[PR #224] Feature: Driver Chase Cam View with Dashboard HUD

## 📋 Pull Request Information **Original PR:** https://github.com/IAmTomShaw/f1-race-replay/pull/224 **Author:** [@darsh-shah4548](https://github.com/darsh-shah4548) **Created:** 2/7/2026 **Status:** 🔄 Open **Base:** `main` ← **Head:** `feature/driver-chase-cam` --- ### 📝 Commits (2) - [`3e49748`](https://github.com/IAmTomShaw/f1-race-replay/commit/3e497489098aa99dedc4a0b0eba34b913e16eb74) Add tyre strategy timeline panel (resolves #95) - [`a1792ce`](https://github.com/IAmTomShaw/f1-race-replay/commit/a1792ce82a5065339a16f10ed871bb3370d27365) Add driver chase cam view with smooth top-down camera tracking ### 📊 Changes **5 files changed** (+1167 additions, -12 deletions) <details> <summary>View changed files</summary> 📝 `main.py` (+1 -0) 📝 `src/arcade_replay.py` (+3 -1) 📝 `src/f1_data.py` (+64 -0) 📝 `src/interfaces/race_replay.py` (+377 -11) 📝 `src/ui_components.py` (+722 -0) </details> ### 📄 Description > I understand this feature may not be fully aligned with the pit wall-style vision and direction of this project. Apologies if this PR deviates from that. I'm happy to adjust or close if it doesn't fit the roadmap. ## Summary - Adds a **driver chase cam mode** activated by pressing `V` after selecting a driver on the leaderboard - Top-down camera zooms into the selected driver with smooth rotation aligned to their heading direction - Full dashboard HUD with large speed/gear display, horizontal throttle/brake bars, DRS indicator, tyre compound/age, real-time gap intervals to drivers ahead and behind, and a mini-map showing all car positions - Uses `Camera2D` with sub-frame interpolation between 25 FPS data frames and heavy heading smoothing for butter-smooth rendering at any playback speed - Left/Right arrows cycle between drivers while in chase cam; `ESC` or `V` exits back to normal view ## Technical Details - **Camera system**: Dual-camera rendering — `Camera2D` for world-space (track + cars), `default_camera` for screen-space HUD overlay - **Smooth rendering**: Sub-frame position interpolation eliminates discrete jumps at zoom level; circular-mean heading buffer (size 20) with slow angle lerp (0.04) prevents rotation shimmer - **Frame sync**: Chase cam update runs after `frame_index` is finalized in `on_update`, ensuring camera and rendered cars use identical frame data (no 1-frame desync) - **Performance**: Pre-rotated track points computed once at init, pre-created `arcade.Text` objects for all HUD elements, reduced track point density for chase cam rendering - **Gap calculation**: Uses the same proven formula as `DriverInfoComponent` (`distance / 10.0 / 55.56` at 200 km/h reference speed) ## Files Changed | File | Changes | Impact | |------|---------|--------| | `src/interfaces/race_replay.py` | +355 lines | Chase cam state, camera methods, world rendering, key handlers — all additive | | `src/ui_components.py` | +387 lines | New `ChaseCamHUDComponent` class + 1 help entry — appended at end | **Zero existing contributor code deleted or overwritten.** All modifications are strictly additive: new imports, tuple extensions, guard clauses in key handlers, and a popup height increase (+20px) to fit the new help entry. ## Screenshots <img width="2559" height="1440" alt="Screenshot 2026-02-06 at 7 54 18 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/62e7029e-cdba-4d1d-ac49-8a4656f6ddda" /> <img width="398" height="335" alt="Screenshot 2026-02-06 at 7 54 20 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b6be8a68-d60d-4288-b618-bd29fa66e64f" /> <img width="776" height="1493" alt="Screenshot 2026-02-06 at 7 54 45 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4644c77a-ed8d-4dc9-b5c3-a930f6360ad1" /> <img width="1668" height="1434" alt="Screenshot 2026-02-06 at 7 55 28 PM" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/56001f45-e54f-4e5b-8439-5af87e1a192f" /> ## Test plan - [ ] Select a driver on the leaderboard, press `V` — verify camera zooms into the driver - [ ] Verify smooth camera rotation aligned to driver heading - [ ] Check dashboard HUD: speed, gear, DRS, tyre info, throttle/brake bars - [ ] Verify Ahead/Behind gap intervals update in real-time - [ ] Press Left/Right arrows to cycle between drivers - [ ] Verify mini-map shows all car positions with chased driver highlighted - [ ] Press `V` or `ESC` to exit — verify normal view returns exactly as before - [ ] Press `H` to confirm "V - Chase Cam (select driver)" appears in controls help - [ ] Test at different playback speeds (1x, 4x, 32x) for smooth camera movement - [ ] Resize window during chase cam to verify layout adjusts - [ ] Test on multiple races/circuits to verify universal compatibility --- <sub>🔄 This issue represents a GitHub Pull Request. It cannot be merged through Gitea due to API limitations.</sub>

BreizhHardware commented

2026-05-07 00:19:19 +02:00

Owner

📋 Pull Request Information

Original PR: https://github.com/IAmTomShaw/f1-race-replay/pull/224
Author: @darsh-shah4548
Created: 2/7/2026
Status: 🔄 Open

Base: main ← Head: feature/driver-chase-cam

📝 Commits (2)

3e49748 Add tyre strategy timeline panel (resolves #95)
a1792ce Add driver chase cam view with smooth top-down camera tracking

📊 Changes

5 files changed (+1167 additions, -12 deletions)

View changed files

📝 main.py (+1 -0)
📝 src/arcade_replay.py (+3 -1)
📝 src/f1_data.py (+64 -0)
📝 src/interfaces/race_replay.py (+377 -11)
📝 src/ui_components.py (+722 -0)

📄 Description

I understand this feature may not be fully aligned with the pit wall-style vision and direction of this project. Apologies if this PR deviates from that. I'm happy to adjust or close if it doesn't fit the roadmap.

Summary

Adds a driver chase cam mode activated by pressing V after selecting a driver on the leaderboard
Top-down camera zooms into the selected driver with smooth rotation aligned to their heading direction
Full dashboard HUD with large speed/gear display, horizontal throttle/brake bars, DRS indicator, tyre compound/age, real-time gap intervals to drivers ahead and behind, and a mini-map showing all car positions
Uses Camera2D with sub-frame interpolation between 25 FPS data frames and heavy heading smoothing for butter-smooth rendering at any playback speed
Left/Right arrows cycle between drivers while in chase cam; ESC or V exits back to normal view

Technical Details

Camera system: Dual-camera rendering — Camera2D for world-space (track + cars), default_camera for screen-space HUD overlay
Smooth rendering: Sub-frame position interpolation eliminates discrete jumps at zoom level; circular-mean heading buffer (size 20) with slow angle lerp (0.04) prevents rotation shimmer
Frame sync: Chase cam update runs after frame_index is finalized in on_update, ensuring camera and rendered cars use identical frame data (no 1-frame desync)
Performance: Pre-rotated track points computed once at init, pre-created arcade.Text objects for all HUD elements, reduced track point density for chase cam rendering
Gap calculation: Uses the same proven formula as DriverInfoComponent (distance / 10.0 / 55.56 at 200 km/h reference speed)

Files Changed

File	Changes	Impact
`src/interfaces/race_replay.py`	+355 lines	Chase cam state, camera methods, world rendering, key handlers — all additive
`src/ui_components.py`	+387 lines	New `ChaseCamHUDComponent` class + 1 help entry — appended at end

Zero existing contributor code deleted or overwritten. All modifications are strictly additive: new imports, tuple extensions, guard clauses in key handlers, and a popup height increase (+20px) to fit the new help entry.

Screenshots

Test plan

Select a driver on the leaderboard, press V — verify camera zooms into the driver
Verify smooth camera rotation aligned to driver heading
Check dashboard HUD: speed, gear, DRS, tyre info, throttle/brake bars
Verify Ahead/Behind gap intervals update in real-time
Press Left/Right arrows to cycle between drivers
Verify mini-map shows all car positions with chased driver highlighted
Press V or ESC to exit — verify normal view returns exactly as before
Press H to confirm "V - Chase Cam (select driver)" appears in controls help
Test at different playback speeds (1x, 4x, 32x) for smooth camera movement
Resize window during chase cam to verify layout adjusts
Test on multiple races/circuits to verify universal compatibility