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Camera3D

Inherits: Node3D < Node < Object

Inherited By: XRCamera3D

Camera node, displays from a point of view.

Description

Camera3D is a special node that displays what is visible from its current location. Cameras register themselves in the nearest Viewport node (when ascending the tree). Only one camera can be active per viewport. If no viewport is available ascending the tree, the camera will register in the global viewport. In other words, a camera just provides 3D display capabilities to a Viewport, and, without one, a scene registered in that Viewport (or higher viewports) can’t be displayed.

Tutorials

Properties

CameraAttributes

attributes

int

cull_mask

1048575

bool

current

false

DopplerTracking

doppler_tracking

0

Environment

environment

float

far

4000.0

float

fov

75.0

Vector2

frustum_offset

Vector2(0, 0)

float

h_offset

0.0

KeepAspect

keep_aspect

1

float

near

0.05

ProjectionType

projection

0

float

size

1.0

float

v_offset

0.0

Methods

void

clear_current ( bool enable_next=true )

Projection

get_camera_projection ( ) const

RID

get_camera_rid ( ) const

Transform3D

get_camera_transform ( ) const

bool

get_cull_mask_value ( int layer_number ) const

Plane[]

get_frustum ( ) const

RID

get_pyramid_shape_rid ( )

bool

is_position_behind ( Vector3 world_point ) const

bool

is_position_in_frustum ( Vector3 world_point ) const

void

make_current ( )

Vector3

project_local_ray_normal ( Vector2 screen_point ) const

Vector3

project_position ( Vector2 screen_point, float z_depth ) const

Vector3

project_ray_normal ( Vector2 screen_point ) const

Vector3

project_ray_origin ( Vector2 screen_point ) const

void

set_cull_mask_value ( int layer_number, bool value )

void

set_frustum ( float size, Vector2 offset, float z_near, float z_far )

void

set_orthogonal ( float size, float z_near, float z_far )

void

set_perspective ( float fov, float z_near, float z_far )

Vector2

unproject_position ( Vector3 world_point ) const


Enumerations

enum ProjectionType:

ProjectionType PROJECTION_PERSPECTIVE = 0

Perspective projection. Objects on the screen becomes smaller when they are far away.

ProjectionType PROJECTION_ORTHOGONAL = 1

Orthogonal projection, also known as orthographic projection. Objects remain the same size on the screen no matter how far away they are.

ProjectionType PROJECTION_FRUSTUM = 2

Frustum projection. This mode allows adjusting frustum_offset to create “tilted frustum” effects.


enum KeepAspect:

KeepAspect KEEP_WIDTH = 0

Preserves the horizontal aspect ratio; also known as Vert- scaling. This is usually the best option for projects running in portrait mode, as taller aspect ratios will benefit from a wider vertical FOV.

KeepAspect KEEP_HEIGHT = 1

Preserves the vertical aspect ratio; also known as Hor+ scaling. This is usually the best option for projects running in landscape mode, as wider aspect ratios will automatically benefit from a wider horizontal FOV.


enum DopplerTracking:

DopplerTracking DOPPLER_TRACKING_DISABLED = 0

Disables Doppler effect simulation (default).

DopplerTracking DOPPLER_TRACKING_IDLE_STEP = 1

Simulate Doppler effect by tracking positions of objects that are changed in _process. Changes in the relative velocity of this camera compared to those objects affect how audio is perceived (changing the audio’s AudioStreamPlayer3D.pitch_scale).

DopplerTracking DOPPLER_TRACKING_PHYSICS_STEP = 2

Simulate Doppler effect by tracking positions of objects that are changed in _physics_process. Changes in the relative velocity of this camera compared to those objects affect how audio is perceived (changing the audio’s AudioStreamPlayer3D.pitch_scale).


Property Descriptions

CameraAttributes attributes

The CameraAttributes to use for this camera.


int cull_mask = 1048575

  • void set_cull_mask ( int value )

  • int get_cull_mask ( )

The culling mask that describes which VisualInstance3D.layers are rendered by this camera. By default, all 20 user-visible layers are rendered.

Note: Since the cull_mask allows for 32 layers to be stored in total, there are an additional 12 layers that are only used internally by the engine and aren’t exposed in the editor. Setting cull_mask using a script allows you to toggle those reserved layers, which can be useful for editor plugins.

To adjust cull_mask more easily using a script, use get_cull_mask_value and set_cull_mask_value.

Note: VoxelGI, SDFGI and LightmapGI will always take all layers into account to determine what contributes to global illumination. If this is an issue, set GeometryInstance3D.gi_mode to GeometryInstance3D.GI_MODE_DISABLED for meshes and Light3D.light_bake_mode to Light3D.BAKE_DISABLED for lights to exclude them from global illumination.


bool current = false

  • void set_current ( bool value )

  • bool is_current ( )

If true, the ancestor Viewport is currently using this camera.

If multiple cameras are in the scene, one will always be made current. For example, if two Camera3D nodes are present in the scene and only one is current, setting one camera’s current to false will cause the other camera to be made current.


DopplerTracking doppler_tracking = 0

If not DOPPLER_TRACKING_DISABLED, this camera will simulate the Doppler effect for objects changed in particular _process methods. See DopplerTracking for possible values.


Environment environment

The Environment to use for this camera.


float far = 4000.0

The distance to the far culling boundary for this camera relative to its local Z axis. Higher values allow the camera to see further away, while decreasing far can improve performance if it results in objects being partially or fully culled.


float fov = 75.0

The camera’s field of view angle (in degrees). Only applicable in perspective mode. Since keep_aspect locks one axis, fov sets the other axis’ field of view angle.

For reference, the default vertical field of view value (75.0) is equivalent to a horizontal FOV of:

  • ~91.31 degrees in a 4:3 viewport

  • ~101.67 degrees in a 16:10 viewport

  • ~107.51 degrees in a 16:9 viewport

  • ~121.63 degrees in a 21:9 viewport


Vector2 frustum_offset = Vector2(0, 0)

  • void set_frustum_offset ( Vector2 value )

  • Vector2 get_frustum_offset ( )

The camera’s frustum offset. This can be changed from the default to create “tilted frustum” effects such as Y-shearing.

Note: Only effective if projection is PROJECTION_FRUSTUM.


float h_offset = 0.0

  • void set_h_offset ( float value )

  • float get_h_offset ( )

The horizontal (X) offset of the camera viewport.


KeepAspect keep_aspect = 1

The axis to lock during fov/size adjustments. Can be either KEEP_WIDTH or KEEP_HEIGHT.


float near = 0.05

  • void set_near ( float value )

  • float get_near ( )

The distance to the near culling boundary for this camera relative to its local Z axis. Lower values allow the camera to see objects more up close to its origin, at the cost of lower precision across the entire range. Values lower than the default can lead to increased Z-fighting.


ProjectionType projection = 0

The camera’s projection mode. In PROJECTION_PERSPECTIVE mode, objects’ Z distance from the camera’s local space scales their perceived size.


float size = 1.0

  • void set_size ( float value )

  • float get_size ( )

The camera’s size in meters measured as the diameter of the width or height, depending on keep_aspect. Only applicable in orthogonal and frustum modes.


float v_offset = 0.0

  • void set_v_offset ( float value )

  • float get_v_offset ( )

The vertical (Y) offset of the camera viewport.


Method Descriptions

void clear_current ( bool enable_next=true )

If this is the current camera, remove it from being current. If enable_next is true, request to make the next camera current, if any.


Projection get_camera_projection ( ) const

Returns the projection matrix that this camera uses to render to its associated viewport. The camera must be part of the scene tree to function.


RID get_camera_rid ( ) const

Returns the camera’s RID from the RenderingServer.


Transform3D get_camera_transform ( ) const

Returns the transform of the camera plus the vertical (v_offset) and horizontal (h_offset) offsets; and any other adjustments made to the position and orientation of the camera by subclassed cameras such as XRCamera3D.


bool get_cull_mask_value ( int layer_number ) const

Returns whether or not the specified layer of the cull_mask is enabled, given a layer_number between 1 and 20.


Plane[] get_frustum ( ) const

Returns the camera’s frustum planes in world space units as an array of Planes in the following order: near, far, left, top, right, bottom. Not to be confused with frustum_offset.


RID get_pyramid_shape_rid ( )

Returns the RID of a pyramid shape encompassing the camera’s view frustum, ignoring the camera’s near plane. The tip of the pyramid represents the position of the camera.


bool is_position_behind ( Vector3 world_point ) const

Returns true if the given position is behind the camera (the blue part of the linked diagram). See this diagram for an overview of position query methods.

Note: A position which returns false may still be outside the camera’s field of view.


bool is_position_in_frustum ( Vector3 world_point ) const

Returns true if the given position is inside the camera’s frustum (the green part of the linked diagram). See this diagram for an overview of position query methods.


void make_current ( )

Makes this camera the current camera for the Viewport (see class description). If the camera node is outside the scene tree, it will attempt to become current once it’s added.


Vector3 project_local_ray_normal ( Vector2 screen_point ) const

Returns a normal vector from the screen point location directed along the camera. Orthogonal cameras are normalized. Perspective cameras account for perspective, screen width/height, etc.


Vector3 project_position ( Vector2 screen_point, float z_depth ) const

Returns the 3D point in world space that maps to the given 2D coordinate in the Viewport rectangle on a plane that is the given z_depth distance into the scene away from the camera.


Vector3 project_ray_normal ( Vector2 screen_point ) const

Returns a normal vector in world space, that is the result of projecting a point on the Viewport rectangle by the inverse camera projection. This is useful for casting rays in the form of (origin, normal) for object intersection or picking.


Vector3 project_ray_origin ( Vector2 screen_point ) const

Returns a 3D position in world space, that is the result of projecting a point on the Viewport rectangle by the inverse camera projection. This is useful for casting rays in the form of (origin, normal) for object intersection or picking.


void set_cull_mask_value ( int layer_number, bool value )

Based on value, enables or disables the specified layer in the cull_mask, given a layer_number between 1 and 20.


void set_frustum ( float size, Vector2 offset, float z_near, float z_far )

Sets the camera projection to frustum mode (see PROJECTION_FRUSTUM), by specifying a size, an offset, and the z_near and z_far clip planes in world space units. See also frustum_offset.


void set_orthogonal ( float size, float z_near, float z_far )

Sets the camera projection to orthogonal mode (see PROJECTION_ORTHOGONAL), by specifying a size, and the z_near and z_far clip planes in world space units. (As a hint, 2D games often use this projection, with values specified in pixels.)


void set_perspective ( float fov, float z_near, float z_far )

Sets the camera projection to perspective mode (see PROJECTION_PERSPECTIVE), by specifying a fov (field of view) angle in degrees, and the z_near and z_far clip planes in world space units.


Vector2 unproject_position ( Vector3 world_point ) const

Returns the 2D coordinate in the Viewport rectangle that maps to the given 3D point in world space.

Note: When using this to position GUI elements over a 3D viewport, use is_position_behind to prevent them from appearing if the 3D point is behind the camera:

  1. # This code block is part of a script that inherits from Node3D.
  2. # `control` is a reference to a node inheriting from Control.
  3. control.visible = not get_viewport().get_camera_3d().is_position_behind(global_transform.origin)
  4. control.position = get_viewport().get_camera_3d().unproject_position(global_transform.origin)