Moving Camera in Bryce

jodycourjodycour Posts: 137
edited December 1969 in New Users

Why is it that I have so much trouble trying to move the camera to face north in the top view position?
I have been able to move it a couple of times but the majority of the times I am totally unable to move the camera around to where I want to position it! Also how can I move the camera up or down? Please help this is very frustrating when trying to set up a scene!

Comments

  • Scott LivingstonScott Livingston Posts: 4,341
    edited December 1969

    I recommend you take a look at the videos on the Bryce Tutorials page. Moving and rotating the camera is covered in the first tutorial, about a minute or two in.

    If you prefer non-video-based instruction...I'm still a Bryce novice, but I like to switch to top view, select the camera, and then use the reposition and rotate tools found on the Edit palette. Then, switch to Camera view. There are, however, several other methods, including the camera controls on the left side of the screen.

    Also, while the New User forum is not a bad place to ask questions like these, most of the Bryce experts tend to hang out in the Bryce forum, and they are very welcoming to beginners. :)

  • jodycourjodycour Posts: 137
    edited December 1969

    I actually did watch the video several times. I do exactly what he does and, I still have problems moving the camera around to the south side as he advises. I've been able to do it a couple of times but overall it's rare that I'm able to move it! Thanks for the help though!

  • srieschsriesch Posts: 4,241
    edited December 1969

    To move the camera up and down, click and drag the mouse up or down on one of the two icons circled in the attachment. (Or if you you meant to angle the camera up or down without moving it, click and drag the trackball up or down.)
    Not sure about the top view; I actually just assumed it was fixed, but perhaps somebody else can answer that one.

    screenshot,_move_bryce_camera_up_down.png
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  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Thanks for jumping in Sean. I was sorting out a prob with my computer and something stupid MS updates did to my Poser installation.

  • GussNemoGussNemo Posts: 1,855
    edited December 1969

    jodycour you can also go to overhead view, click on the camera to highlight it, and drag it where you want. Use Num Pad 2 or click on the down arrow just to the right of the buttons Sean has circled in his attachment. You can't change the elevation or yaw in Overhead view, but you can position it where you want.

    Also looking at Sean's attachment, there is another down arrow on the right, just below the right side circle in the attachment, which will allow you to edit many things about the camera. If you know the coordinates you can enter numbers into the XYZ boxes under Position and Rotate to move your camera.

  • srieschsriesch Posts: 4,241
    edited December 1969

    It also just occurred to me that if you meant moving the camera up or down while in the overhead view and not in a different view, as in zooming closer or farther to see more or less of the overhead view, you can do that by using the + and - keys (which I think may also center on the current selected object in addition to zooming in or out if I'm not mistaken.)

  • OroborosOroboros Posts: 326
    edited November 2013

    Hi jodycour,

    Your problem could be due to several reasons: The camera could have been locked in position accidentally. There could be an object in between your view and the camera, making it difficult to select. You could be working in Object or Camera Space instead of World Space.

    But if you can select the camera, you have a sure-fire way to get the camera facing north, no matter what view you're in.

    Select the camera.
    Click the floating [A] button text to it.
    You will open the Edit Attributes window.

    Now, you may not need to do this next step, but I want to be sure that the camera hasn't been told to track another object or is parented to another object, which will affect your ability to control the camera normally.
    By default, you will open on the General Tab. Click the Linking tab.
    Ensure both boxes on this tab say "None".

    OK, here's how you point North:
    Click the General Tab. Under the 'General' tab, you'll see a matrix of numbers.
    In the Rotation row, delete the value in the Y box and replace it with 0.
    Click the tick, bottom right of the Edit Attributes window.

    Bear in mind: your camera may be high, low, left, right, even banked. But your camera will be pointing North, or aimed towards positive Z.

    You're welcome.

    Post edited by Oroboros on
  • HoroHoro Posts: 10,660
    edited December 1969

    @jodycour - perhaps the easiest way is to edit the camera parameters directly in the respective dialog. Click on the second triangle from top to open the context menu from which you can open the dialog. In the dialog set the values as shown at right in the second image. Starting from there makes life much easier.

    CamPos.gif
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    CamEdit.jpg
    292 x 461 - 28K
  • Miss BMiss B Posts: 3,071
    edited December 1969

    Horo said:
    @jodycour - perhaps the easiest way is to edit the camera parameters directly in the respective dialog. Click on the second triangle from top to open the context menu from which you can open the dialog. In the dialog set the values as shown at right in the second image. Starting from there makes life much easier.

    Thank you Horo. I've often had a hard time moving the camera in Bryce, but this will make things a lot easier. :coolsmile:
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