Comments on: Dragging mouse for camera orbit

By: Kevin Burke

Kevin Burke — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:21:35 +0000

How can I get the Camera3D to orbit with an elliptical path as opposed to perfectly circular? Something like this:
http://www.kevinburkeportfolio.com/ellipse.jpg

public override function orbit(pitch:Number, yaw:Number, useDegrees:Boolean=true, target:DisplayObject3D=null):void
{
target = target || _target;
target = target || DisplayObject3D.ZERO;

if(useDegrees)
{
pitch *= (Math.PI/180);
yaw *= (Math.PI/90);
}

// Number3D.sub
var dx :Number = target.world.n14 - this.x;
var dy :Number = target.world.n24 - this.y;
var dz :Number = target.world.n34 - this.z;

// Rotations
var rx :Number = Math.cos(yaw) * Math.sin(pitch);
var rz :Number = Math.sin(yaw) * Math.sin(pitch);
var ry :Number = Math.cos(pitch);

// Number3D.modulo
var distance :Number = Math.sqrt(dx*dx+dy*dy+dz*dz);

// Move to specified location
this.x = target.world.n14 + (rx * distance);
this.y = target.world.n24 + (ry * distance);
this.z = target.world.n34 + (rz * distance);
this.lookAt(target);
}

By: Kevin Burke

Kevin Burke — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:21:35 +0000

By: Kevin Burke

Kevin Burke — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:12:39 +0000

For those seeking an easing camera orbit:
http://blog.yoz.sk/2010/04/smooth-orbiting-camera-in-papervision-3d/

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:01:16 +0000

Can this be made to orbit fully around the object targeted?

By: Soapstar

Soapstar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:30:40 +0000

Hey, is there anyway to use this on a .dae model? Ive tried to integrate a dae model but nothing happens! Im sure its something to do with the ' cameraTarget:DisplayObject3D = DisplayObject3D.ZERO; ' ? Should this be different for a dae model?

thanks

By: NuttyMonk

NuttyMonk — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:56:13 +0000

Thanks for the tutorial and code examples John.

i have a couple of suggestions to changes in this code which makes the camera orbit feel more natural and also gives the user the ability to look at the bottom of the objects.

change these 3 lines of code in the onMouseMove event function…

cameraPitch += differenceY;
cameraYaw += differenceX;

cameraPitch = cameraPitch < 90 ? cameraPitch : 89.9999;

…to this…

cameraPitch -= differenceY;
cameraYaw -= differenceX;

cameraPitch = cameraPitch < 180 ? cameraPitch : 179.9999;

Hope that helps someone.

Cheers

By: marco

marco — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:17:59 +0000

if you use a camera.moveRight(5); somewhere, and then rotate ….the movement done by camera.moveRight is resetted.

By: wonky rat

wonky rat — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:35:30 +0000

Hi how would you add an easeOut tween on the camera orbit when the mouse is released… I’ve tried this but just end up making the object zoom in and out instead of keeping it going round the direction it was going… :S

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:30:05 +0000

Great post! Many thanks. Your “oribiting” solution was very helpful! :p

By: lilly

lilly — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:27:32 +0000

when i try to load this as. file into a .fla-file

import flash.display.Loader;

var loadSWF:Loader = new Loader();
loadSWF.x = 100;
loadSWF.y = 100;

loadSWF.load(new URLRequest(”test.swf”));
addChild(loadSWF);

i get this error message:

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at papervisionclass()

i debugged it and it throws the error here:

stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onMouseDown);

any idea how to fix it?