Camera FOV value in BP coming up 0.0

Development Programming & Scripting Blueprint
1

Hello,

I am trying to call up basic camera information, either as text to viewport, or as always-on HUD info (like the Matinee example showing CameraName, shot/sequence number, etc.). I import a group of cameras, with animation, and add them to Matinee so I can view them as a sequence (through a Level BP Event handler) using a Director Group. Using one of the cameras, in the sequence, it’s showing the FOV as 0.0, while there are FOV tracks being created that show non-zero keyframe values.

I’ve tried different ways to use a Matinee BP object to try to “find” one of the camera tracks and use the animation track for FOV data, instead of the direct camera component but to no avail.

I do find it worrying that Unreal is showing 0.0 FOV values for cameras with animated FOV information, however, so wonder if it might be a bug?

//Peter

2

Hi Peter,

Which version of the editor are you seeing this behavior in?

3

Sorry, should have mentioned that. Unreal Engine 4.7.3, running on Win 7 Pro 64-bit.

Cameras are exported from Maya (export to Z-Up) via Motionbuilder.

Seems to switch to 0.0 when NOT playing back from Matinee, yet during play, clicking on a camera displays correct FOV information. Refresh bug?

4

Okay, I set up a test case in-house and I’m printing the FOV on Tick through the Level Blueprint and I’ve also watched the FOV change in Matinee on play. For me it’s showing the correct FOV at all times.

Would you be willing to create a test project that has the issue and post a link to download it here? You could also private message it to me directly if you like.

5

Thanks for having a look, TJ.

This is what appears in the general editing screen (right attributes panel) when I select the first camera in the Matinee Dir Group.

Camera showing FOV 0.0

I am, also, using the Ticks method to evaluate every “tick” to produce FOV information.

I will upload a link to our test scene to, hopefully, illustrate what we are seeing.

6

Hi TJ,

Please have a look at the test file linked below.

Link to test cameras having the FOV 0.0 issue

7

By further extension - since calling on FOV works when Matinee is active, how do you call the FOV for cameras inside the Director Group or is this something you have to do for each camera actor seperately?

8

We tested a Free camera and a Target camera imported from Maya. Each time they kept the Field of View (which is called Angle of View in Maya). Which type of camera are you importing?

Also, in your test map I can select all of the Camera’s and change their Field of View. The changes are reflected and saved properly. Will this fix the issue for you?

As for: “how do you call the FOV for cameras inside the Director Group or is this something you have to do for each camera actor seperately?”

You must get each camera separately.

9

I think there might be some misunderstanding. The FOVs are correct when Matinee plays but show 0.0 when they are not. Cameras, again, are imported from recorded data from Motionbuilder and processed through Maya - due to Mobu’s inability to export Z-up.

“You must get each camera separately.”

Can it be done through a single overriding HUD/UI Widget? Will this change when Unreal moves from Matinee to Sequencer?

10

“Also, in your test map I can select all of the Camera’s and change their Field of View. The changes are reflected and saved properly. Will this fix the issue for you?”

The cameras you imported from me don’t have the yellow lock on their values? Sure, I can change the value by hand but some of them will have animated FOV values.

11

Could we get the Maya file itself? We are thinking this could be a import issue but we would like to check if it is also losing info going into Motion Builder.

12

FBX import issue into Unreal ?

Pipeline is as follows:

Capturing VCam animation inside Motionbuilder. Those camera movements are then rotated in Y 90 degrees and saved as FBX. That file is then imported into Maya and exported Z-up. This is the only way we have managed to align camera work with our environments/animations. I am sure there is a matrix way to figure out the right orientation and skip the Maya step but so far, haven’t found a solution that works. Yet.

I can provide you with the saved source Motionbuilder .fbx and the imported FBX file into Maya. This would be all .FBX file types? Or do you want the Maya file as a Maya binary/ascii?

13

Original Mobu camera data

Hi TJ,

Original Mobu camera file for testing

Use this file and put it through the process I outlined above. Camera data is oriented right-handed (XYZ) and hasn’t been adjusted.

//P.

14

Hi Stitched -

TJ asked me to look into this issue for you directly. I took your latest MoBu exported FBX and followed the following process.

1 - Imported your MoBu File into Maya 2014 and without changing anything exported all to an FBX called CameraTest.fbx (Making sure that I am exporting Cameras in the FBX settings). CameraTest.FBX File

2 - Created a New Blank Project with NO Starter Content called Forums_CameraFOV

3 - In the Editor, I created a new Matinee Actor

4 - In Matinee, I imported the CameraTest.FBX file and answered Yes to create cameras not already in scene.

5 - Closed Matinee

6 - Clicked on the Cameras in the Level, Confirmed FOV was displaying

7ba72d42ffed3eaa8ed310069bbee48fd9c47748.jpeg

7 - Re-Opened Matinee

8 - In Cam_tk3 Group, added a Float Property Track, CameraFieldofView

9 - In Matinee at Time 0 and with Cam_tk3’s FieldofView Track selected, I added a key

10 - Right Click Key and Confirmed it matched setting displaying in details of world

11 - Moved to arbitrary time toward the end of Cam_tk3’s Movement Track

12 - At Arbitrary Time, with Cam_tk3’s FieldofView Track selected I added another Key

13 - Right Click New Key and Set value to 90.

14 - (Shortening here) added Scripting to Level Blueprint to allow display of Cam_tk3’s Display Name and FoV at Runtime
Pressing and holding K will display all Camera Actor’s Names and FOV

RESULTS & EXPECTED: Everything is working as expected I am seeing FOVs in details panel and displayed on screen both the static variety from most cameras and the moving FOV in Cam_tk3

Here is the Full Project for you to look through, Forums_CameraFOV

Thank You