Add "Follow Selection" in the 3D editor by using Center Selection twice

[Calinou]

When pressing the Focus Selection shortcut twice, you will begin following the current selection. This also applies to selection changes.

The effect is undone by pressing the Focus Selection shortcut another time, using the Focus Origin shortcut, or by panning/using freelook on the 3D editor camera. (Orbiting or switching between perspective and orthogonal does not undo the effect.)

Some use cases include:

• Previewing lighting on a dynamic object as it moves across the scene.
• More generally, previewing something moving through a scene using an AnimationPlayer, which comes handy when paired with PathFollow3D.
• Jumping quickly from an object to another, while keeping your hand free of having to press F constantly.

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• This closes Press "F" twice to make the editor camera follow the selected node godot-proposals#3164.

Testing project: test_follow_selection.zip

Preview

Following the selection will also follow other selected nodes, so you can iterate quickly on different nodes that may be spread far away from each other:

follow_selection_changing_node_selection.mp4

While following the selection, you can manipulate it as usual, e.g. with Blender-style manipulation shortcuts:

follow_selection_blender_shortcuts.mp4

This also pairs well with grid snapping and Blender-style manipulation by entering units on the keyboard:

follow_selection_grid_snapping.mp4

Lastly, it works with keyboard-based camera manipulation too:

follow_selection_keyboard_navigation.mp4

[ryevdokimov]

The functionality isn't aborted when selecting the items from the drop down menu:

[ryevdokimov]

I implemented a similar but more minimal function at my fork. I like the indicator in the corner.

Besides the comment above, looks good.

2024-11-22.12-04-38.mp4

[Calinou]

The functionality isn't aborted when selecting the items from the drop down menu:

On second thought, I realized these items don't change your position, but only your rotation relative to the object (similar to orbiting or using the numpad 2/4/6/8 keyboard shortcuts). I've made them no longer exit following mode. (This allows you to reorient the camera during a drag operation, which can be handy...)

However, your comment made me realize that Focus Origin wasn't exiting follow mode if the menu option was used instead of the shortcut, so I fixed that.

[ryevdokimov]

Retested based off the comment above. Rational makes sense. Function aborts on focus origin, but not changing views.