Framing
Camera Offset
Pivot Offset
The Framing system defines the default spatial relationship between the character, the camera pivot, and the final camera position.
It is responsible for the core shape of the camera:
- how far the camera stays from the character
- how high the pivot sits
- how the camera is offset for shoulder or cinematic framing
- how runtime framing changes are blended during gameplay
Settings
The framing system is defined by four core parameters. These parameters define the default camera layout before any runtime changes are applied.
- Camera Distance - сontrols how far the camera stays from the pivot in its default unobstructed state
- Pivot Height - сontrols the vertical position of the pivot relative to the actor origin. This defines the center of rotation for the camera
- Additional Camera Offset - applies a local offset to the final camera position. Used for framing adjustments such as shoulder cameras or asymmetrical layouts
- Additional Pivot Offset - applies an offset directly to the pivot after pivot height is calculated. This shifts the center of rotation itself rather than the final camera position
Runtime Control
The framing system exposes runtime functions that allow you to modify camera behavior during gameplay.
These functions:
- do not modify base settings
- apply temporary runtime overrides
- support smooth blending over time
For a complete list of functions and parameters, refer to the API Reference.
Runtime Blending
All runtime framing changes are smoothly interpolated from the current state to a target state.
Blending is controlled by:
- Blend Time - duration of the transition
- Blend Curve - optional curve shaping the interpolation
SetFraming
Set Framing applies all major runtime framing values at once:
- camera distance
- pivot height
- camera offset
- pivot offset
- FOV offset
Use it when multiple parameters should change together as part of a single transition.
ResetFraming
ResetFraming returns all runtime framing values back to their base settings over time.
Individual Runtime Controls
You can also control framing elements individually:
- Set Camera Distance / Reset Camera Distance
- Set Pivot Height / Reset Pivot Height
- Set Camera Offset / Reset Camera Offset
- Set Pivot Offset / Reset Pivot Offset
- Set FOV Offset / Reset FOV Offset
Shoulder Switching
Swap Camera Shoulder mirrors the final camera shoulder by flipping the current runtime Y offset around the center line.
The base Additional Camera Offset value is not modified.
Visual Examples
Camera Distance
Camera Distance controls how far the camera stays from the pivot in its default unobstructed state.
Lower values create a closer framing. Higher values place the camera further away from the character.
This behavior is controlled at runtime using Set Camera Distance.
Camera Offset
Additional Camera Offset changes the final framing of the camera without moving the pivot itself.
This is commonly used for:
- shoulder cameras
- asymmetrical framing
- action and shooter-style layouts
This is driven by Set Camera Offset.
Pivot Height
Pivot Height moves the pivot vertically and changes the orbit center of the camera.
This affects the overall composition of the shot and can make the camera feel:
- lower and heavier
- higher and more overview-oriented
- more suitable for specific character proportions or gameplay needs
At runtime, this is adjusted using Set Pivot Height.
FOV Offset
FOV Offset changes the field of view at runtime without modifying the base camera FOV.
This is useful for:
- temporary zoom in or zoom out
- sprint framing
- combat emphasis
- scripted transitions
This effect is applied using Set FOV Offset.
Notes
- Runtime framing changes do not modify the base settings stored on the component
- Get Camera Offset and Get Pivot Offset return the base offset values
- Get Current Camera Offset and Get Current Pivot Offset return the current runtime offset values
- Get FOV Offset returns only the runtime FOV offset and does not include pitch-based FOV effects
- Camera collision may compress the final result, so the visible camera position can be closer than the desired camera distance
- Camera offset and pivot offset are not interchangeable: pivot offset changes the center of rotation, while camera offset changes the final framing around that center
- Set Framing is the best choice when multiple framing parameters should transition together as one intentional camera state