📷 Aperture API (Forge 1.20.1)

A lightweight camera & cinematics toolkit for creators and modders.

Aperture API gives servers, map-makers, content creators, and other mods a clean way to create smooth, scriptable camera shots in Minecraft. Build keyframed paths, orbit bosses, do fly‑throughs of your base, or let other mods trigger cutscenes—without reinventing the camera every time.

Status: Early access / actively developed. APIs may evolve. Feedback welcome!

Docs/Wiki: https://tysontheember.github.io/docs/Aperture-API/

🔥 Highlights

Free/External Camera: Detach from the player for filmmaking and showcases.
Keyframes & Paths: Position, rotation, FOV, and duration per keyframe.
Easing & Interpolation: Natural motion with selectable easing curves.
Timelines & Sequences: Chain multiple shots into a single cinematic.
In‑Game UI: Full‑screen editor with tooltips, scrollable animation list, and precise sliders.
Modding API: Trigger shots programmatically (server or client) and integrate with boss phases, quests, and cutscenes.
Data‑Driven Friendly: JSON definitions for reusing camera paths (planned).
Multiplayer‑aware: Runs cleanly on clients; server can request client playback.

🎮 What can I do with it?

Showcase modpacks, builds, and adventure maps
Create opening fly‑ins, boss introductions, or quest cutscenes
Record YouTube/B‑roll with buttery‑smooth motion
Let other mods play camera shots during events (e.g., phase changes)

🧭 Editor Overview (WIP)

Full‑Screen UI with clear labels and helpful tooltips
Keyframe List with add/duplicate/delete and reordering
Sliders for position/rotation/FOV with dynamic visual guides
Hover Rotation Readout that shows current camera angles
Playback Controls to preview, loop, and scrub

(Screenshots/GIFs coming soon—creators are welcome to contribute!)

🛠️ For Modders

Aperture API exposes a small, focused runtime you can call from your mod to start camera shots, build paths, or react to world events.

Basic Concepts

CameraShot: A sequence of keyframes.
Keyframe: Position (x,y,z), rotation (pitch,yaw/roll if used), FOV, duration.
Easing: Controls how we interpolate between frames.

Typical Flow

Build a CameraShot in code (or load one from JSON in the future).
Send it to a specific player (server‑side) or start locally (client‑side).
Optionally subscribe to callbacks (onStart/onEnd) to sync SFX, VO, messages.

// Pseudocode / API subject to change
CameraShot shot = CameraShot.builder()
    .addKeyframe(new Keyframe(pos(10, 80, 10), rot(10f, 180f), fov(70f), duration(60)))
    .addKeyframe(new Keyframe(pos(20, 82, 20), rot(5f, 200f), fov(65f), duration(40)))
    .easing(Easing.QUAD_IN_OUT)
    .build();

ApertureApi.playFor(player, shot); // server-side trigger
// or client: ApertureApi.playLocal(shot);

Note: Exact class names and signatures may differ—see the GitHub repo for current code and examples.

🔧 Configuration & Controls

Keybinds for entering free camera and opening the editor (rebindable)
Safety: Exits camera on damage/death or when server disables it
Performance: Designed to be lightweight and compatible with popular performance mods

(Exact bindings/options may change; check in‑game controls and config.)

📦 Installation

Install Minecraft Forge 1.20.1 on the client (and server only if you want server‑initiated shots).
Drop Aperture API into your /mods folder.
Launch and configure keybinds in Controls → Key Binds.

Dependencies: Forge only (no required coremods). If this changes, it will be listed here.

🤝 Compatibility

Works in single‑player and client‑side on multiplayer.
Server can request a client to play a camera path (where permitted).
Aims to be compatible with common UI/graphics/performance mods. If you hit conflicts, please open an issue.

🧩 Integration Ideas

Boss Intros: Kick off a dramatic camera pan, then play VO lines.
Quest Beats: When a stage advances, briefly showcase a target location.
Build Tours: Let players press a button to start a guided fly‑through.

🐞 Issues & Feedback

Bugs / Requests: Use the GitHub Issues tracker
Contributing: PRs welcome—code style and contribution guide in the repo

Source Code: https://github.com/TysonTheEmber/Aperture-API

📣 Permissions & Modpacks

You can include this mod in modpacks with credit and a link to this page.
Servers can use this freely.
Please do not rehost the mod file elsewhere—link to CurseForge or the GitHub releases.

License: See the repository for the current license. If you need a special arrangement, let me know.

❓ FAQ

Q: Is this a cinematic recorder like Replay Mod? A: It’s focused on programmatic camera paths and in‑game editing rather than full replay timelines. Think lightweight camera shots you can call from code or set up quickly in‑game.

Q: Does it affect gameplay? A: It’s client‑focused. You’re not invulnerable by default—servers can decide how it behaves during playback.

Q: Will there be JSON‑defined shots? A: Planned. The goal is to make sharing paths easy between maps/modpacks.

Q: Fabric/NeoForge? A: Target is Forge 1.20.1 for now. Other loaders may be explored later.

📎 Links

Source: https://github.com/TysonTheEmber/Aperture-API
Issues: GitHub Issues
Wiki/Docs: (coming soon)
Discord: https://discord.gg/GCN2Hv4Qzr

Drop these into the CurseForge Images tab to make the page pop.

Aperture API

Compatibility

Minecraft: Java Edition

Platforms

Supported environments

Links

Creators

Details