Class CinemachineVirtualCameraBase

Base class for a Monobehaviour that represents a Virtual Camera within the Unity scene.

This is intended to be attached to an empty Transform GameObject. Inherited classes can be either standalone virtual cameras such as CinemachineVirtualCamera, or meta-cameras such as CinemachineClearShot or CinemachineFreeLook.

A CinemachineVirtualCameraBase exposes a Priority property. When the behaviour is enabled in the game, the Virtual Camera is automatically placed in a queue maintained by the static CinemachineCore singleton. The queue is sorted by priority. When a Unity camera is equipped with a CinemachineBrain behaviour, the brain will choose the camera at the head of the queue. If you have multiple Unity cameras with CinemachineBrain behaviours (say in a split-screen context), then you can filter the queue by setting the culling flags on the virtual cameras. The culling mask of the Unity Camera will then act as a filter for the brain. Apart from this, there is nothing that prevents a virtual camera from controlling multiple Unity cameras simultaneously.

Inheritance
Object
CinemachineVirtualCameraBase
CinemachineBlendListCamera
CinemachineClearShot
CinemachineExternalCamera
CinemachineFreeLook
CinemachineMixingCamera
CinemachineStateDrivenCamera
CinemachineVirtualCamera
Namespace: Cinemachine
Syntax
public abstract class CinemachineVirtualCameraBase : MonoBehaviour, ICinemachineCamera

Fields

m_ExcludedPropertiesInInspector

Inspector control - Use for hiding sections of the Inspector UI.

Declaration
public string[] m_ExcludedPropertiesInInspector
Field Value
Type Description
String[]

m_LockStageInInspector

Inspector control - Use for enabling sections of the Inspector UI.

Declaration
public CinemachineCore.Stage[] m_LockStageInInspector
Field Value
Type Description
CinemachineCore.Stage[]

m_Priority

The priority will determine which camera becomes active based on the state of other cameras and this camera. Higher numbers have greater priority.

Declaration
public int m_Priority
Field Value
Type Description
Int32

m_StandbyUpdate

When the virtual camera is not live, this is how often the virtual camera will be updated. Set this to tune for performance. Most of the time Never is fine, unless the virtual camera is doing shot evaluation.

Declaration
public CinemachineVirtualCameraBase.StandbyUpdateMode m_StandbyUpdate
Field Value
Type Description
CinemachineVirtualCameraBase.StandbyUpdateMode

Properties

Description

Gets a brief debug description of this virtual camera, for use when displayiong debug info

Declaration
public virtual string Description { get; }
Property Value
Type Description
String
Implements

Follow

Get the Follow target for the Body component in the Cinemachine pipeline.

Declaration
public abstract Transform Follow { get; set; }
Property Value
Type Description
Transform
Implements

FollowTargetAttachment

This must be set every frame at the start of the pipeline to relax the virtual camera's attachment to the target. Range is 0...1.
1 is full attachment, and is the normal state. 0 is no attachment, and virtual camera will behave as if no Follow targets are set.

Declaration
public float FollowTargetAttachment { get; set; }
Property Value
Type Description
Single

IsValid

Returns false if the object has been deleted

Declaration
public bool IsValid { get; }
Property Value
Type Description
Boolean
Implements

LookAt

Get the LookAt target for the Aim component in the Cinemachine pipeline.

Declaration
public abstract Transform LookAt { get; set; }
Property Value
Type Description
Transform
Implements

LookAtTargetAttachment

This must be set every frame at the start of the pipeline to relax the virtual camera's attachment to the target. Range is 0...1.
1 is full attachment, and is the normal state. 0 is no attachment, and virtual camera will behave as if no LookAt targets are set.

Declaration
public float LookAtTargetAttachment { get; set; }
Property Value
Type Description
Single

Name

Get the name of the Virtual Camera. Base implementation returns the owner GameObject's name.

Declaration
public string Name { get; }
Property Value
Type Description
String
Implements

ParentCamera

Support for meta-virtual-cameras. This is the situation where a virtual camera is in fact the public face of a private army of virtual cameras, which it manages on its own. This method gets the VirtualCamera owner, if any. Private armies are implemented as Transform children of the parent vcam.

Declaration
public ICinemachineCamera ParentCamera { get; }
Property Value
Type Description
ICinemachineCamera
Implements

PreviousStateIsValid

Set this to force the next update to ignore deltaTime and reset itself

Declaration
public virtual bool PreviousStateIsValid { get; set; }
Property Value
Type Description
Boolean

Priority

Get the Priority of the virtual camera. This determines its placement in the CinemachineCore's queue of eligible shots.

Declaration
public int Priority { get; set; }
Property Value
Type Description
Int32
Implements

State

The CameraState object holds all of the information necessary to position the Unity camera. It is the output of this class.

Declaration
public abstract CameraState State { get; }
Property Value
Type Description
CameraState
Implements

ValidatingStreamVersion

Version that was last streamed, for upgrading legacy

Declaration
public int ValidatingStreamVersion { get; }
Property Value
Type Description
Int32

VirtualCameraGameObject

The GameObject owner of the Virtual Camera behaviour.

Declaration
public GameObject VirtualCameraGameObject { get; }
Property Value
Type Description
GameObject
Implements

Methods

AddExtension(CinemachineExtension)

A delegate to hook into the state calculation pipeline. This will be called after each pipeline stage, to allow others to hook into the pipeline. See CinemachineCore.Stage.

Declaration
public virtual void AddExtension(CinemachineExtension extension)
Parameters
Type Name Description
CinemachineExtension extension

The extension to add.

ApplyPositionBlendMethod(ref CameraState, CinemachineVirtualCameraBase.BlendHint)

Applies a position blend hint to a camera state

Declaration
protected void ApplyPositionBlendMethod(ref CameraState state, CinemachineVirtualCameraBase.BlendHint hint)
Parameters
Type Name Description
CameraState state

The state to apply the hint to
CinemachineVirtualCameraBase.BlendHint hint

The hint to apply

CreateBlend(ICinemachineCamera, ICinemachineCamera, CinemachineBlendDefinition, CinemachineBlend)

Create a blend between 2 virtual cameras, taking into account any existing active blend, with special case handling if the new blend is effectively an undo of the current blend

Declaration
protected CinemachineBlend CreateBlend(ICinemachineCamera camA, ICinemachineCamera camB, CinemachineBlendDefinition blendDef, CinemachineBlend activeBlend)
Parameters
Type Name Description
ICinemachineCamera camA

Outgoing virtual camera
ICinemachineCamera camB

Incoming virtual camera
CinemachineBlendDefinition blendDef

Definition of the blend to create
CinemachineBlend activeBlend

The current active blend
Returns
Type Description
CinemachineBlend

The new blend

DetachedFollowTargetDamp(Single, Single, Single)

Get a damped version of a quantity. This is the portion of the quantity that will take effect over the given time. This method takes the target attachment into account. For general damping without consideration of target attachment, use Damper.Damp()

Declaration
public float DetachedFollowTargetDamp(float initial, float dampTime, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Single initial

The amount that will be damped
Single dampTime

The rate of damping. This is the time it would take to reduce the original amount to a negligible percentage
Single deltaTime

The time over which to damp
Returns
Type Description
Single

The damped amount. This will be the original amount scaled by a value between 0 and 1.

DetachedFollowTargetDamp(Vector3, Single, Single)

Get a damped version of a quantity. This is the portion of the quantity that will take effect over the given time. This method takes the target attachment into account. For general damping without consideration of target attachment, use Damper.Damp()

Declaration
public Vector3 DetachedFollowTargetDamp(Vector3 initial, float dampTime, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 initial

The amount that will be damped
Single dampTime

The rate of damping. This is the time it would take to reduce the original amount to a negligible percentage
Single deltaTime

The time over which to damp
Returns
Type Description
Vector3

The damped amount. This will be the original amount scaled by a value between 0 and 1.

DetachedFollowTargetDamp(Vector3, Vector3, Single)

Get a damped version of a quantity. This is the portion of the quantity that will take effect over the given time. This method takes the target attachment into account. For general damping without consideration of target attachment, use Damper.Damp()

Declaration
public Vector3 DetachedFollowTargetDamp(Vector3 initial, Vector3 dampTime, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 initial

The amount that will be damped
Vector3 dampTime

The rate of damping. This is the time it would take to reduce the original amount to a negligible percentage
Single deltaTime

The time over which to damp
Returns
Type Description
Vector3

The damped amount. This will be the original amount scaled by a value between 0 and 1.

DetachedLookAtTargetDamp(Single, Single, Single)

Get a damped version of a quantity. This is the portion of the quantity that will take effect over the given time. This method takes the target attachment into account. For general damping without consideration of target attachment, use Damper.Damp()

Declaration
public float DetachedLookAtTargetDamp(float initial, float dampTime, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Single initial

The amount that will be damped
Single dampTime

The rate of damping. This is the time it would take to reduce the original amount to a negligible percentage
Single deltaTime

The time over which to damp
Returns
Type Description
Single

The damped amount. This will be the original amount scaled by a value between 0 and 1.

DetachedLookAtTargetDamp(Vector3, Single, Single)

Get a damped version of a quantity. This is the portion of the quantity that will take effect over the given time. This method takes the target attachment into account. For general damping without consideration of target attachment, use Damper.Damp()

Declaration
public Vector3 DetachedLookAtTargetDamp(Vector3 initial, float dampTime, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 initial

The amount that will be damped
Single dampTime

The rate of damping. This is the time it would take to reduce the original amount to a negligible percentage
Single deltaTime

The time over which to damp
Returns
Type Description
Vector3

The damped amount. This will be the original amount scaled by a value between 0 and 1.

DetachedLookAtTargetDamp(Vector3, Vector3, Single)

Get a damped version of a quantity. This is the portion of the quantity that will take effect over the given time. This method takes the target attachment into account. For general damping without consideration of target attachment, use Damper.Damp()

Declaration
public Vector3 DetachedLookAtTargetDamp(Vector3 initial, Vector3 dampTime, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 initial

The amount that will be damped
Vector3 dampTime

The rate of damping. This is the time it would take to reduce the original amount to a negligible percentage
Single deltaTime

The time over which to damp
Returns
Type Description
Vector3

The damped amount. This will be the original amount scaled by a value between 0 and 1.

ForceCameraPosition(Vector3, Quaternion)

Force the virtual camera to assume a given position and orientation

Declaration
public virtual void ForceCameraPosition(Vector3 pos, Quaternion rot)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 pos

Worldspace pposition to take
Quaternion rot

Worldspace orientation to take

GetInputAxisProvider()

Locate the first component that implements AxisState.IInputAxisProvider.

Declaration
public AxisState.IInputAxisProvider GetInputAxisProvider()
Returns
Type Description
AxisState.IInputAxisProvider

The first AxisState.IInputAxisProvider or null if none

GetMaxDampTime()

Query components and extensions for the maximum damping time. Base class implementation queries extensions. Only used in editor for timeline scrubbing.

Declaration
public virtual float GetMaxDampTime()
Returns
Type Description
Single

Highest damping setting in this vcam

InternalUpdateCameraState(Vector3, Single)

Internal use only. Do not call this method. Called by CinemachineCore at designated update time so the vcam can position itself and track its targets. Do not call this method. Let the framework do it at the appropriate time

Declaration
public abstract void InternalUpdateCameraState(Vector3 worldUp, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 worldUp

Default world Up, set by the CinemachineBrain
Single deltaTime

Delta time for time-based effects (ignore if less than 0)
Implements

InvokeOnTransitionInExtensions(ICinemachineCamera, Vector3, Single)

Invokes the OnTransitionFromCamera for all extensions on this camera

Declaration
protected bool InvokeOnTransitionInExtensions(ICinemachineCamera fromCam, Vector3 worldUp, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
ICinemachineCamera fromCam

The camera being deactivated. May be null.
Vector3 worldUp

Default world Up, set by the CinemachineBrain
Single deltaTime

Delta time for time-based effects (ignore if less than or equal to 0)
Returns
Type Description
Boolean

True to request a vcam update of internal state

InvokePostPipelineStageCallback(CinemachineVirtualCameraBase, CinemachineCore.Stage, ref CameraState, Single)

Invokes the PostPipelineStageDelegate for this camera, and up the hierarchy for all parent cameras (if any). Implementaion must be sure to call this after each pipeline stage, to allow other services to hook into the pipeline. See CinemachineCore.Stage.

Declaration
protected void InvokePostPipelineStageCallback(CinemachineVirtualCameraBase vcam, CinemachineCore.Stage stage, ref CameraState newState, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
CinemachineVirtualCameraBase vcam

The virtual camera being processed
CinemachineCore.Stage stage

The current pipeline stage
CameraState newState

The current virtual camera state
Single deltaTime

The current applicable deltaTime

InvokePrePipelineMutateCameraStateCallback(CinemachineVirtualCameraBase, ref CameraState, Single)

Invokes the PrePipelineMutateCameraStateCallback for this camera, and up the hierarchy for all parent cameras (if any). Implementaion must be sure to call this after each pipeline stage, to allow other services to hook into the pipeline. See CinemachineCore.Stage.

Declaration
protected void InvokePrePipelineMutateCameraStateCallback(CinemachineVirtualCameraBase vcam, ref CameraState newState, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
CinemachineVirtualCameraBase vcam

The virtual camera being processed
CameraState newState

The current virtual camera state
Single deltaTime

The current applicable deltaTime

IsLiveChild(ICinemachineCamera, Boolean)

Check whether the vcam a live child of this camera. This base class implementation always returns false.

Declaration
public virtual bool IsLiveChild(ICinemachineCamera vcam, bool dominantChildOnly = false)
Parameters
Type Name Description
ICinemachineCamera vcam

The Virtual Camera to check
Boolean dominantChildOnly

If truw, will only return true if this vcam is the dominat live child
Returns
Type Description
Boolean

True if the vcam is currently actively influencing the state of this vcam
Implements

MoveToTopOfPrioritySubqueue()

When multiple virtual cameras have the highest priority, there is sometimes the need to push one to the top, making it the current Live camera if it shares the highest priority in the queue with its peers.

This happens automatically when a new vcam is enabled: the most recent one goes to the top of the priority subqueue. Use this method to push a vcam to the top of its priority peers. If it and its peers share the highest priority, then this vcam will become Live.

Declaration
public void MoveToTopOfPrioritySubqueue()

OnDestroy()

Maintains the global vcam registry. Always call the base class implementation.

Declaration
protected virtual void OnDestroy()

OnDisable()

Base class implementation makes sure the priority queue remains up-to-date.

Declaration
protected virtual void OnDisable()

OnEnable()

Base class implementation adds the virtual camera from the priority queue.

Declaration
protected virtual void OnEnable()

OnTargetObjectWarped(Transform, Vector3)

This is called to notify the component that a target got warped, so that the component can update its internal state to make the camera also warp seamlessy.

Declaration
public virtual void OnTargetObjectWarped(Transform target, Vector3 positionDelta)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Transform target

The object that was warped
Vector3 positionDelta

The amount the target's position changed
Implements

OnTransformParentChanged()

Base class implementation makes sure the priority queue remains up-to-date.

Declaration
protected virtual void OnTransformParentChanged()

OnTransitionFromCamera(ICinemachineCamera, Vector3, Single)

Notification that this virtual camera is going live. Base class implementation must be called by any overridden method.

Declaration
public virtual void OnTransitionFromCamera(ICinemachineCamera fromCam, Vector3 worldUp, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
ICinemachineCamera fromCam

The camera being deactivated. May be null.
Vector3 worldUp

Default world Up, set by the CinemachineBrain
Single deltaTime

Delta time for time-based effects (ignore if less than or equal to 0)
Implements

OnValidate()

Enforce bounds for fields, when changed in inspector. Call base class implementation at the beginning of overridden method. After base method is called, ValidatingStreamVersion will be valid.

Declaration
protected virtual void OnValidate()

PullStateFromVirtualCamera(Vector3, ref LensSettings)

Create a camera state based on the current transform of this vcam

Declaration
protected CameraState PullStateFromVirtualCamera(Vector3 worldUp, ref LensSettings lens)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 worldUp

Current World Up direction, as provided by the brain
LensSettings lens

Lens settings to serve as base, will be combined with lens from brain, if any
Returns
Type Description
CameraState

RemoveExtension(CinemachineExtension)

Remove a Pipeline stage hook callback.

Declaration
public virtual void RemoveExtension(CinemachineExtension extension)
Parameters
Type Name Description
CinemachineExtension extension

The extension to remove.

ResolveFollow(Transform)

Returns this vcam's Follow target, or if that is null, will retrun the parent vcam's Follow target.

Declaration
protected Transform ResolveFollow(Transform localFollow)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Transform localFollow

This vcam's Follow value.
Returns
Type Description
Transform

The same value, or the parent's if null and a parent exists.

ResolveLookAt(Transform)

Returns this vcam's LookAt target, or if that is null, will retrun the parent vcam's LookAt target.

Declaration
protected Transform ResolveLookAt(Transform localLookAt)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Transform localLookAt

This vcam's LookAt value.
Returns
Type Description
Transform

The same value, or the parent's if null and a parent exists.

Start()

Derived classes should call base class implementation.

Declaration
protected virtual void Start()

Update()

Base class implementation makes sure the priority queue remains up-to-date.

Declaration
protected virtual void Update()

UpdateCameraState(Vector3, Single)

Update the camera's state. The implementation must guarantee against multiple calls per frame, and should use CinemachineCore.UpdateVirtualCamera(ICinemachineCamera, Vector3, float), which has protection against multiple calls per frame.

Declaration
public void UpdateCameraState(Vector3 worldUp, float deltaTime)
Parameters
Type Name Description
Vector3 worldUp

Default world Up, set by the CinemachineBrain
Single deltaTime

Delta time for time-based effects (ignore if less than 0)
Implements