Set camera focus to specific part

[rudi1291]

The focus of the camera is locked to the CoM in flight, which is fine for small crafts. But for large craft, this isn´t always helping. The camera focuses on the CoM somewhere in the middle and you need to zoom out to see the whole ship. And that can make it harder to click onto something, for example to undock something.

My suggestion: Add a new "right click action" for command pods/probe cores/docking ports, which says "Focus camera here". Just a small change, but that would be incredibly helpful in some situations.

What do you think?

Edited March 14, 2016 by rudi1291

[tater]

Good idea.

[Warzouz]

A very goo idea indeed. But this would reduce the readability of context menus, so this function could be limited to some parts, or set at design, so we could cycle through "camera" parts with only one key press.

[rudi1291]

2 minutes ago, Warzouz said:

A very goo idea indeed. But this would reduce the readability of context menus, so this function could be limited to some parts, or set at design, so we could cycle through "camera" parts with only one key press.

Yes, that also came to my mind. A system similar as we have it in map mode right now, where tab cycles through the parts and backspace resets to the default CoM focus.

[Nich]

Why limit it to probe cores? I would say anything with a right click menu

[Warzouz]

29 minutes ago, Nich said:

Why limit it to probe cores? I would say anything with a right click menu

Context menu are already overcrowded. If you have a big space station, you already have to get to the part to get its context menu. Having specific "camera" parts at design (allowed on any part) and navigate trough them using "tab" or any other key seems much more easy and user friendly. Usually the need of another camera is to easily get to the context menu. So having this option into a menu makes not much sense.

[Nich]

I guess I have not built large enough ships I generally only need middle front and back

[hypervelocity]

Guys, there is a mod that let's you select the part at which the camera focuses. I have been using it for some time now and works like a charm! basically -in flight- you hover your mouse pointer over the part you want the camera focused at and press 'o', and that's it!

It has a minor bug tho - it keeps focus on the selected part even if you undock or EVA, so for instance if I have my command module focused and send poor Jeb on EVA and he storms flying away from the capsule, the camera will still be locked to it, and probably letting Jeb fly out of frame. Just need to hover my mouse over Jeb and press 'o' again to get it fixed

Edited March 14, 2016 by hypervelocity

[Mr. Speed]

I like this Idea.

I think the best way to do this is making it a keyboard + mouse-click combination available for every part.

I see no sense in limiting it to control parts, that would influence designs and increase part count just to look at your craft.
And right-click menus should be for controlling the craft and some parts have pretty long menus already.

an example I would like it: hold Y and click a part to focus camera around that part, and Y + right mouse button to reset to center of mass.

[StarManta]

2 hours ago, Warzouz said:

A very goo idea indeed. But this would reduce the readability of context menus, so this function could be limited to some parts, or set at design, so we could cycle through "camera" parts with only one key press.

I disagree. If this function is available on every part, it doesn't even need a "label and button" like standard actions - it could be just a tiny button with a little eyeball icon in the corner of the context menu. (Since it's a non-destructive action it doesn't need to be labeled - it's safe for users to discover it by trial and error)

In fact, I would say that limiting it to certain parts would dramatically reduce clarity, in addition to utility. The probe cores and cockpits already have a lot of options, and another "text and button" option would simply get lost in the list.

[Warzouz]

2 minutes ago, StarManta said:

In fact, I would say that limiting it to certain parts would dramatically reduce clarity, in addition to utility. The probe cores and cockpits already have a lot of options, and another "text and button" option would simply get lost in the list.

You misunderstood me : I didn't say that only some parts would have this feature (for example only pods or cores) but only selected parts by the player. For example I could choose the ISRU and a fuel tank as alternative cameras because they far reaching parts and I use them a lot on my space station. That said at rockaet design in the VAB, I could switch from COM, ISRU and the specific tank by pressing Tab key (or any dedicated one). Non need to have context menu features.

[John FX]

After using the camera focus changer mod I really like the way it works. You press `o` and then click the part you want. If you press `o` then click on space it resets.

Really simple, really effective.

Having similar function in stock would be nice.

[Alpha188]

Why not focus the view when you click on the "control from here" button? This way you can focus the view all around our vessel, you have just to place some command pods where you want to focus. Also, this will use an already implemented feature and so won't be hard to put in the game (at least I think so).

[rudi1291]

1 hour ago, hypervelocity said:

Guys, there is a mod that let's you select the part at which the camera focuses. I have been using it for some time now and works like a charm! basically -in flight- you hover your mouse pointer over the part you want the camera focused at and press 'o', and that's it!

It has a minor bug tho - it keeps focus on the selected part even if you undock or EVA, so for instance if I have my command module focused and send poor Jeb on EVA and he storms flying away from the capsule, the camera will still be locked to it, and probably letting Jeb fly out of frame. Just need to hover my mouse over Jeb and press 'o' again to get it fixed

Looks cool, i´ll check it out!

1 hour ago, Warzouz said:

For example I could choose the ISRU and a fuel tank as alternative cameras because they far reaching parts and I use them a lot on my space station. That said at rockaet design in the VAB, I could switch from COM, ISRU and the specific tank by pressing Tab key (or any dedicated one). Non need to have context menu features.

But how to implement this in a way, so that its easy and understandable for new players? I like the idea, but the editor is already complicated enough

 

35 minutes ago, Alpha188 said:

Why not focus the view when you click on the "control from here" button? This way you can focus the view all around our vessel, you have just to place some command pods where you want to focus. Also, this will use an already implemented feature and so won't be hard to put in the game (at least I think so).

That would actually make a lot of sense

[pincushionman]

It shouldn't be in the context menu. It should be something like mod+double-click or mod+middle-click.

Of course, I just got done with a whole day of wrangling CATIA, and in that program all your camera controls are based around manipulating the middle button, and it's awesome for it.