3D Camera Setup

Introduction

The default FlatRedBall camera presents a 3D view - the further an object is from the camera the smaller it appears. However, the camera looks down the Z axis and its default settings assume that this is the view for performance reasons. The camera can be modified so that it doesn't have to view down the Z axis.

Looking down a different axis

The following code creates sets the camera to look down the Y axis rather than Z axis. It is common in 3D applications using FlatRedBall to have the ground lie on the XY axis and Z be height. Add the following in Initialize after initializing FlatRedBall:

// Make the camera look down the Y axis so that Z is up:
Camera.Main.RotationX = (float)System.Math.PI / 2.0f;

// Since we're not looking down the Z axis turn off culling
Camera.Main.CameraCullMode = CameraCullMode.None;

// If the XY plane is the ground then Z is up.
// Give the camera an altitude of 1 units.  
Camera.Main.Z = 1;

// This keeps the camera oriented so that the up vector is positive Z:
Camera.Main.UpVector = new Vector3(0, 0, 1);

// Place a bunch of Sprites in the world on the XY plane
for (int i = 0; i < 200; i++)
{
    Sprite sprite = SpriteManager.AddSprite("redball.png");
    sprite.X = -50 + 100 * (float)FlatRedBallServices.Random.NextDouble();
    sprite.Y = 100 * (float)FlatRedBallServices.Random.NextDouble();
    
    // Make the Sprite "sit" on the ground
    sprite.Z = sprite.ScaleY;
    
    // Spin the Sprites so that they sit on the XZ plane (facing the camera)
    sprite.RotationX = (float)System.Math.PI / 2.0f;
}

// Set the sort type to distance along forward vector or else Sprites won't
// sort properly.
SpriteManager.OrderedSortType = SortType.DistanceAlongForwardVector;

3DCamera.png