How to Add a Camera in Defold (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

Adding a camera to your game in Defold can make a significant difference in how your gameplay feels. Whether you want the world to scroll as your player moves or create cinematic sequences, understanding how to implement a camera properly is a critical skill. This tutorial will walk you through a step-by-step method to create a fully functional 2D camera system in the Defold game engine, using both native features and script logic.

TL;DR

Implementing a camera in Defold requires creating a separate game object, positioning it to follow the target (like a player), and updating the view in the render script to adjust based on the camera’s position. You won’t need to install third-party libraries—Defold’s built-in capabilities are sufficient for basic camera implementation. Make sure to account for screen resolution and camera constraints. With just a few changes in script and project layout, you can make your game world feel more dynamic and immersive.

Step 1: Understand the Role of a Camera in Defold

Unlike some other engines, Defold does not come with a built-in camera component. Instead, you simulate a camera by manipulating the view projection in the render script. This means we don’t move the world around the player—we move the virtual camera’s point of view.

In this model, the camera is simply a game object (GO) whose position is tracked. The render script will query this object’s position and adjust what is rendered on screen accordingly.

Step 2: Set Up the Project

Before creating a camera, you need a basic project structure with:

• A player game object that moves.
• A tilemap or background to visualize movement.
• A main collection that will hold everything.

If you already have a working project with movement, you can skip ahead to the next step. If not:

1. Create a new collection file called main.collection.
2. Add your player game object and a background (like a tilemap or sprite-based scene).

Step 3: Create the Camera Game Object

Next, you’ll create a new game object that will act as the camera.

1. Right-click in the project browser and select New → Game Object. Save it as camera.go.
2. This object doesn’t need components like sprites or collision. We’re only interested in tracking its position.
3. Back in your main.collection, add the camera.go to the scene at a default (0, 0, 0) position.

Optionally, you can create a script component attached to camera.go to make it follow the player:

-- camera.script
go.property("target", msg.url())

function update(self, dt)
  if self.target then
    local pos = go.get_position(self.target)
    go.set_position(pos)
  end
end

Attach this new script to camera.go and set the ‘target’ property to point to your player game object.

Step 4: Modify the Render Script to Respond to the Camera

This is where the magic happens. By default, Defold uses a render script called default.render. Make a copy of this file (so you can customize it) and set your collection to use it:

1. Copy default.render to a new file named camera.render.
2. Open your game.project file and set render = /path/to/camera.render.

Now, find the part of the render script where the projection is set for drawing. In update(), find or add the following lines:

local cam_pos = go.get_position("/camera")

local proj = vmath.orthographic(-width / 2, width / 2, -height / 2, height / 2, -1, 1)
local view = vmath.matrix4_look_at(
    vmath.vector3(cam_pos.x, cam_pos.y, 1),
    vmath.vector3(cam_pos.x, cam_pos.y, 0),
    vmath.vector3(0, 1, 0)
)
render.set_projection(proj)
render.set_view(view)

Ensure that your camera GO has the id “camera” and is accessible using the path /camera in the render script (or adapt the path accordingly).

Step 5: Center the Camera on Player Movement

Your camera game object will now follow the player. Since we’re drawing everything from the perspective of the camera object, when it moves, the world appears to scroll. You can refine the motion by applying damping or limits to the camera movement.

Add smoothing by modifying your camera.script:

function update(self, dt)
  if self.target then
    local current_pos = go.get_position()
    local target_pos = go.get_position(self.target)
    local smoothed = vmath.lerp(0.1, current_pos, target_pos)
    go.set_position(smoothed)
  end
end

This introduces a soft “catch-up” effect, creating a smoother follow behavior.

Step 6: Add Constraints (Optional but Recommended)

In many games, you don’t want the camera to go beyond level boundaries or show empty space. You can constrain camera movement using clamping logic:

function update(self, dt)
  if self.target then
    local screen_width = 640
    local screen_height = 480
    local level_width = 2000
    local level_height = 1000

    local pos = go.get_position(self.target)
    local half_w = screen_width / 2
    local half_h = screen_height / 2

    pos.x = math.max(half_w, math.min(pos.x, level_width - half_w))
    pos.y = math.max(half_h, math.min(pos.y, level_height - half_h))
    
    go.set_position(pos)
  end
end

Adjust the values to match your actual screen dimensions and level size.

Step 7: Verify and Test

Run the game. If everything is in place, you should see the world move relative to the player, giving the appearance that the camera is following. If not, double-check the following:

• The render script is active and correctly set in game.project.
• The camera object is properly positioned and updated.
• The camera script has a valid reference to the player GO.

Image not found in postmeta

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

• Nothing is rendered after adding camera render script: Make sure the projection and view matrices are set properly inside the update function.
• Camera doesn’t follow player: Recheck the ‘target’ property is correctly assigned and the player GO is active.
• Screen flickering or jerky movement: This may result from not smoothing or incorrect z-values in matrix computations.

Conclusion

Adding a functional camera to your 2D Defold project is a manageable but important task that enhances gameplay fluidity and visual consistency. By separating camera logic from player behavior and modifying the render script, you gain powerful control over your game’s visual experience. Whether for side-scrollers, platformers, or top-down RPGs, implementing a camera is a step toward building immersive and professional-level games in Defold.

Continue experimenting with zoom levels, screen shake, and rotation to truly push your game to the next creative level.