Free look
Free look, also known as a detached camera or observer camera, is a game development technique that allows the player to move the camera independently of the game character's movement and actions. This provides greater flexibility in viewing the game world and can be used for exploration, strategic planning, or capturing specific scenes.
In essence, the camera behaves as though it is not physically attached to the player-controlled character. Instead, the player directly manipulates the camera's position, orientation, and zoom level using separate input controls (typically mouse movement and keyboard keys).
This contrasts with camera systems where the camera is rigidly tied to the player character (e.g., a fixed camera following the player) or where camera movement is constrained by the character's actions.
Free look is commonly found in genres such as:
- Sandbox games
- Open-world games
- Real-time strategy (RTS) games
- Third-person adventure games
- Simulation games
The implementation of free look often involves setting camera parameters independently of the character and handling input for the camera's position and rotation separately from the character's controls. Common camera controls include panning (horizontal and vertical movement), tilting (rotating the camera up and down), and dollying (moving the camera closer to or further away from the target). The target can be the player character or another point of interest within the game world.