Camera Path Animator 3.0 - Animate in Unity with Ease

Rotating the Camera Path is not supported at present. If you need to apply rotations at runtime you could have Camera Path modify an empty game object and use the output to modify with rotations.

 

Hi,

I am trying to stop the camera for 5 seconds and look around and after that start moving again,
is this possible?

 

I've actually made a script that does this as I needed it too, I'm off on holiday today but I'll be back next week and I can post it...if it looks clean and usable enough. =O

 

Any reason GetPathDirection() doesn't interpolate between the two nearest stored directions for smoother results? We were seeing some noticeable rotational jitter that went away after I replaced the function with something like the following:

Before

Code (CSharp):

1.     public Vector3 GetPathDirection(float percentage, bool normalisePercent)
2.     {
3.         if (normalisePercent) percentage = ParsePercentage(percentage);
4.         return _storedPathDirections[StoredValueIndex(percentage)];
5.     }

After

Code (CSharp):

1.     private Vector3 GetPathDirectionSmooth(float percentage, bool normalisePercent)
2.     {
3.         if (normalisePercent) percentage = ParsePercentage(percentage);
4.  
5.         int max = storedValueArraySize - 1;
6.         int curr = Mathf.Clamp(Mathf.FloorToInt(max * percentage), 0, max);
7.         int next = (curr + 1) % storedValueArraySize;
8.         var d0 = _storedPathDirections[curr];
9.         var d1 = _storedPathDirections[next];
10.  
11.         float interp = percentage * max;
12.         float tLerp = Mathf.Clamp01(interp - curr);
13.         return Vector3.Lerp(d0, d1, tLerp);
14.     }

 

@jasperstocker Hi, I have a simple path set to once and when I run a cube down it at the end I get this error ..

CompareApproximately (SqrMagnitude (result), 1.0F)
UnityEngine.Quaternion:Euler(Vector3)
CameraPathAnimator:GetOrientation(orientationModes, Single, Boolean) (at Assets/Plugins/CameraPath3Scripts/CameraPathAnimator.cs:377)
CameraPathAnimator:GetAnimatedOrientation(Single, Boolean) (at Assets/Plugins/CameraPath3Scripts/CameraPathAnimator.cs:433)
CameraPathAnimator:UpdateAnimation() (at Assets/Plugins/CameraPath3Scripts/CameraPathAnimator.cs:590)
CameraPathAnimator:Update() (at Assets/Plugins/CameraPath3Scripts/CameraPathAnimator.cs:509)



Can you tell me what this means please, thanks.

 

I can't.
Could you please email me your exported path and I'll take a look.
Jasper

 

Hi, I use Camera Path Animator 3.51 on Unity5.3.4f1.
It works fine, thanks.
But some modify operation is not saved to the scene file.
For example,

1. Open a scene include a Camera Path.
2. Select a orientation point, modify angle in inspector. (at this point, '*' indicating that the file has been changed not displayed on title bar)
3. Save scene.
4. Re-open scene, modified angle discarded.

Add Point (orientation, speed, event ... except path point) is not saved too.
Modify angle in inspector is not saved, but modify angle by scene view gizmo is saved.
Modify angle in inspector and done other operation(for example, modify other gameobject in the scene), modified angle is saved.

Are there any methods to save modifications certainly?
Thanks!

 

I cannot reproduce this issue - everything saves fine here. Are there any errors in the console?

 

Thanks for reply.
There are no errors in console.

 

Hello

I want to ask a question. Basically, I will animate the camera but it will stop at some specific points. When user press a key it will again go on animation. How can I achieve this? Is there a way to stop the camera then go on when user enters a key?

Thanks for your support

 

You can assign a 0 value to delay points to make them pause the path animation indefinitely. After that, you can then command the animator component to .Play() when a user presses a key. The keyboard example gives you a example of this.

 

Had the same issue.
Did you make a prefab like me? If so, simply click apply to change prefab

 

Ah - interesting! I'll take a look at that.
Thanks @j2l2

 

Hey, I'm using this plugin for recording demo video. There is one question that I can't resolve. When I'm trying to connect two splines with interpolation there is small inaccuracy between end of interpolation line and start point of second spline. Because of this this, camera transitions look not smooth. And I'm tried to change variable "interpolation time" or something like this. All the same, second spline don't look like first spline continue. May be I need to create one long long spline and working with this? But I this in this way I will have difficulties with ease...

 

@mkgm - could you email/dm me your path as xml? Then I can see what the issue might be.

 

@jasperstocker
the problem was my ignorance
Sorry.
Your assets works perfectly!!!!

 

Hello
I am using camera path animator. I set animation speed lets say 10m/s. While animation is playing, at some points animation slows down, then continues as normal. It is not smooth. How can I fix it?

 

@jasperstocker

Is there a tutorial video or example that goes deeper in how you can use the Broadcast and Call Events in Camera Path Animator with PlayMaker? I'm trying to design a project that's similar in concept to an on-rails shooter but I'm on Unity v5.4 while the tutorial using AngryBots can only be run up to Uinty v4.6.

 

Hi VPsych, The demos in Camera Path work fine with Unity 5.4

 

@jasperstocker Hello, I met some problems in the use of information: 1 MainCamera Path2 Orientation Point 3 MainCamera Path3 Orientation Point 0 MainCamera Path2 Orientation Point 2 MainCamera Path3 Orientation Point 1, I would like to ask how to solve this? What causes it?

 

Hi JecksonLiu,
What is the problem you're having?

 

I don't know, I want the route dynamic, I do not know why, but a place where no error, but there is a hint, that are as follows: 1 MainCamera Path2 Orientation Point 3 MainCamera Path3 Orientation Point 0 MainCamera Path2 Orientation Point 2 MainCamera Path3 Orientation Point 1, did not follow my path want to go

 

I'm sorry, but I still have no understanding of your issue. Are you using a script to modify the path at runtime?

 

I'm sorry, I use a script dynamic assignment to link camera path, did not clear the beginning of the line, so the assignment of a problem, I think I solve the problem

 

Great - glad you got to the bottom of it

 

Hey jasper! Is there a way to make waypoints, trigger events, delays etc appear inside the timeline of cinema director? That would be very helpful to sync events correctly

great piece of software btw

 

Thanks - I've not had a chance to dive into CD yet but it's a high priority for me with where CPA is heading this year...

 

Hello, I have the same question as the one above concerning timeline editor.

 

Hi! There's a way to change the "far" of the camera along the path?

 

Question 1:
Is there a way to place path points directly on the surface of the ground by clicking the ground? Or pressing a key while mouse is hovering over the spot to place the path point there?

I often need to have a path follow a terrain for example, and placing path points on the ground is crucial, without having to manually position the Y value of every single point.

Question 2:
I'm having trouble making seamless loops. When going from the final point back to the original point, there is a abrupt change is position/rotation and even placing the first and last points at the exact position, I cannot make a seamless loop. Is there any tricks to getting smooth loops?

 

Hi Jasper,

I've been using Camera Path Animator for a rail shooter game for quite a while. I have one path per stage, but as the stage has become more complex I've added more and more events and other points to the path. Now the path is really hard to work with because the unity editor runs really slow when the path is shown in the inspector.

In retrospect, I should have used multiple small paths per stage and connected them. Is there any safe, reliable way to split one big path into multiple smaller paths that join together?

Thanks in advance.

 

Hi Jasper, quick question. is there a way we can get an Animation Reversed EventHandler, as I need to set a variable everytime the camera motion is reversed. Please advice if this can be implemented any time soon.

 

Hi Andonsky, is this for the ping pong mode? When is this reverse happening?

 

CameraPathAnimator.cs

Code (CSharp):

1.  
2. public virtual void Reverse()
3.     {
4.         switch (animationMode)
5.         {
6.             case animationModes.once:
7.                 animationMode = animationModes.reverse;
8.                 break;
9.             case animationModes.reverse:
10.                 animationMode = animationModes.once;
11.                 break;
12.             case animationModes.pingPong:
13.                 pingPongDirection = pingPongDirection == -1 ? 1 : -1;
14.                 break;
15.             case animationModes.loop:
16.                 animationMode = animationModes.reverseLoop;
17.                 break;
18.             case animationModes.reverseLoop:
19.                 animationMode = animationModes.loop;
20.                 break;
21.         }
22.  
23.     }

Based on the CameraPathAnimator script I would think we could raise an AnimationReversedEventHandler(); anytime a change to the animationModes happens? I am pausing the camera whenever it hits an event and depending on the logic of my script I either continue the animation or reverse it. This is the code of my Custom Event. As you can see the problem is that the event is hit twice if a reverse animationmode request on the camera is requested.

For example:
CameraPosition is at "CameraPathStart" event and the Camera is made to pause. Script request camera to Play and Camera hits the second event "CameraPathCenter", now if an animationMode.reverse is requested instead of flowing back directly to the "CameraPathStart" event it instead will hit the "CameraPathCenter" event again and pause the camera whereas it should have actually continued to the "CameraPathStart" event then paused when it hit the last event.

This bug only happens when an animationMode switch is requested from any event.

Code (CSharp):

1. private void OnCustomEvent(string eventname)
2.     {
3.         //Debug this as the events are being hit twice we only need to let the first one pass
4.         //Problem only happens when reverse is called.
5.  
6.  
7.         //we need to ignore same event when reverse is activated.
8.  
9.             //Ex. CameraPathEnd will activate twice after activating reversemode to avoid the subsequent pose
10.             //let the event passthrough once when a custom event is detected after activating reversemode
11.  
12.             if (eventname == "CameraPathCenter")
13.             {
14.                 //Hits the section twice
15.                 Debug.Log("Custom Camera Path event: " + eventname);
16.                 camanimator.Pause();
17.  
18.             }
19.             else if (eventname == "CameraPathEnd")
20.             {
21.                 //Hits the section twice
22.                 Debug.Log("Custom Camera Path event: " + eventname);
23.                 camanimator.Pause();
24.                 camanimator.animationMode = CameraPathAnimator.animationModes.reverse;
25.  
26.             }
27.             else if (eventname == "CameraPathStart")
28.             {
29.                 //Hits the section twice
30.                 Debug.Log("Custom Camera Path event: " + eventname);
31.                 camanimator.Pause();
32.                 camanimator.animationMode = CameraPathAnimator.animationModes.once;
33.             }
34.             else
35.             {
36.                 Debug.Log("Custom Camera Path event: " + eventname);
37.                 camanimator.Pause();
38.                 //camsectorHit++;
39.             }
40.         }
41.    
42.  

 

Just adding a little script to instantiate sprites/game-objects along the Camera path (which I purchased a few weeks back)
hopefully its useful to someone else (my maths is awful so there is most likely a better way of doing it!)
but it works none the less... you need camera path animator 3-0, drop your game-objects into the array choose spacing and your good to go...

Code (CSharp):

1. using UnityEngine;
2.  
3. public class InstantiatePrefabOnSpline : MonoBehaviour
4. {
5.  
6.     public CameraPath camPath;
7.  
8.     [Range(100, 500)]
9.     public int spacing;
10.     public int frequency;
11.  
12.     public bool lookForward;
13.  
14.     public Transform[] items;
15.     private float stepSize;
16.  
17.     private void Awake()
18.     {
19.         if (frequency <= 0 || items == null || items.Length == 0)
20.         {
21.             return;
22.         }
23.         //stepSize = 1f / (frequency * items.Length);
24.         stepSize = frequency * items.Length;
25.         for (int p = 0, f = 0; f < frequency; f++)
26.         {
27.             for (int i = 0; i < items.Length; i++, p++)
28.             {
29.                 Transform item = Instantiate(items[i]) as Transform;
30.                 // Vector3 position = camPath.GetPoint(p);
31.                 float num = camPath.GetPointNumber(camPath.numberOfPoints);
32.                 Debug.Log("num" + num);
33.                 //Vector3 position = camPath.GetPathPosition(i/ num);
34.                 Vector3 position = camPath.GetPathPosition(i * num/ spacing);
35.                 item.transform.localPosition = position;
36.                 if (lookForward)
37.                 {
38.                     item.transform.LookAt(position + camPath.GetPathDirection(p * stepSize));
39.                 }
40.                 item.transform.parent = transform;
41.             }
42.         }
43.     }