Projection Modes


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Surface Explorer 4D offers different projection methods to map geometry onto your screen. You can cycle through these modes using the dedicated button in the bottom status bar:

Field of View (Fov slider): The Fov slider sits at the bottom of the Renderer dock, below Headlight, and controls the camera lens angle from 20° (telephoto) to 110° (wide angle), with 45° as the default. It is the single control for the field of view: it is never disabled and applies to whatever is driving the camera — 3D and 4D camera paths, rotations, t-motions, and surfaces standing still. In Perspective and Stereographic modes a wider angle gives the scene more breathing room — especially useful when flying inside a surface with a camera path, where nearby walls loom much less at 60–70°. In Orthogonal mode there is no perspective, so the slider simply scales the framed area, acting like a zoom. The value is saved in presets and Records: a file that stored a different angle reloads with it, and anything else opens at the standard 45°.

Important: When using Perspective or Stereographic modes, if the surface moves too close to the camera (near-clipping plane), visual artifacts or "holes" may appear. If this happens, try switching the projection mode to Orthogonal.

In Stereographic mode there is a second, different case: a surface passing close to the projection pole gets a rippled rim, and 4D rotations can move it onto the pole. See 4D Rotations in The 4th Dimension for which rotations to prefer.

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