SmoothCam adds a frame-interpolated third-person camera to Skyrim Special Edition. After trying other third-person camera mods I decided to try and make something better, and this is the result. If I actually achieved my goal in making a better camera is up for you to decide.
SmoothCam is going to have issues with any other mod that tries to position the third-person camera (Other third-person mods, likely some lock-on mods, etc).
The following mods are supported, with patches that can be enabled in the MCM:
- Improved Camera
- Immersive First Person View
- Alternate Conversation Camera
- Archery Gameplay Overhaul
SmoothCam requires SKSE64 and Address Library. If you wish to use the MCM esp, SkyUI is also required.
Depending on the age of your processor (~2011 and earlier), you might need to use the SSE version (Streaming SIMD Extensions). Most people can use the normal version without issue.
If using one of the pre-compiled releases, just copy the Data folder in the archive into your skyrim folder or install via a mod manager.
If installing after a build, copy SmoothCam.dll to Data/SKSE/Plugins (along with the address library database file and ExtraData/SmoothCam_FollowBones_Default.txt), SmoothCam.esp to Data/ and SmoothCamMCM.pex to Data/Scripts. Enable the esp file if you wish to use the MCM, otherwise the module will generate a json file in the plugins folder you can edit to manually configure the camera.
To build the project, clone the repo (remember to include --recurse-submodules), then run make_vs2019.bat or make_vs2017.bat.
The build scripts require premake5 and 7-Zip to be installed and available on the system PATH. Currently only Visual Studio Community 2017 and 2019 are supported for building.
Once premake has finished, open the generated Visual Studio solution, select Debug or Release and select Build Solution from the build dropdown.
Built files are placed in SmoothCam/bin/<target>/SmoothCam.
To build the papyrus script, you'll need lua on the system path. To run the code generation just run MCM/run_preprocess.bat which will generate SmoothCamMCM.psc.
From there just compile the generated code like any normal papyrus script.
To generate the offset map, run lua run.lua "path/to/skse/src" from the directory CodeGen/gen_addrmap. You will need offsets.txt in the same folder, which can be exported from address library.
To generate crosshair model file headers, navigate to CodeGen/ModelBaker and run `ModelBaker "path/to/input.ply" "output_name".
To build the model baker, you will need dub, DMD or LDC, a copy of assimp which you have compiled as a static library and optionally VSCode with the code-d extension. Make a folder in ModelBaker named compiled_libs (or compiled_libs_debug if making a debug build) and copy all assimp libraries to that location.
The easiest way to configure the camera is by using the SmoothCam MCM menu. If you do not have SkyUI, or wish to manually edit the json settings, here is a description of each value:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| enableInterp | Enables camera smoothing globally |
| use3DBowAimCrosshair | Enables the raycasted crosshair while aiming with a bow |
| use3DMagicCrosshair | Enables the raycasted crosshair when magic is equiped |
| hideNonCombatCrosshair | Hides the crosshair when no weapon is drawn |
| hideCrosshairMeleeCombat | Hides the crosshair when melee weapons are drawn |
| enableCrosshairSizeManip | Enable size manipulation of the crosshair |
| crosshairNPCHitGrowSize | When the 3D crosshair is over an NPC, grow the size of the crosshair by this amount |
| crosshairMinDistSize | Sets the size of the 3D crosshair when the player's aim ray is at the maximum distance |
| crosshairMaxDistSize | Sets the size of the 3D crosshair when the player's aim ray is at the minimum distance |
| useWorldCrosshair | Use a custom 3D rendered crosshair instead of the HUD crosshair |
| worldCrosshairDepthTest | Enable depth testing when using the world crosshair |
| worldCrosshairType | The style of crosshair to use when using the world crosshair mode |
| useArrowPrediction | Enable arrow trajectory prediction |
| drawArrowArc | Draw an arc when using arrow prediction |
| arrowArcColor | The color of the arrow arc |
| maxArrowPredictionRange | The maximum range to run arrow trajectory prediction code |
| disableDeltaTime | Disables frame time factoring in the smoothing math |
| compatIC | Enables compat code for dealing with issue when running the Improved Camera mod |
| compatACC | Enables compat code for dealing with issues when running the Alternate Conversation Camera mod |
| compatIFPV | Enables compat code for dealing with issues when running the Immersive First Person View mod |
| compatAGO | Enables compat code for dealing with issues when running the Archery Gameplay Overhaul mod |
| shoulderSwapKey | The key code used for swapping the X axis when pressed |
| swapXClamping | When swapping the shoulder/X axis, also flips the distance clamping X values |
| currentScalar | A value from 0 - 21: The scalar function to use for interpolation |
| minCameraFollowDistance | The distance the camera follows the player from when at the lowest zoom level |
| minCameraFollowRate | The amount of camera latency when the camera is close to the player (lower = more latency) |
| maxCameraFollowRate | The amount of camera latency when the camera is far from the player (higher = less latency) |
| zoomMul | The maximum zoom-out distance from the player (added to MinFollowDistance) |
| zoomMaxSmoothingDistance | The distance from camera to player at which MaxCameraFollowRate is used for smoothing (when distance is small, MinCameraFollowRate is used, otherwise is mixed with MaxCameraFollowRate) This results in the camera being more "lazy" when close to the player and more snappy when further away |
| separateLocalInterp | Enable separate local-space interpolation settings |
| separateLocalScalar | A value from 0 - 21: The scalar function to use for local-space interpolation |
| localScalarRate | The constant smoothing rate for local-space interpolation |
| separateZInterp | Enable the separate Z interpolation settings |
| separateZMaxSmoothingDistance | The distance from camera to player at which separateZMaxFollowRate is used for smoothing (when distance is small, separateZMinFollowRate is used, otherwise is mixed with separateZMaxFollowRate) This results in the camera being more "lazy" when close to the player and more snappy when further away |
| separateZMinFollowRate | The amount of camera latency when the camera is close to the player (lower = more latency) |
| separateZMaxFollowRate | The amount of camera latency when the camera is far from the player (higher = less latency) |
| separateZScalar | A value from 0 - 21: The scalar function to use for Z interpolation |
| enableOffsetInterpolation | Enable smoothing of camera offset state transitions |
| offsetScalar | A value from 0 - 21: The scalar method to use for offset transition smoothing |
| offsetInterpDurationSecs | The smoothing duration to use when the camera changes offsets (In seconds) |
| enableZoomInterpolation | Enable smoothing of camera zoom state transitions |
| zoomScalar | A value from 0 - 21: The scalar method to use for zoom transition smoothing |
| zoomInterpDurationSecs | The smoothing duration to use when the camera changes zoom distance (In seconds) |
| enableFOVInterpolation | Enable smoothing of camera fov state transitions |
| fovScalar | A value from 0 - 21: The scalar method to use for fov transition smoothing |
| fovInterpDurationSecs | The smoothing duration to use when the camera changes fov (In seconds) |
| cameraDistanceClampXEnable | Enable distance clamping on the local X axis |
| cameraDistanceClampXMin | The minimum value the camera position may reach on the X axis |
| cameraDistanceClampXMax | The maximum value the camera position may reach on the X axis |
| cameraDistanceClampYEnable | Enable distance clamping on the local Y axis |
| cameraDistanceClampYMin | The minimum value the camera position may reach on the Y axis |
| cameraDistanceClampYMax | The maximum value the camera position may reach on the Y axis |
| cameraDistanceClampZEnable | Enable distance clamping on the local Z axis |
| cameraDistanceClampZMin | The minimum value the camera position may reach on the Z axis |
| cameraDistanceClampZMax | The maximum value the camera position may reach on the Z axis |
| standing | The offset collection to use when standing |
| walking | The offset collection to use when walking |
| running | The offset collection to use when running |
| sprinting | The offset collection to use when sprinting |
| sneaking | The offset collection to use when sneaking |
| swimming | The offset collection to use when swimming |
| bowAim | The offset collection to use when aiming with a bow |
| sitting | The offset collection to use when sitting |
| horseback | The offset collection to use when on horseback |
| vampireLord | The offset collection to use when playing as a vampire lord |
| werewolf | The offset collection to use when playing as a werewolf |
| dragon | Not yet implemented |
An offset group is just a collection of common values used for a camera state. Note that not all values are used for each state.
| OffsetSetting | Description |
|---|---|
| sideOffset | The amount to move the camera to the right |
| upOffset | The amount to move the camera up |
| zoomOffset | The amount to zoom the camera by |
| fovOffset | The amount to offset the FOV by |
| combatRangedSideOffset | The amount to move the camera to the right during ranged combat |
| combatRangedUpOffset | The amount to move the camera up during ranged combat |
| combatRangedZoomOffset | The amount to zoom the camera by during ranged combat |
| combatRangedFOVOffset | The amount to offset the FOV by during ranged combat |
| combatMagicSideOffset | The amount to move the camera to the right during magic combat |
| combatMagicUpOffset | The amount to move the camera up during magic combat |
| combatMagicZoomOffset | The amount to zoom the camera by during magic combat |
| combatMagicFOVOffset | The amount to offset the FOV by during magic combat |
| combatMeleeSideOffset | The amount to move the camera to the right during melee combat |
| combatMeleeUpOffset | The amount to move the camera up during melee combat |
| combatMeleeZoomOffset | The amount to zoom the camera by during melee combat |
| combatMeleeFOVOffset | The amount to offset the FOV by during melee combat |
| horseSideOffset | The amount to move the camera to the right when on horseback |
| horseUpOffset | The amount to move the camera up when on horseback |
| horseZoomOffset | The amount to zoom the camera by when on horseback |
| horseFOVOffset | The amount to offset the FOV by when on horseback |
| interp | Enable smoothing during this state |
| interpRangedCombat | Enable smoothing during this state when in ranged combat |
| interpMagicCombat | Enable smoothing during this state when in magic combat |
| interpMeleeCombat | Enable smoothing during this state when in melee combat |
| interpHorseback | Enable smoothing during this state when on horseback |