Cameras

This page is in progress and may contain incomplete information or editor's notes.

The Galaxy games use cameras to create a good view of the game's 3D scene. There are many different types to fulfill this purpose, all of which are detailed on this page. Each stage (galaxies, zones, ...) comes with a file that specifies all the camera setups to be used. The format of these files is specified below.

Contexts

Cameras are used in a lot of different contexts and may be triggered through various means, including:

• Camera areas (CameraArea, CubeCameraBox, etc.) once they are entered. More information below.
• Spawn points (Mario entries in a zone's StartInfo file) once the player respawns there. More information below.
• Warp Pipes once they are being exited.
• When the player rides Launch Stars, Sling Stars, Vines and more.
• When the player swims underwater or on the water's surface.
• When the player uses the Flying Power-Up.
• While talking to an NPC.
• Various objects and enemies use special cameras, such as SimpleDemoExecutor, JumpBeamer, Poihana and BegomanSpring.
• Cutscenes use various cameras to change the view.

BCAM Format

All camera parameters for a zone (and some objects) are stored in a special BCSV file called CameraParam.bcam. For zones, the file is located in Stage/camera of a Map archive. Not all files will contain all known camera fields in order to save some space. These optional fields are only added when a camera wants to use a value other than the default one. The following table lists all fields, their default values, data type, camera type exclusivity, and whether they are always required or not.

Field	Type	Default value	Exclusivity	Required?
version	LONG	196630 (SMG1) 196631 (SMG2)		✓
camtype	STRING_OFFSET	(empty string)		✓
id	STRING_OFFSET	(empty string)		✓
angleB	FLOAT	0.3		✗
angleA	FLOAT	1200.0		✗
dist	FLOAT	0.0		✗
vpanaxis.X	FLOAT	0.0		✗
vpanaxis.Y	FLOAT	1.0		✗
vpanaxis.Z	FLOAT	0.0		✗
vpanuse	LONG	1		✗
udown	LONG	120		✗
pushdelaylow	LONG	120		✗
pushdelay	LONG	120		✗
lplay	FLOAT	800.0		✗
uplay	FLOAT	300.0		✗
gndint	LONG	160		✗
lower	FLOAT	0.1		✗
upper	FLOAT	0.3		✗
camint	LONG	120		✗
fovy	FLOAT	45.0		✗
roll	FLOAT	0.0		✗
loffsetv	FLOAT	0.0		✗
loffset	FLOAT	0.0		✗
woffset.X	FLOAT	0.0		✗
woffset.Y	FLOAT	100.0 (SMG1) 0.0 (SMG2)		✗
woffset.Z	FLOAT	0.0		✗
num1	LONG	0 (SMG1) 1 (SMG2)		✗
num2	LONG	0		✗
string	STRING_OFFSET	(empty string)		✗
axis.X	FLOAT	0.0		✗
axis.Y	FLOAT	1.0		✗
axis.Z	FLOAT	0.0		✗
up.X	FLOAT	0.0		✗
up.Y	FLOAT	0.0 (SMG1) 1.0 (SMG2)		✗
up.Z	FLOAT	0.0		✗
wpoint.X	FLOAT	0.0		✗
wpoint.Y	FLOAT	0.0		✗
wpoint.Z	FLOAT	0.0		✗
flag.noreset	LONG	0		✗
flag.nofovy	LONG	0		✗
flag.lofserpoff	LONG	0		✗
flag.antibluroff	LONG	0		✗
flag.collisionoff	LONG	0		✗
flag.subjectiveoff	LONG	0		✗
gflag.thru	LONG	0	c: g: s:	✗
gflag.enableEndErpFrame	LONG	0	c: g: s:	✗
gflag.camendint	LONG	0	c: g: s:	✗
eflag.enableErpFrame	LONG	0	e:	✗
eflag.enableEndErpFrame	LONG	0	e:	✗
camendint	LONG	0	e:	✗
evfrm	LONG	0	e:	✗
evpriority	LONG	1	e:	✗

Camera ID Names

The id field of a camera parameter entry is a special ID name that specifies the camera's usage context. Every entry should have a unique ID name. The camera ID is categorized into five different categories which are described below.

Cube

Cube cameras are cameras which are referenced from a camera area (CameraArea in Super Mario Galaxy 2, CubeCamera, CubeCameraBox etc in Super Mario Galaxy). When the player is inside a camera area, it activate the referenced camera. If multiple camera areas interesect, the area with the highest priority (Obj_arg2) will be selected. The camera area's Obj_arg0 value specifies the ID number of the camera to be used. Using this value, the game generates an identifier string using the printf format string c:%04x. For example, if your camera area has an Obj_arg0 of 15, the corresponding camera ID name would be c:000f. Note that the hexadecimal digits must be lowercase.

Start

Start cameras are used when a camera is referenced from a start point. Every player spawn point (Mario entries in a zone's StartInfo) can activate a camera once the player respawns there. Just like camera areas, the game constructs an identifier string from the spawn point's CameraSetId which will be used to locate the parameters for the camera. The printf format string is s:%04x. For example, if your Mario entry has a CameraSetId of 60, the corresponding camera ID name would be s:003c. The hexadecimal digits must be lowercase. If the CameraSetId is negative, no camera will be used.

Event

Event cameras are cameras which are used for different events. One example of an event camera is Mario's intro flying, which is shown when entering all galaxies. Event cameras have the format "e:S:XXX:YYY" where S is the event name, XXX is the camera set ID in lowercase hex and YY is the event index, also in lowercase hex. Most event consists of multiple cameras, which is what YY is used for. For example, the camera for the second Mario's intro flying, with the camera set ID 5 would be "e:シナリオスターター:005:01番目". The following table shows known event cameras:

ID	Description
e:シナリオスターター:XXX:YY番目	Scenario start camera YY.
e:スーパースピンドライバー:XXX:YY番目	Super spin driver camera YY. Camera 00 is used when Mario enters the launch star, and 01 and up are used for when Mario is flying.
e:スーパースピンドライバー固有出現イベント用XXX	Super spin driver appearance event camera for camera set ID XXX.

Group

Group cameras have unknown usage, but has the format "g:S" where S is the group name.

Other

Other cameras are used for various cameras which does not belong to any of the previously described categories. The ID follows the format "o:S" where S is the name. The following table shows known other cameras:

ID	Description
o:デフォルトカメラ	Default camera to be used if no other camera is active or available.
o:デフォルト水中カメラ	Default camera to be used when the player is swimming underwater.
o:デフォルト水面カメラ	Default camera to be used when the player is swimming on water surface.
o:デフォルトフーファイターカメラ	Camera to be used when the player is using the Flying Power-Up.
o:ズームカメラ	The first person's view camera.

Camera Classes

There are many fine-tuned camera classes to choose from. The camtype field of a camera entry specifies what class to use. The available classes in the Galaxy games are:

Identifier	Japanese Name	Class Name	Used in SMG1?	Used in SMG2?	Description	Parameters
CAM_TYPE_XZ_PARA	並行	CameraParallel	✓	✓	This camera moves parallel to Mario's position using fixed angles and distance.	dist: Distance from Mario's position. angleB: Horizontal angle in radians. angleA: Vertical angle in radians. num1: Enables resetting and rounding if non-zero.
CAM_TYPE_WONDER_PLANET	プラネット	CameraWonderPlanet	✓	✓		angleA axis.X axis.Y
CAM_TYPE_TOWER	塔	CameraTower	✓	✓	This camera is focused at a set coordinate and rotates around this point based on Mario's position.	dist: Distance from fixpoint position. angleA: Vertical angle in radians. angleB: Size of the radius area at which the camera stops rotating. The higher the more restricted. wpoint: Fixed point coordinate axis:Which Axis to use for rotating
CAM_TYPE_TOWER_POS	塔（サブターゲット付き）	CameraTowerPos	✓	✓		angleB angleA up.X up.Y wpoint axis
CAM_TYPE_INWARD_TOWER	塔内部	CameraInwardTower	✓	✗		axis angleB angleA dist wpoint
CAM_TYPE_INWARD_SPHERE	球内部	CameraInwardSphere	✓	✗		angleA angleB dist
CAM_TYPE_POINT_FIX	完全固定	CameraFix	✓	✓		dist axis.X axis.Y wpoint up
CAM_TYPE_EYEPOS_FIX	定点	CameraFixedPoint	✓	✓	Fixed camera which looks at Mario.	wpoint: Position of the camera. num1 roll: Z rotation in radians.
CAM_TYPE_EYEPOS_FIX_THERE	その場定点	CameraFixedThere	✓	✓	Stops the camera in the position of the last camera used and focuses on Mario. Mostly used for the landing sequence of flying stars.	num2 num1
CAM_TYPE_TRUNDLE	トランドル	CameraTrundle	✓	✓		up.X angleA angleB dist wpoint axis
CAM_TYPE_SPHERE_TRUNDLE	球トランドル	CameraSphereTrundle	n/a	✓		?
CAM_TYPE_INNER_CYLINDER	円筒内部	CameraInnerCylinder	✓	✗		axis angleA angleB dist up.X wpoint
CAM_TYPE_CUBE_PLANET	キューブ惑星	CameraCubePlanet	✓	✓	Variant of camera type follow in which the camera rotates along based on Mario's current gravitational frame.	dist angleA angleB
CAM_TYPE_CHARMED_FIX	サンボ	CameraCharmedFix	✓	✓		up axis wpoint
CAM_TYPE_CHARMED_VECREG	ベクトルレジスタ注目	CameraCharmedVecReg	✓	✓		angleA angleB axis dist string
CAM_TYPE_CHARMED_VECREG_TOWER	VecReg角度補正塔カメラ	CameraCharmedVecRegTower	✓	✓		axis dist angleA angleB string wpoint num1
CAM_TYPE_MEDIAN_PLANET	中点注目プラネット	CameraMedianPlanet	✓	✓		wpoint.X dist angleB angleA axis string
CAM_TYPE_MEDIAN_TOWER	中点塔カメラ	CameraMedianTower	✓	✓		string up angleA wpoint axis
CAM_TYPE_FOLLOW	フォロー	CameraFollow	✓	✓		axis.X axis.Y angleA angleB dist num1
CAM_TYPE_RACE_FOLLOW	レース用フォロー	CameraRaceFollow	✓	✓		angleA wpoint num1
CAM_TYPE_WATER_FOLLOW	水中フォロー	CameraWaterFollow	✓	✓		dist axis.Y axis.Y
CAM_TYPE_WATER_PLANET	水中プラネット	CameraWaterPlanet	✓	✓		angleA axis.X axis.Y
CAM_TYPE_WATER_PLANET_BOSS	水中プラネットボス	CameraWaterPlanetBoss	✓	✗		up num1 wpoint axis dist
CAM_TYPE_TRIPOD_PLANET	三脚惑星	CameraTripodPlanet	✓	✓		up dist wpoint axis
CAM_TYPE_TRIPOD_BOSS	三脚ボス	CameraTripodBoss	✗	n/a		up dist axis wpoint
CAM_TYPE_TRIPOD_BOSS_JOINT	三脚ボスジョイント	CameraTripodBossJoint	✓	n/a		num1 dist angleA angleB axis
CAM_TYPE_CHARMED_TRIPOD_BOSS	三脚ボスジョイント注視	CameraCharmedTripodBoss	✓	n/a		up axis.X axis.Y num1 wpoint
CAM_TYPE_FOO_FIGHTER	フーファイター	CameraFooFighter	✓	✗		dist axis.X axis.Y
CAM_TYPE_FOO_FIGHTER_PLANET	フーファイタープラネット	CameraFooFighterPlanet	✓	✗		dist axis.X axis.Y
CAM_TYPE_RAIL_WATCH	レール注目	CameraRailWatch	✓	✓		num1 num2 axis.X dist angleA
CAM_TYPE_RAIL_DEMO	レールデモ	CameraRailDemo	✗	✗		num1 num2 dist
CAM_TYPE_RAIL_FOLLOW	レールフォロー	CameraRailFollow	✓	✗		num1 num2 dist wpoint.X wpoint.Y
CAM_TYPE_OBJ_PARALLEL	オブジェ並行	CameraObjParallel	✓	✓		dist angleA: Pitch in radians. angleB
CAM_TYPE_MTXREG_PARALLEL	マトリクスレジスタ並行	CameraMtxRegParallel	✓	✓		string angleA angleB dist
CAM_TYPE_SLIDER	スライダー	CameraBehind	✗	✗		angleA angleB dist axis.X
CAM_TYPE_2D_SLIDE	２Ｄスライド	CameraSlide	✓	✓		axis up dist angleA wpoint
CAM_TYPE_GROUND	地面	CameraGround	✓	✗		angleA angleB dist up
CAM_TYPE_SPIRAL_DEMO	螺旋デモ	CameraSpiral	✓	✓		num1 num2 axis wpoint
CAM_TYPE_TWISTED_PASSAGE	ねじれ回廊	CameraTwistedPassage	✓	✗		num1 axis.X axis.Y
CAM_TYPE_FRONT_AND_BACK	表裏カメラ	CameraFrontAndBack	✓	✓		axis angleA angleB dist wpoint
CAM_TYPE_FREEZE	その場完全固定	CameraFreeze	n/a	✓	Stops and freezes the camera completely based on the last camera position and rotation.	?
CAM_TYPE_TALK	会話	CameraTalk	✗	✗		wpoint up axis.X axis.Y
CAM_TYPE_ANIM	アニメ	CameraAnim	✗	✗		num1 dist
CAM_TYPE_DEAD	通常死亡	CameraDead	✗	✗		num1 num2 dist
CAM_TYPE_BLACK_HOLE	ブラックホール	CameraBlackHole	✗	✗		axis wpoint
CAM_TYPE_DPD	ＤＰＤ	CameraDPD	✗	✗		num2 up.X wpoint angleA angleB dist num1
CAM_TYPE_SUBJECTIVE	主観	CameraSubjective	✗	✗		n/a

Aliases

Likely for the purpose of preserving compatibility with test camera files, the developers added aliases for some camera classes. These exist in both Galaxy games. However, these aliases only apply if the camera version is greater or equal to the required version. Interestingly, it also contains an alias for CAM_TYPE_BOSS_DONKETSU, a camera class that has been removed from the actual game.

Alias Name	Actual Name	Required Version
CAM_TYPE_DONKETSU_TEST	CAM_TYPE_BOSS_DONKETSU	196612
CAM_TYPE_BEHIND_DEBUG	CAM_TYPE_SLIDER	196614
CAM_TYPE_INWARD_TOWER_TEST	CAM_TYPE_INWARD_TOWER	196614
CAM_TYPE_EYE_FIXED_THERE_TEST	CAM_TYPE_EYEPOS_FIX_THERE	196614
CAM_TYPE_ICECUBE_PLANET	CAM_TYPE_CUBE_PLANET	196617

Common Properties

Property	Description
General
version	Camera engine version. Usually 196630 in Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 196631 in Super Mario Galaxy 2.
camtype	Class identifier name. See the tables above for possible values.
id	The camera's identifier name. See the respective section for more details.
woffset.X woffset.Y woffset.Z	A constant offset from the target relative to the Zone the camera belongs to.
loffset	An offset from the target's forward vector. Higher values move the camera further in front of the target and lower values move it behind the target.
loffsetv	An offset from the target's upward vector. Higher values move the camera further above the target and lower values move it below the target.
roll	Rotates the camera. 180 will flip the camera upside down
fovy	The field of view angle in degrees. Huge numbers cause visual issues, so it's best to keep this between 0 and 179.9
camint	The amount of time in frames it takes for the camera to get into it's active position
upper	Upper screen bound relative to the center of the screen
lower	Lower screen bound relative to the cetner of the screen
gndint
uplay	How high in the world the target needs to go before the camera physically starts moving upwards
lplay	How low in the world the target needs to go before the camera physically starts moving downwards
pushdelay	The activation time in frames for when the Upper bound activates
pushdelaylow	The activation time in frames for when the Lower bound activates
udown
vpanuse	Enables the use of the Camera Height Arrangement
vpanaxis.X vpanaxis.Y vpanaxis.Z
flag.noreset
flag.nofovy	If enabled, the FoV can be changed
flag.lofserpoff	If enabled, the loffset and loffsetv will not interpolate into position and snap to where it needs to be.
flag.antibluroff	If enabled, rotating the camera will be not be smooth
flag.collisionoff	Disables collision with map geometry if enabled. This means that the camera will move through collision if necessary.
flag.subjectiveoff	Disables the first-person camera if enabled.
Game
gflag.thru
gflag.enableEndErpFrame	If enabled, a "Camera deactivation time" (gflag.camendint) will be enabled, and deactivating this camera will have this time be used instead of the new camera's time
gflag.camendint	Determines the time in frames that this camera will need to deactivate
Event
eflag.enableErpFrame
eflag.enableEndErpFrame
camendint
evfrm	The time in frames that this event camera is active for
evpriority	Always 1.

Trivia

• The oldest available camera version is 196617 and can be found in HellLavaFloatingZone.
• The function CameraParamChunk::load references a removed camera class labeled as CAM_TYPE_PLANET.
• Intro cameras dynamically create a CAM_TYPE_ANIM camera with the ID o:スタートアニメカメラ. It is not possible to overwrite this in a BCAM file.