <128, 128, 75> looking down at the land. @setcam_focus:128/128/75;;0/0/1=force



@setcam_focusoffset[:<vector3>]=force

Changes the default camera focus offset in the same way as changing the FocusOffsetRearView debug setting (the debug setting is not changed).


@setcam_fov:<angle>=force

Changes the camera's vertical field of view to the specified value (angle in radians).


@setcam_fovmin:<angle>=<n|y>

Limit the user's fov angle to a minimum value (angle in radians). Setting @setcam_fovmin & @setcam_fovmax to the same value locks the value.

Set the minimum FOV to 45° @setcam_fovmin0.780=n


@setcam_fovmax:<angle>=<n|y>

Limit the user's fov angle to a maximum value (angle in radians). Setting @setcam_fovmin & @setcam_fovmax to the same value locks the value.

set the maximum FOV to 90° @setcam_fovmax:1.57=n


@setcam_unlock=<n|y>

Force the camera to remain focused on the user's avatar at all times, in effect, making them the fixed centre of the world. Formerly RLV command @camunlock.

Possibly change: currently still allows free camera movement when controlled through by LSL, needs handling and blocking as well?



Camera Control Examples

Change 3rd person camera position & viewpoint

Basic camera position (as detailed in Penny Patton's A Matter of perspective) can be done via the @setcam_eyeoffset and @setcam_focusoffset commands which affect the camera in the same way as the CameraOffsetRearView and FocusOffsetRearView debug settings.

NOTE: if you're using these without @setcam then please restore the default manually after you're done; otherwise @setcam=y will take care of cleaning up and restore things back to the user's default @setcam_eyeoffset:-2/-0.4/-0.2=force

@setcam_focusoffset:0.9/-0.7/0.2=force

Restore default 3rd person camera position & viewpoint

@setcam_eyeoffset=force

@setcam_focusoffset=force