Inside this Article:
“Types of 2D Camera in game development”
Introduction:
So you have chosen one between Unity vs. Unreal engine and now want to make your 2d game but don't know which type of 2d camera in game development is best for your game.2D cameras in video games control the viewpoint in a two dimensional way. Very famous game ”Among Us” has use 2d camera and shows the true strength of what 2d cameras can do.
In this article, I am going to tell you what a 2d camera in a video game is in detail along with all different types of 2d camera in game development, and with examples of games.
By reading this you will be able to understand and can make the decision. Let's start!
What is a 2D Camera in Game Development?
A 2D camera in game development is the player's eyes to see the 2 dimensional world game environment. It managed which content and elements should display on screen.
The 2D camera
follows the player movement,
focusing the view to keep it in center and zoom in or out to
highlight important elements.
You can use a 2D camera to contribute to the game play and make it more engaging by adding effects such as parallel scrolling, screen shaking and dynamic movement. This added attention to detail, excitement and depth to the gameplay and made it more fun.
You can use a 2D camera to contribute to the game play and make it more engaging by adding effects such as parallel scrolling, screen shaking and dynamic movement. This added attention to detail, excitement and depth to the gameplay and made it more fun.
Why is it So Difficult To Make a Good 2D Camera?
To make a good 2D camera is a little bit hard because if you just stick the camera to the player, it will be weird.
Such as when the camera moves up every time a player jumps,
it feels dizzy and irritating.
This makes the gameplay
jerky and unsmooth and spoil the player experience.
Tips For Your 2D Camera:
Look at Where the Player is Going (Lookahead):
Do not try to keep your game at the center of the screen. Instead, keep the camera ahead of the player, so it can show more area about what's coming up.
This helps the player to see what is coming and what's ahead to avoid surprises.
Do not try to keep your game at the center of the screen. Instead, keep the camera ahead of the player, so it can show more area about what's coming up.
This helps the player to see what is coming and what's ahead to avoid surprises.
Don't Move Too Much When Jumping:
Balance between player jump and camera position is hard for most of the game developers. It feels irritating. Jumping can make the camera moves increase which is not smooth.
The solution is we can make the camera ignore jumps until the player goes to a certain height. In this way, the ground stays in the same place.
Focus on Important Things (Framing):
Sometimes, we want the camera to look at specific things, not just the player. For example, it can zoom in to show something exciting or important in the game.
Make it Feel Exciting (Juice):
To make the game feel more exciting we can add some special effects to the camera like screen shake when something big happens. But we also need to remember that not everyone likes these effects, so we can give players the option to turn them off.
Now let's discuss the types of 2D cameras in game development, which is best and how you can use them in your game.
The best example of an orthographic camera in games is Super Mario Bros. The camera presents the game world as a side scrolling platformer.
Player moves horizontally on the screen and enemies, obstacles and power ups maintain constant size and positions relative to the camera, this allows the player to engage more effectively.
Game Objects appear larger when the camera is close to them and smaller when the camera is far away, adding a sense of depth.
Example:
Limbo is a 3d platformer game but the camera only shows 2 dimensional gameplay, adding depth to the game and contributing to the game 's unique art style and ambience.
Example:
The famous example of it is Resident Evil games where the camera is fixed at some top right corner of the wall in the room.
It creates tension and suspense to the gameplay and by controlling the player perspective from a fixed angle, creates a feeling of vulnerability and unpredictability.
Example:
In Shovel Knight, parallax cameras add depth to the gameplay. When the player progresses, background layers move at different speeds, which gives a dynamic gameplay.
Balance between player jump and camera position is hard for most of the game developers. It feels irritating. Jumping can make the camera moves increase which is not smooth.
The solution is we can make the camera ignore jumps until the player goes to a certain height. In this way, the ground stays in the same place.
Focus on Important Things (Framing):
Sometimes, we want the camera to look at specific things, not just the player. For example, it can zoom in to show something exciting or important in the game.
Make it Feel Exciting (Juice):
To make the game feel more exciting we can add some special effects to the camera like screen shake when something big happens. But we also need to remember that not everyone likes these effects, so we can give players the option to turn them off.
Now let's discuss the types of 2D cameras in game development, which is best and how you can use them in your game.
Types Of 2D Camera in Game Development:
There are many
types of 2D cameras in game development based on player movement and game type. Below are all
the types of 2d cameras in video games.
1. Orthographic Camera:
This camera gives you a flat and parallel projection of the view and objects on the screen appear of the same size regardless of distance from the camera. This type of 2d camera is commonly used in RPGS or top down games.
Example:
The best example of an orthographic camera in games is Super Mario Bros. The camera presents the game world as a side scrolling platformer.
Player moves horizontally on the screen and enemies, obstacles and power ups maintain constant size and positions relative to the camera, this allows the player to engage more effectively.
2. Perspective Camera:
You can use a perspective 2D camera in games to make the player see the world as the way human eyes see in the real world.Game Objects appear larger when the camera is close to them and smaller when the camera is far away, adding a sense of depth.
Example:
Limbo is a 3d platformer game but the camera only shows 2 dimensional gameplay, adding depth to the game and contributing to the game 's unique art style and ambience.
3. Follow Camera:
When a camera is fixed at the center of the screen but moves horizontally with the player, it is called a Follow camera, also known as a tracking camera. This type of camera is very common in mobile platformer games like Hollow Knight.
Example:
The platformer game: Sonic the Hedgehog, has a follow camera that keeps the player(Sonic) at the center of the screen as he moves in the game.
Since this camera only shows 50% screen, it makes it difficult for the player to respond to the upcoming enemies and obstacles.
The platformer game: Sonic the Hedgehog, has a follow camera that keeps the player(Sonic) at the center of the screen as he moves in the game.
Since this camera only shows 50% screen, it makes it difficult for the player to respond to the upcoming enemies and obstacles.
4. Fixed Camera:
This camera remains fixed and gives the viewpoint of the game from a fixed predetermined position and doesn't move with the player.Example:
The famous example of it is Resident Evil games where the camera is fixed at some top right corner of the wall in the room.
It creates tension and suspense to the gameplay and by controlling the player perspective from a fixed angle, creates a feeling of vulnerability and unpredictability.
5. Parallax Camera:
A parallax camera in simple words, remains fixed and combines many layers of background scenery moves with different speed. This gives the feeling of the player moving horizontally.Example:
In Shovel Knight, parallax cameras add depth to the gameplay. When the player progresses, background layers move at different speeds, which gives a dynamic gameplay.
6. Dynamic Camera:
This camera type
changes its rotation and position with respect to player movement and the upcoming game event in real time.
It can be dynamic or subtle, depending on you. Some examples of dynamic
cameras include
zoom, pan and dollys etc.
Example:
The Legend of Zelda uses a dynamic camera, which acts according to the Link(player) actions and game events. Exploring the open world or engaged in combat, the camera adjusts itself to give the best experience.
Example:
The Legend of Zelda uses a dynamic camera, which acts according to the Link(player) actions and game events. Exploring the open world or engaged in combat, the camera adjusts itself to give the best experience.
7. Cinematic Camera:
The cinematic camera is used to create cinematic gameplay, focusing on framing to convey emotion and narrative.
It supports a bunch of 2D features including
orthographic rendering and 2D framing.
Making a powerful 2D camera is incredibly easy.
Example:
The first Prince of Persia game is the father of all cinematic
platformers. For the first time ever, the characters moved like real
people.
Conclusions:
Making a good 2D camera for your game is all about making your game look cool and run smoothly. This blog aims to help you to create a camera that makes your game more fun and enjoyable for players.
Finally, I hope you have understood well what
the different types and how to choose for your game, and have already chosen how you can improve your gameplay from the above
2d camera tips.
Remember, there's no perfect way to do it – you can try different things and experiment and see what works best for your game.
Play Games, Make Games!
3. What types of 2D cameras are there?
Common types of 2D cameras include orthographic cameras, follow cameras, fixed cameras, and dynamic cameras.
5. What are some examples of games with notable 2D camera systems?
Remember, there's no perfect way to do it – you can try different things and experiment and see what works best for your game.
Play Games, Make Games!
FAQs
1. What is a 2D camera in games?
A 2D camera in game development is the player's eyes to see the 2 dimensional world game environment. It managed which content and elements should display on screen.2. What does a 2D camera do?
The 2D camera follows the player movement, focusing the view to keep it in center and zoom in or out to highlight important elements.3. What types of 2D cameras are there?
Common types of 2D cameras include orthographic cameras, follow cameras, fixed cameras, and dynamic cameras.
4. How does a 2D camera affect gameplay?
A 2D camera contributes to the gameplay by controlling the player's viewpoint, providing feedback, guiding exploration, and framing the action.5. What are some examples of games with notable 2D camera systems?
There are many types of 2D cameras in game development based on player
movement and game type, including Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog
series, "Limbo", and "Shovel Knight".
6. How do developers implement a 2D camera in games?
You can use a 2D camera to contribute to the game play and make it more engaging by adding effects such as parallel scrolling, screen shaking and dynamic movement.
This added attention to detail, excitement and depth to the gameplay and
made it more fun.
7. What are some challenges associated with 2D camera implementation?
To make a good 2D camera is a little bit hard because if you just stick the camera to the player, it will be weird. Such as when the camera moves up every time a player jumps, it feels dizzy and irritating.
This makes the gameplay jerky and unsmooth and spoil the player
experience.
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Hi ! I'm Maaz Ayub , a technology and gaming content writer with
over 2+ year of professional experience in content writing |
