Creator: camera and composition
Every available perspective, free camera movement, vehicle attachment, zoom and reset. Learn what each control does, when it works and which actions detach the camera again.
In this article
Select a vehicle first
A vehicle perspective requires a vehicle that exists at the current point in the replay.
Select a vehicle through its timeline row or directly in the city. Your selection determines which vehicle the camera refers to; it changes neither its route nor the recorded journey. Comma and period switch to the previous or next available vehicle. Reaching either end of the list does not wrap around to the other end.
A selected stop and an observed vehicle are different selections. If a stop belongs to another vehicle, View may appear. Use it to observe that vehicle. Availability is checked at the current time, so seek to an appropriate part of the replay first if necessary.
The five available camera perspectives
The number keys keep their original assignments. This is why there is a gap between Front and Third person.
| Key / perspective | Behaviour and use | Requirement / limitation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Bird’s-eye | An elevated view above the selected vehicle. Useful for showing the city, route and neighbouring streets clearly. | An available vehicle. You can change the distance; without a rigid rotational attachment, the overview maintains a steady orientation. |
| 2 · Front | A view from ahead of the vehicle looking towards it. Shows the front of the vehicle and its surroundings as it travels. | An available vehicle. Turns and nearby buildings can affect the framing. |
| 4 · Third person | A following view behind the vehicle. Useful for the road, turns and the approach to a stop. | An available vehicle. Adjust the distance with the mouse wheel or R/F. |
| 5 · Free | Your own camera position and viewing angle, independent of a fixed vehicle perspective. Attachment controls are also available here. | No vehicle is required for free flight. Attaching the camera afterwards requires a selected vehicle. |
| 6 · Cockpit | The view from the selected vehicle’s driver position. The camera already rotates with the vehicle. | An available vehicle. Rotate with vehicle is not offered separately here; the mouse wheel changes the field of view. |
| 3 · former Roadside view | Removed from the current Creator tool and no longer shown as a selectable perspective. | The key does not activate an alternative camera. Old perspectives using this mode cannot be applied either. |
When switching between vehicle perspectives, the tool uses suitable starting distances and remembers adjusted distances for each vehicle and mode during the session. A very distant view is therefore not automatically an error. Reset camera returns you to a useful overview.
Bird’s-eye, Front and Third person follow the vehicle’s movement. Without Rotate with vehicle, the viewing direction does not automatically turn through every corner. In front of or behind the vehicle therefore describes the initial position when entering the perspective. Use T for a mount that stays relative to the vehicle.
Free camera: movement, looking and panning
Free lets you explore the city and prepare a shot while playback is paused.
| Input | Effect | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| W / S | Move horizontally forwards / backwards relative to the viewing direction. | This movement maintains the camera’s height even when the view is tilted. |
| A / D | Move sideways to the left / right. | Useful for parallel camera moves and framing adjustments. |
| Q / E | Lower / raise the camera. | E raises the actual camera position; zooming is a different action. |
| Hold the middle mouse button and drag | Look around and change the viewing direction. | The default Creator assignment. If mouse buttons are swapped, the in-game setting applies. |
| Hold the right mouse button and drag | Pan the camera horizontally across the map. | This changes the camera’s location, not just its viewing angle. |
| Mouse wheel or R / F | Move forwards / backwards along the viewing direction. | In Free, this physically moves the camera closer or farther away. |
As soon as you intervene with WASD, Q/E, active looking or panning, the free camera takes over: an active vehicle attachment is released and the vehicle selection is cleared. This prevents manual movement and automatic following from competing for the camera. To set up another attached shot, position the camera first, then select the vehicle and attach it again.
The free camera has world and height limits. If a direction no longer produces movement, try another direction or altitude. If the view is obstructed, change your position or use Reset camera.
Camera speed, mouse sensitivity and zoom
Camera speed moves the camera; playback speed moves the recorded day. These settings serve different purposes.
| Control / key | Range | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Camera speed | 1–600 m/s | Base speed for free movement. The slider does not distribute low and high speeds linearly. |
| Ctrl + mouse wheel | Within the camera speed range | Changes flight speed instead of moving forwards or backwards. |
| Hold Shift | Half base speed, smoother movement | For gentle approaches and small corrections. Holding the key alone causes no movement. |
| Hold Ctrl while moving | 2.5 times base speed | For covering larger distances through the city. Together with Shift, this gives 1.25 times base speed while keeping movement smooth. |
| Mouse | 0.1–2× | Look sensitivity. It changes neither the city nor vehicle speed. |
| Mouse wheel / R / F in Bird’s-eye, Front or Third person | Limited by the perspective and surroundings | Changes the camera’s distance from the vehicle. |
| Mouse wheel / R / F in Cockpit | Field of view 15–100° | Changes the field of view rather than the driver position. |
Start with a moderate camera speed, position yourself while the replay is paused, then test the shot during playback. A speed of 600 m/s is available for quick navigation, but is not a recommendation for a smooth capture. If mouse-wheel inversion is enabled, the normal zoom direction is reversed; changing speed with Ctrl remains a separate function.
Moving with a vehicle and keeping it in frame
The free camera offers two attachment options that you can combine. Establish your framing first, then select the vehicle.
| Setting | What happens automatically | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Attach to vehicle | Enables movement with the selected vehicle. Once attached, the button becomes Detach camera. | A custom camera position that travels along with the vehicle. |
| Move with vehicle | The camera position follows the vehicle. Without a rigid rotational attachment, the framing does not automatically turn like a mounted camera. | Following from the side or maintaining a consistent viewing direction during travel. |
| Keep vehicle in frame | The viewing direction tracks the subject. Without Move with vehicle, the camera stays at a fixed location. | A stationary observer watching the vehicle pass. |
| Both options together | The camera travels with the vehicle and aims towards it. | A following camera that should keep its subject in frame. |
| Detach camera | Ends the automatic attachment and keeps the visible shot as the starting point for the free camera. | Moving on to the next shot or exploring freely. |
When Keep vehicle in frame is first enabled, the tool aims the camera at the subject. If the view from the previous position is obstructed, it may look for a clearer elevated position. This is an intentional framing correction when enabling the option, not a route change.
View obstructed means that an obstacle lies between camera and subject. An attachment does not guarantee a clear view throughout the journey. Pause, detach or move the camera to a better location, select the vehicle again and enable the attachment you want.
Rotate with vehicle: a rigid camera mount
T, or Rotate with vehicle, fixes both camera position and viewing direction relative to the vehicle.
Your framing turns with the vehicle through corners. This suits a shot that should look like a camera mounted on the side or rear. The function enables Move with vehicle and disables Keep vehicle in frame. While the rigid attachment is active, the two ordinary attachment switches cannot be freely combined.
Enabling it may switch a vehicle perspective to Free. Here, Free means that a custom composition is being used; the camera can still be attached to the vehicle. Cockpit does not need the extra rotation option, so it is hidden there.
Press T again to turn off rigid rotation. If you want to remove every automatic connection, use Detach camera and check the attachment switches. Moving the camera manually also ends the attachment and clears the current vehicle selection.
Reset the camera and find a lost subject
Reset affects the camera, not the recorded day being played.
- With an available vehicle selected, Reset camera restores a Bird’s-eye view at a suitable starting distance.
- Without an available vehicle, the tool restores a free overview of the city.
- Active attachments and rigid rotation are released. Reset does not automatically rewind the replay.
- To restart the journey, use Restart playback or Home instead. For a particular moment, use the timeline or event navigation.
Camera functions that are not currently available
Older guides may mention features that cannot be reached from the current interface.
My perspectives and a Save button for custom camera presets are not accessible from the current menu. Do not plan a workflow that relies on restoring saved camera positions after restarting. For a repeatable shot, note the scene, time, vehicle, perspective and visible switches.
The former Roadside perspective has been removed. You can create a similar shot with a freely positioned camera: stand beside the route, select the vehicle and, if needed, enable only Keep vehicle in frame. You compose this shot yourself; there is no current automatic Roadside mode.
A camera keyframe editor, a multi-shot editing timeline and a video rendering dialog are not among the accessible features of this Creator version. For an edited sequence, capture individual shots and assemble them outside the game.
Game version: October 29, 2026. Content and balance may change during development.