How can I implement a third-person camera in an SC2 map?

Question

I want to try creating a custom Starcraft 2 map with a third-person camera following a unit. A few custom maps with this feature exist already, so I know it's possible.

How do I do this? Do I need a custom mods file, or can everything be done in the map file?

Answer 1

The information provided below is from http://www.staredit.net/starcraft2/Third_Person_Camera where you can find out more stuff like WASD triggers and multiple camera options, but the basics for the 3rd person setup is here:

Setting up the Camera Object

Underneath the "Create Camera" Button, you will see a white box with the value "Camera 001" in it, right click it and hit "Modify Properties". Set the values to the following (Name - Sub - Value - (Description)):

• Angle - Field Of View - 27.996 - (How wide the view is. This will be a 28 degrees view from the left of the screen to the right) Angle - Roll - 0.0 - (How far to roll the camera from the left to right. Think barrel rolls.)
• Depth of Field - Amount - 0.0 - (Unknown, feel free to update the wiki article if you know any information about this value)
• Depth of Field - Depth - 8.0 - (How far the camera sees)
• Depth of Field - End - 8.0 - (The end position of the view from the point of the camera)
• Depth of Field - Start - 0.0 - (The start position of the view from the point of the camera)
• Distance - 4 - (How far the literal camera is from the actual location of the camera. Setting this to 0 results in a FPS (First Person Shooter), around 4 with be a TPS (Third Person Shooter))
• Distance - Far Clip - 300.0 - (The distance from which nothing will be rendered. If anything is farther than this from the camera, it WILL NOT RENDER)
• Distance - Near Clip - .1 - (The distance when nothing will be rendered. If anything is closer than this from the camera, it WILL NOT RENDER)
• Distance - Shadow Clip - 75.0 - (Assuming the distance after which shadows will not be rendered)
• Target - Pitch - 12 - (Pitch of the camera. Pitch is the looking up/down movement)
• Target - X - (Doesn't matter, this will change every frame of the game)
• Target - Y - (Doesn't matter, this will change every frame of the game)
• Target - Yaw - 180 - (Yaw of the camera. Think left to right movement that isn't barrel rolls)
• Target - Z Offset - 1 - (How far the camera is off the ground)

The main value we need here is the Distance - 4. Setting this to 4 will create a third person camera (Although with units other than a marine, you may need to edit this). 0 will create a first person camera. The same goes for the Target - Z Offset - 1. A taller unit will need a higher value to raise the camera up some.

Global Variables

A few global variables are needed, the names and types of which are indicated below (Name - Type - Value - (Description)):

• FaceOffset[8] - Real - 0.0 - (Where each player's respective units is facing)
• Speed - Real - 0.03 - (The speed at which a unit moves)
• Units[8] - Unit - [EMPTY] - (Stores each player's respective units)
• PlayerA[8] - Real - 0 - (Stores is the players A key is down)
• PlayerS[8] - Real - 0 - (Stores is the players S key is down)
• PlayerD[8] - Real - 0 - (Stores is the players D key is down)
• PlayerW[8] - Real - 0 - (Stores is the players W key is down)

Set Up Camera Trigger

Set Up Camera
   Events
       Timer - Every 0.0 seconds of Game Time
   Local Variables
       Yaw = 0.0 <Real>
       CameraFocus = No Point <Point>
       Counter = 0 <Integer>
   Conditions
   Actions
       General - For each integer Counter from 1 to 8 with increment 1, do (Actions)
           Actions
               General - If (Conditions) then do (Actions) else do (Actions)
                   If
                       (Controller of player Counter) == User
                       (Status of player Counter) == Playing
                   Then
                       Camera - Apply Camera 001 for player Counter over 0.0 seconds with Existing Velocity% initial velocity, 10% deceleration, and Don't Include Target
                       Camera - Lock camera mouse relative mode On for player Counter
                       Camera - Turn camera mouse rotation On for player Counter
                       Camera - Turn camera height smoothing Off for player Counter
                       Camera - Turn camera height displacement On for player Counter
                   Else

Camera Update Trigger:

Camera Update
   Events
       Timer - Every 0.0 seconds of Game Time
   Local Variables
       Yaw = 0.0 <Real>
       CameraFocus = No Point <Point>
       Counter = 0 <Integer>
   Conditions
   Actions
       General - For each integer Counter from 1 to 8 with increment 1, do (Actions)
           Actions
               General - If (Conditions) then do (Actions) else do (Actions)
                   If
                       (Controller of player Counter) == User
                       (Status of player Counter) == Playing
                   Then
                       Variable - Set Yaw = (Current camera yaw of player Counter)
                       Variable - Set CameraFocus = ((Position of Units[Counter]) offset by 0.0 towards (Yaw + 90.0) degrees)
                       Unit - Make Units[Counter] face (Yaw + FaceOffset[Counter]) over 0.0 seconds
                       Camera - Set the camera bounds for (Player group(Counter)) to (Region((X of CameraFocus), (Y of CameraFocus), ((X of CameraFocus) + 0.01), ((Y of CameraFocus) + 0.01))) (Do Not adjust the minimap)
                   Else