[BUG-7562] Improved camera positioning

[sl-service-account]

How would you like the feature to work?

Either change the default camera position to a more modern (that is closer to the avatar) position or add an easier way to select such a position.

Why is this feature important to you? How would it benefit the community?

One of the most important limitations of Second Life by today's standards is the camera positioning. The default position, far above and behind the avatar, seems to have been inspired by the two dimensional sprite based copmuter games that were the norm when SL first was launched, and not really up to the standards people used to more modern computer games would expect. Not only does it make navigation in tight spaces difficult, it also makes it harder for players to immerse themselves in the game. One of SL's old slogans is "The avatar is you" but that's niot correct: the avatar is that tiny little figure you see far below and in front of you. ;-)

The preferences include some basic camera positioning settings but these are not very effective. Moving the camera clsoer to the avatar inevitably causes very akward camera angles. The only way to adjust the camera position effectively is via the debug settings.

Linden Labs has recognised this problem in the past an offered a few solutions, Torley Linden made a tutorial video with (incomplete) isntructions how to change the debug settings while Dan Linden created an (unfortunately rather buggy) script for changing the camera position to modern game standards. For some reason LL has never really tried to fix the core problem though.

My main proposition is simply to move the most important camera positioning functions from the debug menu to the preferences. I'm not sure exactly how this should be done. The easiest way is of course to simply give direct access to the CameraOffsetRearView and FocusOffsetRearView settings in the preferences. A more elegant and user-friendly solution would be three sliders adjusting distance, height and angle independently of each other. The best solution would be to do both: Replace the two camera position sliders in the current preferences with the three I suggest and add and "Advanced" tab giving full access to all the camera related settings that are now hidden in the debug settings.

I would also strongly suggest that LL reconsider what should be the default camera settings. I understand that changing established standards lots of people are used to can be controversial but in this case I don't think you'll get many complaints. I have yet to come across a single old-timer who wants to go back to the default once he/she has learned how to change the camera settings effectively. But of course, if there are somebody who actually prefer the current birdseye view setting, they should be able to change to that through the preferences.

Original Jira Fields

| Field | Value | | ------------- | ------------- | | Issue | BUG-7562 | | Summary | Improved camera positioning | | Type | New Feature Request | | Priority | Unset | | Status | Accepted | | Resolution | Accepted | | Reporter | ChinRey (chinrey) | | Created at | 2014-10-19T11:39:23Z | | Updated at | 2017-01-13T17:59:43Z | ``` { 'Business Unit': ['Platform'], 'Date of First Response': '2014-11-15T11:31:24.869-0600', 'How would you like the feature to work?': 'Either change the default camera position to a more modern (that is closer to the avatar) position or add an easier way to select such a position.', 'Severity': 'Unset', 'Target Viewer Version': 'viewer-development', 'Why is this feature important to you? How would it benefit the community?': 'One of the most important limitations of Second Life by today\'s standards is the camera positioning. The default position, far above and behind the avatar, seems to have been inspired by the two dimensional sprite based copmuter games that were the norm when SL first was launched, and not really up to the standards people used to more modern computer games would expect. Not only does it make navigation in tight spaces difficult, it also makes it harder for players to immerse themselves in the game. One of SL\'s old slogans is "The avatar is you" but that\'s niot correct: the avatar is that tiny little figure you see far below and in front of you. ;-)\r\n\r\nThe preferences include some basic camera positioning settings but these are not very effective. Moving the camera clsoer to the avatar inevitably causes very akward camera angles. The only way to adjust the camera position effectively is via the debug settings.\r\n\r\nLinden Labs has recognised this problem in the past an offered a few solutions, Torley Linden made a tutorial video with (incomplete) isntructions how to change the debug settings while Dan Linden created an (unfortunately rather buggy) script for changing the camera position to modern game standards. For some reason LL has never really tried to fix the core problem though.\r\n\r\nMy main proposition is simply to move the most important camera positioning functions from the debug menu to the preferences. I\'m not sure exactly how this should be done. The easiest way is of course to simply give direct access to the CameraOffsetRearView and FocusOffsetRearView settings in the preferences. A more elegant and user-friendly solution would be three sliders adjusting distance, height and angle independently of each other. The best solution would be to do both: Replace the two camera position sliders in the current preferences with the three I suggest and add and "Advanced" tab giving full access to all the camera related settings that are now hidden in the debug settings.\r\n\r\nI would also strongly suggest that LL reconsider what should be the default camera settings. I understand that changing established standards lots of people are used to can be controversial but in this case I don\'t think you\'ll get many complaints. I have yet to come across a single old-timer who wants to go back to the default once he/she has learned how to change the camera settings effectively. But of course, if there are somebody who actually prefer the current birdseye view setting, they should be able to change to that through the preferences.\r\n\r\n', } ```

[sl-service-account]

Jonathan Yap commented at 2014-11-15T17:31:25Z

Part of the specification being developed for STORM-2082 may include this feature.

[sl-service-account]

Jonathan Yap commented at 2017-01-13T17:58:50Z, updated at 2017-01-13T17:59:44Z

The design is yet to be worked out for STORM-2145 but hopefully most or all of what is being requested here will be done as part of those changes.