Camera motion in VR: watch view

When you choose watch in the set VR view block, you stay separate from the character so you can see it moving through your 3D world.

The camera motion setting controls what happens to your view when the character moves.

There are three options when using watch:

• none — you stay where you are
• comfort — you stay still while the character moves, then catch up when it stops
• smooth — you travel smoothly with the character

Watch with camera motion: none

Choose none when you want the viewer to stay exactly where they are while the character moves.

The character is free to move around the world without taking the viewer with it. This means it can move further away — or even completely out of sight.

[VIDEO: Viewer remains still while character walks/glides away into the distance.]

None works well when:

• The action happens within a particular area.
• You want the viewer to observe from a fixed position.
• A character will leave and return.
• Several characters or events are happening around the viewer.

For example, you could place the viewer in the audience of a virtual theatre while characters perform on a stage.

Try looking around

Your position stays fixed, but you’re still in VR. Turn your head to follow the character as it moves around you.

Watch with camera motion: comfort

Choose comfort when you want the viewer to stay still while the character is moving, but automatically catch up with it when it stops.

While the character moves, your view remains in place. About a quarter of a second after the character stops, your view moves to catch up.

[VIDEO: Character moves away → viewer remains still → character stops → view catches up.]

This means your view stays stable for most of the time you’re watching rather than continuously travelling through the world with the character.

Comfort works well when:

• A character moves between different points of interest.
• You want to follow a story through several locations.
• You want the viewer to keep catching up with a character without continuously travelling alongside it.
• Your character frequently moves, stops and performs an action.

For example, a museum guide could walk to the next exhibit. You remain still while the guide walks, then your view catches up when they arrive.

What happens if the character keeps moving?

Your view waits for the character to stop before catching up.

This makes comfort particularly useful for movement with clear pauses or destinations.

[VIDEO: Character moves → stops at Point A → view catches up → moves to Point B → view catches up.]

Watch with camera motion: smooth

Choose smooth when you want your view to continuously travel with the character.

As the character moves through the world, you move with it while continuing to see the character from the same angle.

[VIDEO: Character travels through the world with the viewer smoothly travelling alongside/following it.]

Unlike none, the character won’t simply leave you behind.

Unlike comfort, you don’t wait for the character to stop before catching up.

Smooth works well when:

• Following a character’s journey is an important part of the experience.
• You want the character to remain consistently in view.
• The experience is designed around travelling through the environment.

For example, you might follow a character as they travel along a path through a historical reconstruction.

Compare the three options

The easiest way to understand the difference is to use exactly the same character movement with each setting.

	None	Comfort	Smooth
While the character moves	You stay still	You stay still	You travel with it
When the character stops	You stay where you are	Your view catches up	You’re already travelling with it
Can the character move out of sight?	Yes	Temporarily	No
Useful for	Fixed viewpoints	Moving between points of interest	Following a continuous journey

[VIDEO: THREE-WAY COMPARISON]

NONE | COMFORT | SMOOTH

Use exactly the same project and movement for all three recordings.

Which should I choose?

Think about the role of the viewer in your experience.

• Should they stay in one place and watch what happens? – Try none.
• Should they stay still while the character moves, then join it at its new location? – Try comfort.
• Should they continuously travel through the world with the character? – Try smooth.

There’s no single setting that’s right for every project. Try the different options inside your headset and choose the one that suits the experience you’re creating.

Try it yourself

Create a simple world with three obvious locations.

Add a character and make it move from the first location to the second, pause, and then move to the third.

Set your VR view to watch

Try the project three times:
1. watch + none
2. watch + comfort
3. watch + smooth

Pay particular attention to what happens while the character is moving and when it stops.

Which setting works best for the experience you’ve created?

Check your understanding

Try these tasks:

• Use watch + none and let your character move out of sight.
• Use watch + comfort and notice what happens when the character stops.
• Use watch + smooth and notice how your view travels with the character.
• Create a journey with several stopping points and compare all three options.
• Think of an experience where each camera motion setting could be useful.