Positioning Cameras in Surveyor

[jordon412]

I've never done this before, but how do you position the cameras in Surveyor to get the best view? I'm trying to position the cameras 'railfan-style', meaning positioning them next to roads, at the edges of cliffs overlooking the trains below, etc. Can someone provide me any advice?

 

[JCitron]

I've wondered the same. I tried once and ended up facing the cliff side instead of the trackside and never seem to get the camera position right!

John

 

[cascaderailroad]

It is one of the most frustrating things, as the camera always positions the height from the height of the "confounded blinding yellow compass" :hehe:.

The best I can say is zoom in all the way, position the camera @ 20m past the track, using the KB arrow keys, tap zooming out @ 4 tapping clicks, and upward a tiny tap on the KB arrow keys ... sometimes you have to look straight down, and move the: "confounded blinding yellow compass" a hair forward or backward ... it is a real tedious chore placing static / rotating trackside cameras.

I prefer railfanning from: the cab view of MonkeyWrenchModels - drivable pedestrian / signalman / trackside lantern camera / or from another trackside loco or railcar that has a cab interior.

 

[jordon412]

I've discovered that if you hold down the 'Shift' key when using the arrow keys, when you push an arrow button, how far the view changes (up, down, left, right) is much less, which allows you to 'fine tune' the camera view.

 

[mezzoprezzo]

Holding RMB down whilst moving the mouse gives you good movement control. Tiny mouse movement=slow travel over the terrain.

Works best if you have Surveyor Options>Camera Behaviour button set to panning rather than rotation. You can toggle this temporarily by holding down the Ctrl key whilst manoeuvring, if you don't want to bother with the drop down menu.

I find Surveyor much easier to use all round with the panning button permanently selected. I find The rotation option very disorientating.