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Free Rotating Camera

 Free Rotating Camera
type
FeatureClass
 Free Rotating Camera
label
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera
page
FreeRotatingCamera
 Free Rotating Camera
comment
The ability to rotate the camera independently around the player character in a third person 3D video game. The purpose is to allow the camera to face any direction the player chooses, no matter where the PC is facing. This flexibility has made it one of the most popular camera controls implemented to avoid Event-Obscuring Camera and Camera Screw (especially since it can just be mapped to the shoulder buttons or second analog stick).
It isn't perfect, though. It's not as fast as Camera Centering (why some games include both controls), and it's not always a good idea to rely too much on it, especially if the level design doesn't take these factors into account.
There are four main variations of rotating (depending on control availability or designer choices):
"Rotation Alone": Rotating circularly along the X-axis alone. Often all that is needed when a game is mostly on a flat plane or with limited platforming.
"Rotation And Tilt": Rotating along the X-axis and tilting along the Y-axis. This is similar to the controls in a First-Person Shooter, and in fact some Third Person Shooters allow the player to move freely while using this control to aim the camera. But for most games, it's just to allow the player more viewing angles.
The reason full circular tilting along the Y-axis isn't done is that it could go at angles that themselves would be event obscuring. Sometimes it's also used to prevent 'unfortunate' angles on female characters.
"Rotation And Zoom": Rotating along the X-axis and zooming in and out along the Y-axis.note Which often includes a slight bit of tilting as well, where zooming in will bring the camera closer to the ground, and zooming out will get closer to a top-down view. This allows more visibility among open spaces, while using the close view in tight spaces. In some games, zooming in enough turns into a Freelook Button. This type is most common among Nintendo games.
"Rotation, Tilt, And Zoom": Including all three forms can be very useful in certain games, such as strategy games where the field and terrain necessitate every possible view. This shows up a lot in Strategy RPGs.
Which button turns what direction depends on the setup of the game. Sometimes turning along the X-axis means pressing right will the camera counterclockwise, and left clockwise. The opposite in a similar manner to turning with an FPS. Unfortunately, not all games state which rotation direction is "standard" and inverted". Tilting on the Y-axis is also standard and inverted, with the latter being like a flight stick. Some games let you choose between standard and inverted controls. Games that don't can often lead to Damn You, Muscle Memory!.
Also, which buttons are used will, of course, vary depending on the games and controller. The standards are the shoulder buttons or right analog stick for gamepads, and the mouse or Q and E keys for PC games.
Compare Orbital Shot (rotation used in movies), Always Over the Shoulder (the camera rotates with the player).
Contrast Fixed Camera.
 Free Rotating Camera
fetched
2024-04-09T09:46:13Z
 Free Rotating Camera
parsed
2024-04-09T09:46:13Z
 Free Rotating Camera
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1a8119af
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1a8119af
comment
Dragon Quest VIII uses "Rotation And Tilt". Other games use "Rotation Alone", like Dragon Quest VII and Dragon Quest IX.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1a8119af
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1a8119af
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dragon Quest VIII (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_1a8119af
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1e06c610
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1e06c610
comment
Brave Fencer Musashi used rotation only in some areas.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1e06c610
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1e06c610
featureConfidence
1.0
 Brave Fencer Musashi (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_1e06c610
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ed9811e
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ed9811e
comment
Wild AR Ms 2 and Wild AR Ms 3 are "Rotation Alone".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ed9811e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ed9811e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Wild ARMs 2 (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_1ed9811e
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ff419c5
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ff419c5
comment
Kingdom Hearts II is "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ff419c5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_1ff419c5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kingdom Hearts II (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_1ff419c5
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3e5c6c5a
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3e5c6c5a
comment
Super Mario 64 uses "Rotation And Zoom", but is the Trope Maker for all of them, as the Guinness Book Of World Records has acknowledged it as the first game to feature a controllable camera.
Super Mario Sunshine also uses "Rotation And Zoom".
Super Mario Galaxy has "Rotation Alone" in areas where the camera isn't fixed.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3e5c6c5a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3e5c6c5a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Super Mario 64 (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_3e5c6c5a
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3f9e415
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3f9e415
comment
Saints Row uses "Rotation And Tilt" unless in aiming modes.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3f9e415
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_3f9e415
featureConfidence
1.0
 Saints Row (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_3f9e415
 Free Rotating Camera / int_464a2270
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_464a2270
comment
Epic Mickey uses "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_464a2270
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_464a2270
featureConfidence
1.0
 Epic Mickey (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_464a2270
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49a88435
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49a88435
comment
Final Fantasy XII uses "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49a88435
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49a88435
featureConfidence
1.0
 Final Fantasy XII (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_49a88435
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49ad83ee
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49ad83ee
comment
World of Warcraft uses "Rotation Alone".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49ad83ee
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_49ad83ee
featureConfidence
1.0
 World of Warcraft (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_49ad83ee
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5223dd16
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5223dd16
comment
Grim Dawn uses a "Rotation And Zoom".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5223dd16
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5223dd16
featureConfidence
1.0
 Grim Dawn (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_5223dd16
 Free Rotating Camera / int_526d4c5c
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_526d4c5c
comment
Knights of the Old Republic series use "Rotation Alone".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_526d4c5c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_526d4c5c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Knights of the Old Republic (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_526d4c5c
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5425ce75
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5425ce75
comment
Grand Theft Auto games since Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas use "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5425ce75
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5425ce75
featureConfidence
1.0
 Grand Theft Auto (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_5425ce75
 Free Rotating Camera / int_557434b6
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_557434b6
comment
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days used the shoulder buttons for either "Rotation Alone" or strictly Camera Centering (depending on the options you chose), but the touch screen could always be used for "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_557434b6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_557434b6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_557434b6
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5b686581
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5b686581
comment
Sonic Heroes includes both this and shoulder camera rotation.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5b686581
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_5b686581
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sonic Heroes (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_5b686581
 Free Rotating Camera / int_62e9d405
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_62e9d405
comment
Spyro the Dragon (1998) does "Rotation Alone" with two of the shoulder buttons, and the other two were strafing (by way of rolling). But for some reason, the next two did rotation for the other two shoulder buttons as well. Later games did "Rotation And Tilt" or "Rotation And Zoom".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_62e9d405
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_62e9d405
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spyro the Dragon (1998) (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_62e9d405
 Free Rotating Camera / int_6fe277bc
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_6fe277bc
comment
Divinity: Original Sin uses a "Rotation And Zoom", but only with the Enhanced Edition.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_6fe277bc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_6fe277bc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Divinity: Original Sin (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_6fe277bc
 Free Rotating Camera / int_74a4c704
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_74a4c704
comment
Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep were "Rotation Alone".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_74a4c704
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_74a4c704
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kingdom Hearts (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_74a4c704
 Free Rotating Camera / int_84986bf9
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_84986bf9
comment
RuneScape Classic featured a very limited "Rotation Alone" camera. RuneScape 2 updated the camera to a "Rotation, Tilt, And Zoom" camera, although tilt and zoom are tied together (tilting up will also zoom out). RuneScape 3 modified the camera once more allowing the tilt and zoom to be controlled independently.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_84986bf9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_84986bf9
featureConfidence
1.0
 RuneScape (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_84986bf9
 Free Rotating Camera / int_87056d17
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_87056d17
comment
Sonic Adventure
Sonic Heroes includes both this and shoulder camera rotation.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_87056d17
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_87056d17
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sonic Adventure (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_87056d17
 Free Rotating Camera / int_927bfafd
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_927bfafd
comment
WolfQuest gives you the option of "Rotation Alone".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_927bfafd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_927bfafd
featureConfidence
1.0
 WolfQuest (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_927bfafd
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9cac3606
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9cac3606
comment
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers uses "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9cac3606
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9cac3606
featureConfidence
1.0
 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_9cac3606
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9d34190a
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9d34190a
comment
In The Elder Scrolls series' games following the 3D Leap in Morrowind, 1st Person and 3rd Person (in the Always Over the Shoulder fashion) are both options. The games have the Rotate and Zoom version when standing still in 3rd Person view, which lets you admire your character customization and gear, but if you move or draw your weapons the camera will snap right back over the shoulder.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9d34190a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_9d34190a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Elder Scrolls (Franchise)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_9d34190a
 Free Rotating Camera / int_a2dee471
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_a2dee471
comment
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and (except in the Wii version) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess use "Rotation And Zoom".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_a2dee471
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_a2dee471
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_a2dee471
 Free Rotating Camera / int_accb04fd
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_accb04fd
comment
The Matrix: Path of Neo has the "Rotation and Tilt" variety of camera.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_accb04fd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_accb04fd
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Matrix: Path of Neo (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_accb04fd
 Free Rotating Camera / int_aeedf9b7
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_aeedf9b7
comment
Vagrant Story uses rotation only.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_aeedf9b7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_aeedf9b7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Vagrant Story (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_aeedf9b7
 Free Rotating Camera / int_b87de35b
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_b87de35b
comment
Super Mario Sunshine also uses "Rotation And Zoom".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_b87de35b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_b87de35b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Super Mario Sunshine (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_b87de35b
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c6e9c6cc
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c6e9c6cc
comment
Super Mario Galaxy has "Rotation Alone" in areas where the camera isn't fixed.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c6e9c6cc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c6e9c6cc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Super Mario Galaxy (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_c6e9c6cc
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c9633211
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c9633211
comment
No More Heroes and its sequels use "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c9633211
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_c9633211
featureConfidence
1.0
 No More Heroes (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_c9633211
 Free Rotating Camera / int_d0aa1fb1
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_d0aa1fb1
comment
The Grandia games use "Rotation Alone", at least the main series games.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_d0aa1fb1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_d0aa1fb1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Grandia (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_d0aa1fb1
 Free Rotating Camera / int_dc58e164
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_dc58e164
comment
Ratchet & Clank games use "Rotation And Tilt" when in the "Third Person" camera mode.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_dc58e164
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_dc58e164
featureConfidence
1.0
 Ratchet & Clank (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_dc58e164
 Free Rotating Camera / int_eb6802b4
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_eb6802b4
comment
Final Fantasy XIII uses "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_eb6802b4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_eb6802b4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Final Fantasy XIII (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_eb6802b4
 Free Rotating Camera / int_f6a54e75
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_f6a54e75
comment
The Kingdom Hearts games are all over the place.
Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep were "Rotation Alone".
Kingdom Hearts II is "Rotation And Tilt".
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days used the shoulder buttons for either "Rotation Alone" or strictly Camera Centering (depending on the options you chose), but the touch screen could always be used for "Rotation And Tilt".
 Free Rotating Camera / int_f6a54e75
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_f6a54e75
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kingdom Hearts (Franchise)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_f6a54e75
 Free Rotating Camera / int_fe85bfc8
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Free Rotating Camera / int_fe85bfc8
comment
The Super Smash Bros. series gives full camera control when the game is paused.
 Free Rotating Camera / int_fe85bfc8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Free Rotating Camera / int_fe85bfc8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Super Smash Bros. (Video Game)
hasFeature
Free Rotating Camera / int_fe85bfc8

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Free Rotating Camera
processingCategory2
Various Video Game Views
 Ratchet & Clank (Franchise) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Spyro the Dragon (Franchise) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Brave Fencer Musashi (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Chantelise (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Divinity: Original Sin (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Dragon Quest IX (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Dragon Quest VII (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Dragon Quest VIII (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Epic Mickey (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Final Fantasy Tactics (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Final Fantasy XII (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Final Fantasy XIII (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Final Fantasy XV (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Grand Theft Auto (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Grim Dawn (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Muppet Monster Adventure (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Ni no Kuni (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 RollerCoaster Tycoon (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Sacrifice (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Saints Row (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Sheep, Dog 'n' Wolf (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Sonic Adventure (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Sonic Heroes (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Spyro: A Hero's Tail (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Spyro Reignited Trilogy (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Super Mario 64 (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Super Mario Galaxy (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Super Mario Sunshine (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 The Matrix: Path of Neo (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Vandal Hearts (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Wild ARMs 2 (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 Wild ARMs 3 (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 WolfQuest (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera
 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Video Game) / int_e1bd14ce
type
Free Rotating Camera