VIDEOGRAPHer 1.0

VIDEOGRAPHer 1.0​

VIDEOGRAPHer transforms one player into a dedicated multiplayer camera operator, allowing another player to experience SM64CoopDX directly through the cameraman’s synchronized viewpoint. It is designed for machinima, cinematic gameplay, event coverage, streamed competitions, guided tours, and any situation where one player wants to film another from angles that the standard camera cannot provide.

TO BEGIN A VIDEOGRAPHer SESSION, type /video [playername] in chat. That player will receive an on-screen request.

Consent-Based Camera Sessions​

Camera sessions are established between two players through a request-and-accept system. The prospective cameraman selects another player and requests permission to film them. That player can accept or decline using the displayed D-Pad prompts or supported chat commands.

Once connected, the two players receive distinct roles:

• The cameraman gains free-flight camera controls and becomes Camera Lakitu.
• The subject continues playing normally while viewing the game through the cameraman’s lens.
• Either participant can safely end the camera session.
• Camera states are exposed for compatible mods such as ToeTagger.

Synchronized Multiplayer Camera​

The subject’s usual gameplay camera is replaced by the cameraman’s position, direction, focus point, and field of view. Camera information is transmitted continuously so both players see the same composition as closely as network conditions allow.

VIDEOGRAPHer includes several systems intended to keep this connection stable:

• Camera motion is predicted and smoothed to reduce visible network jitter.
• Important camera changes use prioritized synchronization during warps, recoveries, session starts, and tracking-mode transitions.
• Camera updates include level and area information to prevent temporary location disagreements from breaking the connection.
• The cameraman’s view remains authoritative during level transitions and forced-camera events.
• The subject’s movement controls are adjusted relative to the synchronized camera, rather than their old local camera angle.

Smooth Camera Flight​

The cameraman receives first-person flight controls built for smooth, deliberate filming:

• The left stick moves the camera horizontally.
• The right stick or C-buttons rotate the camera.
• A and Z control vertical movement.
• L and R adjust the zoom and field of view.
• Holding X or B activates double-speed flight.
• Camera movement retains momentum and decelerates gradually instead of stopping abruptly.
• Normal free-flight movement preserves world collision to reduce accidental wall clipping.

If the camera becomes trapped or separated from the subject, holding L + R + Y activates emergency recovery and returns the cameraman to a safe position near the filmed player.

Player Tracking And Orbiting​

VIDEOGRAPHer includes a persistent player-tracking mode for shots that need to keep the subject centered.

Pressing Y toggles autolock. Enabling it rotates the camera toward the subject without teleporting the camera or changing its current filming position.

While autolock is active:

• The camera continuously tracks the subject.
• Left-stick movement orbits around the subject while preserving the current relative offset.
• Right-stick vertical input adjusts the camera’s distance from the subject.
• The focus point is smoothed to avoid harsh per-frame tracking jitter.

Disabling autolock preserves the cameraman’s current location, viewing angle, and focus. The resulting composition becomes the starting point for free-camera movement, allowing operators to transition between tracking and manual filming without deliberately resetting the shot.

Warp And Level Support​

The camera session follows the subject through most forms of level movement, including:

• Level entrances and exits
• Interior doors
• Pipes
• Area transitions
• Instant warps and teleports
• Star-related level exits

After a major transition, the cameraman is placed in front of and slightly above the subject. A temporary tracking handoff helps frame the player as they arrive without permanently forcing autolock.

The mod also detects when the subject is on the star-selection screen. The cameraman is informed that the other player is choosing a star, and camera movement is temporarily disabled so the operator cannot accidentally enter an unrelated level while waiting.

Camera operators are protected from pits, drowning, bubbles, damaging hazards, and death exits. These protections help prevent a filming session from ending because the invisible camera operator touched dangerous terrain.

Camera Lakitu Presentation​

While operating the camera, the player’s ordinary character model is hidden and replaced with Camera Lakitu and his cloud for the rest of the session to see.

• Other players can see who is acting as the cameraman.
• The cameraman’s original character is suppressed to prevent overlapping or flickering models.
• Camera Lakitu is hidden from the subject’s synchronized lens when necessary, preventing the model or cloud from blocking the shot.
• Ordinary character actions and object interactions are disabled while camera mode is active.
• Camera flight and appropriate collision remain available.

The system uses a generic Camera Lakitu presentation for Character Select characters, avoiding the need for individual replacement files for every custom character.

Visual Filters​

VIDEOGRAPHer includes synchronized visual filters that can be used to give footage a distinct style:

• Off: Standard game presentation
• Sepia: Warm, aged-film appearance
• Night Vision: High-contrast night-vision styling
• Cool Blue: Cold cinematic color treatment
• VHS: Retro analog-video presentation
• Clean Feed: Removes HUD elements for unobstructed footage

A short release of X or B cycles through filters. Holding the button activates the double-speed flight boost instead, preventing the filter from changing during sustained fast movement.

The selected filter is synchronized between the cameraman and subject so both participants see the intended presentation.

Clean Feed And Camera HUD​

The cameraman receives a video-camera-style overlay containing useful production information, including:

• Recording status
• Current zoom
• Selected filter
• Signal and connection state
• Control reminders
• Camera partner status

The Clean Feed filter hides the normal SM64 HUD, the VIDEOGRAPHer recording overlay, ToeTagger, and other compatible custom HUD elements. This provides a clear image for screenshots, machinima, trailers, or footage intended for later editing.

ToeTagger Compatibility​

ToeTagger 2.3 recognizes active VIDEOGRAPHer sessions:

• Camera operators are marked with a CAM MODE activity indicator.
• ToeTagger automatically respects VIDEOGRAPHer’s synchronized Clean Feed state.
• Both mods communicate directly without requiring an external compatibility patch.

VIDEOGRAPHer does not overwrite external character files and does not require an update to the Master Compatibility package.

Network Expectations​

VIDEOGRAPHer uses a small smoothing delay so the subject follows the newest reliable camera pose instead of visibly reacting to every individual network update. Under ordinary conditions, this produces a much steadier result than directly snapping to each received position.

Very high latency, packet disruption, or another mod forcefully replacing the game camera may still cause a brief visual correction. VIDEOGRAPHer will continue attempting to restore the cameraman’s synchronized viewpoint and keep the filming session active.