Fixing Camera Jitter Caused by Physics Updates in Unity
Camera jitter is a common issue in games that arises due to discrepancies between camera updates and physics calculations. In Unity, there are several strategies to address this:
1. Smooth Camera Movement
- Interpolate Camera Position: Use interpolation techniques to ensure smoother camera transitions. Implement this by lerping between the camera’s current and target positions.
- FixedUpdate synchronization: Align your camera updates with physics updates by moving your camera logic to the
FixedUpdate()
method, which is synced with physics calculations.
2. Physics Settings Adjustments
- Physics Time Step: Increase the physics time step value in the Unity editor under
Edit > Project Settings > Time
to reduce the frequency of state updates, thereby mitigating jitter.
3. Rigging and Animation Improvements
- Cinemachine: If you’re using Cinemachine, ensure to check the update method. Set it to
LateUpdate
or configure it to use a custom blend for smooth transitions.
4. Code Enhancement
public class CameraFollow : MonoBehaviour { public Transform target; public float smoothSpeed = 0.125f; public Vector3 offset; void FixedUpdate() { Vector3 desiredPosition = target.position + offset; Vector3 smoothedPosition = Vector3.Lerp(transform.position, desiredPosition, smoothSpeed); transform.position = smoothedPosition; } }
Use this script snippet to implement a basic camera follow system with smoothing to reduce jitter effects.