Hytale Camera Controls

Hytale Camera Controls

Use this skill when customizing the player camera in Hytale plugins. The camera is controlled server-side by sending a SetServerCamera packet with ServerCameraSettings to configure distance, rotation, input mode, movement alignment, and more.

Source: https://hytalemodding.dev/en/docs/guides/plugin/customizing-camera-controls

Quick Reference

Required Imports

import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.ApplyLookType;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.ClientCameraView;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.Direction;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.MouseInputType;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.MovementForceRotationType;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.PositionDistanceOffsetType;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.RotationType;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.ServerCameraSettings;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.Vector3f;
import com.hypixel.hytale.protocol.packets.camera.SetServerCamera;

The Basics

Applying Custom Camera Settings

Create a ServerCameraSettings object, configure its fields, and send it to the player via a SetServerCamera packet:

ServerCameraSettings settings = new ServerCameraSettings();
settings.distance = 10.0f;            // Zoom distance from player
settings.isFirstPerson = false;       // Third-person mode
settings.positionLerpSpeed = 0.2f;    // Smooth camera follow

playerRef.getPacketHandler().writeNoCache(
    new SetServerCamera(ClientCameraView.Custom, true, settings)
);

Resetting to Default Camera

Pass false and null to restore the default camera:

playerRef.getPacketHandler().writeNoCache(
    new SetServerCamera(ClientCameraView.Custom, false, null)
);

Camera Presets

Top-Down (RTS / ARPG Style)

Source: com.hypixel.hytale.server.core.command.commands.player.camera.PlayerCameraTopdownCommand

ServerCameraSettings settings = new ServerCameraSettings();
settings.positionLerpSpeed = 0.2f;
settings.rotationLerpSpeed = 0.2f;
settings.distance = 20.0f;
settings.displayCursor = true;
settings.isFirstPerson = false;
settings.movementForceRotationType = MovementForceRotationType.Custom;
// Align movement with camera yaw (horizontal rotation only)
settings.movementForceRotation = new Direction(-0.7853981634f, 0.0f, 0.0f); // 45° right
settings.eyeOffset = true;
settings.positionDistanceOffsetType = PositionDistanceOffsetType.DistanceOffset;
settings.rotationType = RotationType.Custom;
settings.rotation = new Direction(0.0f, -1.5707964f, 0.0f); // Look straight down
settings.mouseInputType = MouseInputType.LookAtPlane;
settings.planeNormal = new Vector3f(0.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f); // Ground plane

playerRef.getPacketHandler().writeNoCache(
    new SetServerCamera(ClientCameraView.Custom, true, settings)
);

Side-Scroller (2D Platformer Style)

Source: com.hypixel.hytale.server.core.command.commands.player.camera.PlayerCameraSideScrollerCommand

ServerCameraSettings settings = new ServerCameraSettings();
settings.positionLerpSpeed = 0.2f;
settings.rotationLerpSpeed = 0.2f;
settings.distance = 15.0f;
settings.displayCursor = true;
settings.isFirstPerson = false;
settings.movementForceRotationType = MovementForceRotationType.Custom;
settings.movementMultiplier = new Vector3f(1.0f, 1.0f, 0.0f); // Lock Z-axis
settings.eyeOffset = true;
settings.positionDistanceOffsetType = PositionDistanceOffsetType.DistanceOffset;
settings.rotationType = RotationType.Custom;
settings.mouseInputType = MouseInputType.LookAtPlane;
settings.planeNormal = new Vector3f(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f); // Side plane

playerRef.getPacketHandler().writeNoCache(
    new SetServerCamera(ClientCameraView.Custom, true, settings)
);

Isometric Character Camera (Diablo Style)

ServerCameraSettings settings = new ServerCameraSettings();
settings.positionLerpSpeed = 0.2f;
settings.rotationLerpSpeed = 0.2f;
settings.isFirstPerson = false;
settings.distance = 6f;
settings.allowPitchControls = false;
settings.displayCursor = true;

// Force the camera's rotation to be set by the server
settings.applyLookType = ApplyLookType.Rotation;

// Notify that we provide a custom rotation
settings.rotationType = RotationType.Custom;

// Set the typical isometric rotation
Direction rotation = new Direction(
    (float) Math.toRadians(45f),   // yaw
    (float) Math.toRadians(-35f),  // pitch
    0f                             // roll
);
settings.rotation = rotation;
settings.movementForceRotation = rotation;

playerRef.getPacketHandler().writeNoCache(
    new SetServerCamera(ClientCameraView.Custom, true, settings)
);

Common Settings Explained

Position & Rotation

Movement Alignment

Input & Display

Advanced

Tips

• Zoom: Adjust distance (higher = further out).
• Smoothness: positionLerpSpeed and rotationLerpSpeed control how quickly the camera catches up to its target.
• Wall clipping: Use PositionDistanceOffsetType.DistanceOffsetRaycast to prevent the camera from going through walls.
• Lock camera: Set isLocked = true in the packet to prevent player changes.
• 2D movement: Set movementMultiplier to zero out an axis (e.g., new Vector3f(1, 1, 0) for side-scroller).
• Isometric cameras: Always set movementForceRotation to match camera yaw for proper movement alignment.
• Angle calculations: Use Math.toRadians(degrees) to convert degrees to radians. All rotation values use radians.
• Movement alignment: When using MovementForceRotationType.Custom, match the yaw from your camera rotation but keep pitch at 0 so movement stays on the horizontal plane.

Enums Reference

ClientCameraView

• ClientCameraView.Custom — Required view type for applying custom camera settings.

RotationType

• RotationType.Custom — Use the rotation value from settings.

MovementForceRotationType

• MovementForceRotationType.AttachedToHead — Movement follows where the player looks.
• MovementForceRotationType.Custom — Use movementForceRotation to define movement direction.

MouseInputType

• MouseInputType.LookAtPlane — Mouse moves cursor on a defined plane (good for top-down/isometric).
• MouseInputType.LookAtTarget — Mouse rotates the camera around the player.

PositionDistanceOffsetType

• PositionDistanceOffsetType.DistanceOffset — Simple distance offset from player.
• PositionDistanceOffsetType.DistanceOffsetRaycast — Distance offset with raycast to prevent wall clipping.

ApplyLookType

• ApplyLookType.Rotation — Server controls the camera rotation.