Myst machinima: Best practice for smooth camera?

[Locutus]

Hey!

See subject. I think I mentioned it already: we're doing a Myst machinima. Are there any hints you could give us to achieve smooth camera movements?

Obviously controlling it with the mouse in Drive Mode results in rather jerky pans. Using normal 3rd-person mode has smooth movements but some other disadvantages. Is there any way to use scripted camera tracking shots, like in the scene when the Bahro enter the volcano after you finished Yeesha's quest?

[Tsar Hoikas]

I can't think of any way to do this, aside from exporting whole new game cameras and making animated transitions. If you guys are willing to write a bit more code, you could probably expose more ptCamera functionality to python and write your transitions there

[Christopher]

Some time ago I had the same problem. I solved it by exporting a new camera following a predefined path and change the avatar view to it. Worked pretty well for me...

Christopher

[Locutus]

Christopher, would you be willing to give me a quick pointer how to create a "camera", have it follow a path and "exporting" it, and how to make it known to the game, and have the avatar view it? I use PlasmaShop if that helps.

[Mystler]

You'll need 3dsMax, the CWE-Max-Plugin as well as some modeling and python program knowledge for that.
I don't know if/how you can use Blender too.

Basically you have to create a new camera, animate it to follow a path, give it to the PythonFileMod, set the avatar's camera object to your new camera and run the camera animation with Python.

[Locutus]

@Mystler: While I have general coding experience (not with Python - but that should pose no problem), being scientific staff in computer science, I have zero experience with 3d modeling software. I'm a quick study though.

It's a matter of required effort for a given aim. Would you say that the process you suggested is doable with a justifiable effort, for someone without 3DS experience?

[Mystler]

To be honest, I never did that myself as I'm trying not to do much stuff with modeling software. Setting up the page (which would be a simple addition to an age) and adding the Python File Mod should be quite simple but I cannot say anything about the camera. Maybe Christopher still has his files somewhere?

[Christopher]

Could be that i still habe These files somewhere... I am currently Not at Home, but i will take a look ASAP.
Christopher

[Christopher]

Could be that i still habe These files somewhere... I am currently Not at Home, but i will take a look ASAP.
Christopher

So, I am back home and I found an early version of the file I meant. It has only the path and some objects from teledahn. Not the camera or anything else you need

Christopher