How to move a camera only using the arrow keys?

Question

I'm new to Unity and want to simply move a camera around a static scene using the arrows keys on your keyboard. How do I go about this?

Answer 1

Answer by fredzh · Aug 19, 2014 at 08:13 PM

this works:

 void Update()
 {
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.RightArrow))
     {
         transform.Translate(new Vector3(speed * Time.deltaTime,0,0));
     }
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.LeftArrow))
     {
         transform.Translate(new Vector3(-speed * Time.deltaTime,0,0));
     }
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.DownArrow))
     {
         transform.Translate(new Vector3(0,-speed * Time.deltaTime,0));
     }
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.UpArrow))
     {
         transform.Translate(new Vector3(0,speed * Time.deltaTime,0));
     }
 }

Add comment · Show 3 · Share

Dris · Feb 13, 2015 at 05:49 AM 0

Share

Thanks @fredzh,

This is what im looking for. One question, how about if there was a character to be moved with the keys, how do I incorporate it with the camera?

Thanks

fredzh · Feb 13, 2015 at 03:00 PM 0

Share

depends on what you try to achieve.

It would be very inefficient to have the player object and the camera listen to the same key and move with the example script above.

If your goal is to have the camera move with the player you would use a camera following script attached to the camera and give it a followed object reference to the player while the arrow keys move the player. The following script would check in each update cycle if the followed object e.g. player has moved and move itself accordingly. google "smooth camera following script unity" you will find lots of examples and tutorials.

if your goal is to move the player in space independently from the camera you would need to separate the input used. e.g. in first person shooters you usually run around using the keyboard while ai$$anonymous$$g (moving the camera direction) with the mouse at the same time.

timoveldt · Feb 13, 2015 at 04:02 PM 0

Share

If I'm not mistaken, this script makes your character go twice as fast when holding both left and up. For a player character it (usually) strange to move faster when going at an angle then when going straight ahead. That's some refinement you should figure out for yourself though since you have to fine tune the gameplay.

Answer 2

Answer by cowasockytommy · Oct 04, 2013 at 04:57 PM

create a c# script and put this in it.

 public float speed = 5.0f;
 void Update()
 {
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.RightArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(speed * Time.deltaTime,0,0);
     }
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.LeftArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(speed * Time.deltaTime,0,0);
     }
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.DownArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(0,speed * Time.deltaTime,0);
     }
     if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.UpArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(0,speed * Time.deltaTime,0);
     }
 }

then put this script on your camera notice (0,0,0) this is x,y,z put the line with speed in it where ever axis your wanting to change

need javascript? let me know.

Add comment · Show 4 · Share

robertbu · Oct 04, 2013 at 05:35 PM 0

Share

@cowasockytommy - You need '+=' to make your code work.

cowasockytommy · Oct 07, 2013 at 12:37 AM 0

Share

;) off top of my head forgot about that hehe

OptimisticCode · Jul 22, 2014 at 06:39 PM 0

Share

on the Right Arrow and Up Arrow and a += on the Left Arrow and Down Arrow to be more specific.

Cherrychan22 · Jul 28, 2014 at 11:33 AM 0

Share

Is there a way to make it so that there is a limit to how far someone can press the camera up/down/left/right? So that it's not endless. Sorry if that doesn't make sense. I mean so that the camera does not go on forever. I am trying to make a game for a child and I want to allow them to move the camera little so they feel more involved but I don't want them pressing it endlessly.

Also is there a way to make it so the camera has more a center point and looks up from that point ins$$anonymous$$d of moving up. I want to give an illusion that someone is looking up when really it is just a camera.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 3

hi, it's been a while since I post this, and since I casually came back here, here I would like to post the final code that totally worked:

 #pragma strict
 
 var walkSpeed = 150;
 var rotateSpeed = 100;
 var jumpSpeed : float = 8.0;
 var gravity : float = 20.0;
 
 private var moveDirection : Vector3 = Vector3.zero;
 
 function Update () {
 var controller : CharacterController = GetComponent.<CharacterController>();
 
 if (controller.isGrounded) {
     // We are grounded, so recalculate
     // move direction directly from axes
     moveDirection = Vector3(0, 0, Input.GetAxis("Vertical"));
     moveDirection = transform.TransformDirection(moveDirection);
     moveDirection *= walkSpeed * Time.deltaTime;
 
     //also with jump ;)
     if (Input.GetButton ("Jump")) {
         moveDirection.y = jumpSpeed;
     }
 }
 
 // Apply gravity 
 moveDirection.y -= gravity * Time.deltaTime;
 
 // Move the controller
 controller.Move(moveDirection * Time.deltaTime);
 
 // rotate controller
 var horizontalDir = parseFloat(Input.GetAxis("Horizontal") * rotateSpeed * Time.deltaTime);
 transform.Rotate(0, horizontalDir, 0);
 }

Answer 4

Answer by Woody3d7 · Oct 24, 2016 at 11:42 AM

Can someone tell me why my keyboard cam script won't work? Unity v5.2

using UnityEngine; using System.Collections;

public class NewBehaviourScript : MonoBehaviour {

 // Use this for initialization
 void Start () {
 
 }

 // Update is called once per frame
 public float speed = 5.0f;
 void Update()
 {
     if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.RightArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(speed * Time.deltaTime, 0, 0);
     }
     if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.LeftArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(speed * Time.deltaTime, 0, 0);
     }
     if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.DownArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(0, speed * Time.deltaTime, 0);
     }
     if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.UpArrow))
     {
         transform.position = new Vector3(0, speed * Time.deltaTime, 0);
     }
 }

This script was posted here, but doesn't seem to work! 2 days just trying to move a camera! Please help!

Add comment · Show 2 · Share

Woody3d7 · Oct 24, 2016 at 11:56 AM 0

Share

Also PLEASE HELP, I can never post a question here (for years) because 'topics' always says 'no matches found' (I try words like Camera or Unity) What the heck am I supposed to type in the Topics box to get my questions posted? PLEASE HELP, TERRIBLY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS APPARENT ANTI-SUPPORT SITE!

I POST THIS QUESTION HERE BECAUSE I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO TYPE IN 'TOPICS'!

CraftyMaelyss Woody3d7 · Mar 30, 2017 at 01:05 AM 0

Share

If an error shows up in your console, just copy and paste that error into the search box. Or you can highlight the description and do a Google search on it. That's the best way to search I found. Also typing all in caps doesn't help either.

Answer 5

Hang this script on GameObject which you want to move

 using UnityEngine;
 using System.Collections;
 
 public class MoveClass : MonoBehaviour
 {
     public float speed = 0.1f;
     public void FixedUpdate()
     {
         if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.RightArrow))
         {
             transform.position = new Vector3(transform.position.x + speed, transform.position.y, transform.position.z);
         }
         if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.LeftArrow))
         {
             transform.position = new Vector3(transform.position.x - speed, transform.position.y, transform.position.z);
         }
         if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.DownArrow))
         {
             transform.position = new Vector3(transform.position.x, transform.position.y - speed, transform.position.z);
         }
         if(Input.GetKey(KeyCode.UpArrow))
         {
             transform.position = new Vector3(transform.position.x, transform.position.y + speed, transform.position.z);
         }
     }
 }

How to move a camera only using the arrow keys?

8 Replies

Your answer

Follow this Question

Related Questions