How To Make A Camera System In Unreal

In this How-to tutorial you volition create a static (or stock-still) photographic camera angle that is used for the player's perspective during gameplay in a third person instance map, so y'all will create a trigger volume which will transition your viewpoint to the new static camera one time your graphic symbol overlaps the volume. Upon completing this tutorial, yous tin take the process used here and utilize it to your ain game to fix upwards a fixed perspective for a player.

Creating The Static Camera Thespian

Choose your implementation method:

Begin by creating a New > Games > Third Person > Blueprint projection named StaticCameras.
Click Add/Import > Blueprints > Pattern Class, the Choice Parent Class menu will appear; click the pointer to expand all classes, and then search for and select CameraActor to create a new Blueprint CameraActor class named BP_ExampleCameraActor.
From the Content Browser panel, select and elevate the BP_ExampleCameraActor into the level.

Begin by creating a New > Games > 3rd Person > C++ project named StaticCameras.
Launch the C++ Course Wizard, enable the checkbox for Bear witness All Classes, and so type CameraActor inside the search field to select and create your new Camera Actor class named ExampleCameraActor.
From the C++ Class console, right click on your ExampleCamera and from the dropdown C++ Class actions menu select Create a Blueprint class based on ExampleCameraActor. Then drag an case of BP_ExampleCameraActor into the level.

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Level Setup

In social club to demonstrate the transition of perspectives betwixt the player'south camera and the static photographic camera Actor, y'all volition need to set upwardly the scene. Yous can accomplish this by modifying some of the static mesh geometry from the third person template level.

Begin by navigating to the world outliner panel, and shift select Floor, Wall6, Wall7, Wall8, and Wall9 from the ArenaGeometry > Loonshit folder.
Alt-click and elevate the Transform gizmo to create a indistinguishable flooring and wall setup.
This will result in the creation of Floor2, Wall10, Wall11, Wall12, and Wall13.

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Movement the newly duplicated static meshes to resemble the layout below, a new room duplicating the showtime just without whatever contents.

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From the world outliner, select Wall9 and Wall12 (the walls connecting the 2 rooms), and set their X Scale values to 14.
Select both Wall9, and Wall10, and so move them using the Transform gizmo so that they form a partition betwixt rooms with a gap as shown below.
Your completed level setup should await like to the prototype beneath, with a second room connected to the first by an opening in the wall.

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Camera Perspective Setup

Now that you have completed the level setup, you can place the BP_ExampleCameraActor in the level to become a better thought of the view the player will have once they overlap the trigger volume. You tin take a Beginning Person perspective from the Camera'southward Point of View past locking the Viewport to the Camera Player and inbound Airplane pilot mode.

With the Camera selected in the level, correct-click on it, and then from the context bill of fare select Pilot 'CameraActor'.
Yous can now movement around the Viewport using the WASD keys while holding the Left or Correct Mouse Push button down. While you fly around the level, the Camera'due south position will move along with your motion assuasive you to get an idea of the perspective the camera volition take during gameplay.
To unlock the Photographic camera, click the Unlock push.

The camera volition remain where information technology was positioned when you unlocked it. The icon adjacent to the Unlock push button allows you to toggle between showing the in-game camera view or the level editor view.
Airplane pilot the Camera into a position looking down on the second room similar to the gif beneath.
Your completed camera scene setup should look similar to the image below, with a static camera looking down on the new room along with the original camera following the third-person actor.

Click prototype to expand.

Creating the Overlap Trigger Actor

In this example, the trigger Role player functions equally the transition manager betwixt the thespian's photographic camera view point and the static camera view point, once the actor overlaps it's box component volume bounds, a transitional blend will occur betwixt the perspectives.

Brainstorm past clicking Add together/Import > Blueprints > Pattern Class, and create a new Blueprint Actor grade named BP_BlendTriggerVolume.
Double click the BP_BlendTriggerVolume to open it'due south class defaults, from the Components tab click the Add together Component button and select Box Collision to add a new Box Component named OverlapVolume.
From the My Blueprint tab, navigate to the variables category and click the + sign, select your new variable and from the details panel, change it's Variable blazon to a bladder and name your variable CameraBlendTime.
Compile & Save Your Pattern
Re-select your CameraBlendTime variable and set up it'due south float value to ane.0f

Creating the On Component Begin Overlap Event

From the Components tab select the OverlapVolume, navigate to the Details console, scroll downwards to the Events category and click the + icon side by side to the On Component Begin Overlap event.
Click the On Component Begin Overlap(OverlapVolume) node and drag off the execution pin onto the event graph, an Executable deportment drop down menu will announced. Search for and select Cast To ThirdPersonCharacter.
From the On Component Begin Overlap node, click and drag off of the Other Actor pivot and input it into the Object pin of the Cast To Tertiary PersonCharacter node.
From the Cast To ThirdPersonCharacter node, select and elevate off the Every bit Third Person Character reference pivot and from the actions driblet down menu, search for and select Is Valid.
Select and drag from the Is Valid node'due south boolean return value and from the deportment menu, search for and select a Co-operative node, and then connect the execution pivot from the Bandage to ThirdPersonCharacter node to the Branch node.
From the Branch node, click and drag off the True pin and from the actions card search and select Cast to PlayerController.
From the Cast To ThirdPerson Character node, click and drag off the As 3rd Person Character pivot, and from the deportment menu search for and select Go Controller.
From the Get Controller Node, click and drag off of the Return Value and connect it to the Object pin of your Bandage To PlayerController node.
From the CastToPlayerController node, drag off the Equally Thespian Controller pin, and repeat the Is Valid and Branch bank check described in steps 4 and v.
Select and drag off the True pin of the Branch node onto the event graph, from the deportment drop down menu search and select Get Actor Of Form.
From the Actor Class pin's Select Form drib down bill of fare, search for and select your BP_ExampleCameraActor grade.
Navigate to your Cast To PlayerController node, click and drag off the As Player Controller pin and from the actions menu search and select Fix View Target With Alloy.
From the Get Actor of Class node, click and elevate the return value pivot and plug it into the New View Target input pin of the Set View Target node, then connect the execution pin.
Navigate to the My Blueprint tab, and from the Variables categories click and drag the CameraBlendTime float variable onto the result graph, from the drop downwardly carte select Go CameraBlendTime to become a reference to your variable.
Connect your Camera Blend Fourth dimension variable pin into the Blend Time pin from the Set View Target node.
Your VolumeTrigger On Component Begin Overlap logic should look as shown in the image beneath.

Click image to expand.

Creating the On Component End Overlap Event

The On Component Cease Overlap event will transition your view back to the Player Character's camera when they exit the OverlapVolume.

Navigate to the Components tab and select the Box component. Then from the Details console, scroll down to the Events category and click the + icon next to the On Component End Overlap event.
Indistinguishable the previous logic that y'all created for your On Component Begin Overlap Event, then delete the Get All Actors Of Class node.
From the Bandage to ThirdPersonCharacter node, elevate off from the As ThirdPersonCharacter output pin.
Connect the pivot to the Set up View Target with Blend node'south New View Target input pin.
This logic will transition the camera dorsum to the Third Person character view.

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Finished Blueprint

BP_BlendTriggerVolume

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Setting up the Overlap Trigger Role player

Now that y'all accept created your overlap Actor, you will demand to identify information technology into the level and prepare information technology's bounds.

From the Content Browser, drag an instance of your BP_BlendTriggerVolume into the level.
Motion the BP_BlendTriggerVolume into the room with your BP_ExampleCameraActor, and from the details panel select the box component. Navigate to the Shape category and modify the Box Extent Ten, Y, and Z values and so the volume volition fit your room.
From the Main Editor View, click the Play push button to play in the Editor.

Using the C++ Class Wizard, create a new Histrion class named BlendTriggerVolume.

Navigate to your BlendTriggerVolume.h file, and declare the following code in your form definition.

                protected:  //Collision Bounds of the Actor Book UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite)     class UBoxComponent* OverlapVolume;      //Camera Player which the Actor Volume blends to     UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite)     TSubclassOf<ACameraActor> CameraToFind;      //Blend time for camera transition UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite) float CameraBlendTime;   //Brainstorm and Finish Overlap methods for our OverlapVolume Actor     virtual void NotifyActorBeginOverlap(AActor* OtherActor);      virtual void NotifyActorEndOverlap(AActor* OtherActor);

Adjacent, navigate to your BlendTriggerVolume.cpp file to ready up your constructor and box component overlap methods. Declare the following include course libraries.

#include "Components/BoxComponent.h"

#include "StaticCamerasCharacter.h"

#include "Camera/CameraActor.h"

#include "Runtime/Engine/Classes/Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"

In the constructor ABlendTriggerVolume::ABlendTriggerVolume, declare the following code.

                ABlendTriggerVolume::ABlendTriggerVolume() { //Create box component default components OverlapVolume = CreateDefaultSubobject<UBoxComponent>(TEXT("CameraProximityVolume")); //Gear up the box component zipper to the root component.  OverlapVolume->SetupAttachment(RootComponent); }

Next, implement your NotifyActorBeginOverlap and NotifyActorEndOverlap class methods:

                void ABlendTriggerVolume::NotifyActorBeginOverlap(AActor* OtherActor){ //Bandage check to meet if overlapped Histrion is Third Person Player Character  if (AStaticCamerasCharacter* PlayerCharacterCheck = Cast<AStaticCamerasCharacter>(OtherActor))     {  //Bandage to Role player Character's PlayerController  if (APlayerController* PlayerCharacterController = Cast<APlayerController>(PlayerCharacterCheck->GetController()))         {             //Array to contain institute Camera Actors             TArray<AActor*> FoundActors;   //Utility part to populate array with all Camera Actors in the level  UGameplayStatics::GetAllActorsOfClass(GetWorld(), CameraToFind, FoundActors);  //Sets Player Controller view to the showtime CameraActor found PlayerCharacterController->SetViewTargetWithBlend(FoundActors[0], CameraBlendTime, EViewTargetBlendFunction::VTBlend_Linear);         }     }  }  void ABlendTriggerVolume::NotifyActorEndOverlap(AActor* OtherActor){     if (AStaticCamerasCharacter* PlayerCharacterCheck = Cast<AStaticCamerasCharacter>(OtherActor)) {   if (APlayerController* PlayerCharacterController = Bandage<APlayerController>(PlayerCharacterCheck->GetController())) {  //Blend to Actor Character's Photographic camera Component. PlayerCharacterController->SetViewTargetWithBlend(PlayerCharacterController->GetPawn(), CameraBlendTime, EViewTargetBlendFunction::VTBlend_Linear); }       } }

Compile your code.

Finished Code

BlendTriggerVolume.h

            #pragma once  #include "CoreMinimal.h" #include "GameFramework/Player.h" #include "BlendTriggerVolume.generated.h"  UCLASS() form STATICCAMERAS_API ABlendTriggerVolume : public AActor {     GENERATED_BODY()  public:         // Sets default values for this actor'southward backdrop     ABlendTriggerVolume();  protected:     //Collision Bounds of the Actor Book UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite)     form UBoxComponent* OverlapVolume;      //Camera Actor which the Actor Volume blends to     UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite)     TSubclassOf<ACameraActor> CameraToFind;      //Blend time for photographic camera transition UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, meta =(ClampMin = 0.0f )) float CameraBlendTime;   //Begin and Finish Overlap Actor methods for our OverlapVolume Thespian.      //Begin and End Overlap methods for our OverlapVolume Actor     virtual void NotifyActorBeginOverlap(AActor* OtherActor);      virtual void NotifyActorEndOverlap(AActor* OtherActor); };

BlendTriggerVolume.cpp

            #include "BlendTriggerVolume.h" #include "Components/BoxComponent.h" #include "StaticCamerasCharacter.h" #include "Camera/CameraActor.h" #include "Runtime/Engine/Classes/Kismet/GameplayStatics.h"  // Sets default values ABlendTriggerVolume::ABlendTriggerVolume() {       //Create box component default components OverlapVolume = CreateDefaultSubobject<UBoxComponent>(TEXT("CameraProximityVolume"));  //Set the box component attachment to the root component. OverlapVolume->SetupAttachment(RootComponent);  //Set the CameraBlendTime CameraBlendTime = i.0f;  } // Chosen when the game starts or when spawned  void ABlendTriggerVolume::BeginPlay() { Super::BeginPlay(); }  void ABlendTriggerVolume::NotifyActorBeginOverlap(AActor * OtherActor) {  //Cast bank check to see if overlapped Role player is Third Person Role player Character       if (AStaticCamerasCharacter* PlayerCharacterCheck = Cast<AStaticCamerasCharacter>(OtherActor)) { //Cast to Player Character's PlayerController  if (APlayerController* PlayerCharacterController = Bandage<APlayerController>(PlayerCharacterCheck->GetController()))     {         //Assortment to incorporate found Photographic camera Actors TArray<AActor*> FoundActors;   //Utility function to populate array with all Photographic camera Actors in the level UGameplayStatics::GetAllActorsOfClass(GetWorld(), CameraToFind, FoundActors);  //Sets Role player Controller view to the start CameraActor found PlayerCharacterController->SetViewTargetWithBlend(FoundActors[0], CameraBlendTime, EViewTargetBlendFunction::VTBlend_Linear); } }  }  void ABlendTriggerVolume::NotifyActorEndOverlap(AActor* OtherActor) {     if (AStaticCamerasCharacter* PlayerCharacterCheck = Cast<AStaticCamerasCharacter>(OtherActor)) {   if (APlayerController* PlayerCharacterController = Cast<APlayerController>(PlayerCharacterCheck->GetController())) {  //Blend to Player Graphic symbol's Camera Component. PlayerCharacterController->SetViewTargetWithBlend(PlayerCharacterController->GetPawn(), CameraBlendTime, EViewTargetBlendFunction::VTBlend_Linear);      }  }   } // Called every frame void ABlendTriggerVolume::Tick(float DeltaTime) { Super::Tick(DeltaTime); }

Setting up the Overlap Trigger Actor

Now that you take created your overlap Player, you will demand to place it into the level and gear up up its bounds.

Begin by navigating to your C++ Classes folder, right-click on your BlendTriggerVolume grade, select Create Blueprint Class based on BlendTriggerVolume, and so name your Blueprint Actor BP_BlendTriggerVolume.
From the grade defaults, navigate to Camera To Find in the Details panel, open the drib down menu, and so select BP_ExampleCameraActor.
Optionally, y'all can change the default blend time for this Pattern without having to go back into the source lawmaking, or affecting other Blueprints with the same inherited parent class.
Compile and Save.
From the Content Browser, drag an instance of BP_BlendTriggerVolume into the level.

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Move the BP_BlendTriggerVolume into the room with your BP_ExampleCameraActor, and from the Details panel select the box component. Navigate to the Shape category and modify the Box Extent X, Y, and Z values then the volume will fit your room.

Click paradigm to expand.
From the Main Editor View, click the Play button to play in the Editor.

Finish Upshot

When the game starts, the player controls their graphic symbol'south movement using WASD. Upon overlapping the BP_BlendTriggerVolume the camera view is assigned to the Camera Histrion that you have created and placed in your level, and the view will switch to an overhead shot of the thespian-controlled character.

You may have also noticed that the view is letterboxed; you tin can disable this by united nations-checking the Constrain Aspect Ratio option inside the Details panel for the Camera Actor.