Coordinates

Coordinates are used to describe locations. Each one is a group of "ordinate" numbers which taken together can be plotted on a grid, one ordinate per dimension.

Coordinates in Source are (X,Y,Z), where X is forward, Y is right, and Z is up. (0,0,1) is a point one unit directly above the origin.

Coordinates are often stored alongside a set of rotation angles.

Note:'Global' or 'absolute' coordinates refer to the coordinates of the world. All other coordinate systems are 'local' to an entity.

Tip:SDK tools generally align coordinates so that the camera is looking down Y, since this tends to have the effect of making the item in question face you. Remember that this makes X appear reversed.

Origin

The origin of an object is the point at which its local coordinates are (0,0,0). It is the mathematical centre from which local coordinates are relative. It is rarely the centre of the visible object, however.

Tip:There can be multiple origins within the same entity: its own origin, the origin of its model, etc. Each origin defines its own local coordinate system relative to its parent.

See also

• Wikipedia:Coordinate system
• $origin and $autocenter (for models)