Make the camera move intentionally.

The camera is one of the most important design decisions in any game — and most players never think about it. Watch how game developers approach this invisible but critical system.

Video: 50 Game Camera Mistakes — GDC Talk by John Nesky (10 min)

John Nesky, the camera designer for Journey, explains the most common camera mistakes in 3D games and how to fix them. Watch the first 10 minutes — notice how camera angle changes the entire feeling of a game.

Discussion after watching: Think about your favorite game. Where is the camera? Behind the player? Above? At eye level? Why do you think the designers chose that angle? How would the game feel different with a different camera?

The camera defines the player's experience. It controls what you see and how the world feels. Two main types: Follow Camera (tracks the player) and Free Camera (player controls it). Version 1 uses a simple fixed angle.

You need: A phone with a camera, a room to walk around in, and a "player" (one of you).

Film the same scene from 3 different angles:

  1. Third-person: Hold the phone BEHIND the "player" as they walk through the room. You can see their back and what's ahead of them.
  2. Top-down: Hold the phone ABOVE looking straight down while they walk. You can see the whole room but you feel distant.
  3. First-person: Hold the phone at EYE LEVEL as if you ARE the player. You see exactly what they see.

Watch all 3 clips back-to-back. Then discuss:

  • Which angle felt the most tense or scary? (Usually first-person or close third-person)
  • Which angle gave the best overview? (Usually top-down)
  • Which angle is best for Ami's Manhattan explorer game? For Ida's lot-building game?

Key insight: Camera angle isn't just technical — it's an emotional design decision. The same room feels completely different from each angle. That's true in your game too.
Ami — Combat Risk Engine

Third-person exploration camera — slightly behind and above the player. Creates tension because you can't see everything.
Ida — Economic Growth Engine

Top-down development camera — looking straight down at a slight angle. Creates clarity because you can see your whole block.

Add OrbitControls temporarily for testing different angles:

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/examples/js/controls/OrbitControls.js"></script> // Temporary: OrbitControls for experimenting const controls = new THREE.OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);

Once you find the right angle, lock the camera by removing OrbitControls and setting fixed values:

// Ami: third-person, behind and above camera.position.set(0, 15, 25); camera.lookAt(0, 0, 0); // Ida: top-down with slight angle camera.position.set(0, 30, 10); camera.lookAt(0, 0, 0);
  • Add OrbitControls for testing (temporary)
  • Experiment with different camera angles
  • Lock camera to a fixed angle
  • Set position and lookAt target
  • Test: does the world feel grounded?
  • Remove OrbitControls once your angle is locked
  • Screenshot your final camera angle — explain why you chose it
    •
    Checkpoint

    Camera angle is stable. World feels grounded and intentional, not random.

    No cinematic cameras. No camera transitions. One fixed angle.

    Camera too close — can't see the world. Pull it back.

    Camera too far — the world feels distant and detached.

    Forgetting lookAt — the camera points at nothing and the scene looks broken.

    The phone camera activity is the heart of this lesson. Kids learn more about camera design from 5 minutes of filming with a phone than from an hour of adjusting numbers in code. Do the filming first, then code.

    Ask "How does this camera angle make you feel?" Compare top-down vs third-person. This teaches that camera is a design decision, not just a technical one. The camera shapes emotion before a single mechanic is built.

    OrbitControls are training wheels. They let kids explore different angles interactively. But once the angle is chosen, remove them — the final game should have a fixed, intentional camera. Let kids experiment for at least 5 minutes before locking in.

    If they can't decide on an angle: Ask "What does your player need to see?" Ami needs to see danger ahead (third-person). Ida needs to see multiple lots at once (top-down). The camera serves the gameplay, not the other way around.

    Tomorrow: The player can move — WASD controls in 3D space. Your camera will watch as the player cube glides across the world you built.