Camera question?

[darkmanx_429]

I want to set my virtual width at 320 X 240 and then have the environment scroll with my character. I am using PMO object. Normally I would keep my play area bigger than the virtual area and then make them the same and then the character would scroll the stage automatically. I tried making a active object and assigning 8-direction movement with it and having it scroll with the active player sensor while in 320 X 240. I would then add a + or - x position with the active object but none of that worked. Any suggestions?

[darkmanx_429]

mmmm...anyone out there? lol

[darkmanx_429]

Ok, maybe I didn't explain this well enough. Basically I want to keep the virtual width and height of my stage set to 320 X 240. (The size of my stage is 4028 X 692.) I am using PMO with a active player sensor. I would like the stage to scroll with my character when he runs left or right. Right now, it only does so if I keep the size of the stage and the virtual width and height the same. Can someone explain to me how I would get the stage to scroll with the character when the virtual width and height is 320 X 240 even though the stage size may be much bigger?

[happygreenfrog]

You can't, the virtual width and height determine how much you are allowed to scroll, so it won't work otherwise. You technically could do the scrolling manually, but it's really unnecessary (and the only way you could do it). The main reason you would change the virtual width/height in the first place would be if you want the game to scroll further than the width/height of your frame, so I really don't see why you are messing with those.

The point is: Just set the virtual width and height to be the same as the width and height.

[darkmanx_429]

You can't, the virtual width and height determine how much you are allowed to scroll, so it won't work otherwise. You technically could do the scrolling manually, but it's really unnecessary (and the only way you could do it). The main reason you would change the virtual width/height in the first place would be if you want the game to scroll further than the width/height of your frame, so I really don't see why you are messing with those.

The point is: Just set the virtual width and height to be the same as the width and height.

Well, that's what I normally do, but the problem is that when I make my stages I always use 320 X 240 as the template for 1 room. For some bigger stages when I run them in MMF2 the stage may be a tad off from how it looked when I set it up in my paint program. Basically, for this case the whole stage would have to be adjusted so that it fits into the 320 X 240 frame. I tried making a 320 X 240 frame in photoshop and importing that into MMF2 and then build my stage around that frame but it's not always accurate.

[happygreenfrog]

Well, changing the virtual width and height and then scrolling things manually isn't going to change that at all, you'll get the same outcome. If you really want to try manually scrolling everything, and then risking ending up frustrated because it doesn't work, then go ahead, but I don't have the time to make you an example right now (maybe later, but I hardly even have time to write this post right now, so I simply don't have enough time to do it now).

[darkmanx_429]

Well, changing the virtual width and height and then scrolling things manually isn't going to change that at all, you'll get the same outcome. If you really want to try manually scrolling everything, and then risking ending up frustrated because it doesn't work, then go ahead, but I don't have the time to make you an example right now (maybe later, but I hardly even have time to write this post right now, so I simply don't have enough time to do it now).

No worries. Sounds like a pain in the @$$ don't worry about easier to just make my adjustments with the stage layout.

[Warmachine]

If you want the environment to always be with the player, you could just set an event that says
Always - "environment object position - select position - click the character and adjust the x and y coordinates so they match up right. But if you want it to always be there no matter where the character is, just put it at 0,0 and untick the "Follow the Frame" box.

[Jacob]

I'm guessing you're misunderstanding what virtual width and height are. There are three settings for your game size. The first is Window Size, which is the size of the window you view through. This is set in the application properties and should be 320x240. The second is frame size, which is the size of your whole scene as you see in the frame editor. The third is virtual size, which is the size the window assumes the frame is for scrolling purposes. This should almost always remain the same as the frame size. One case you would change it is if you didn't like how the scrolling stops automatically at the bottom and right of the frame. Your character could be centered during normal play, but when you get to the edges scrolling stops to keep the camera from viewing outside the frame. You could change the frame size to make it bigger, but then you have to remember where your edge is supposed to be in the frame editor. Or you could just increase the virtual width and height by half the size of the window, then you'd be able to have the screen centered on the bottom right of the frame.

Basically, your Window Size should be 320x240, your frame size should be 4028x692, your virtual size should be 4028x692. This will let you do standard scrolling. If you want to make some objects (such as HUD/UI) follow the window the whole time, leave them within your 320x240 window at the top left of the frame and check/uncheck the Follow the Frame box, or use CTRL+K to open the layers menu, create a new layer above your current one, drag the objects there, and then click on the new layer and change the scrolling coefficients to 0 in the properties. This will make that layer not move at all when you scroll.

[darkmanx_429]

Thanks for the in-depth reply Jacob. That helped, the issue was that after I changed my size, I didn't notice my virtual width and height changing as well. I forgot to go back and change them!