Is there a better way to move around and view a big scene?

Question

My problem is that I have a huge scene with meshes and (let's say) I see this scene for the first time. I do not know it, I want to look around. I can use the controls like 
MMB  plus look around, shift plus RMB  (but scene is too huge for this).
Then I select some objects on the hierarchy and press numpad . (but as I said: I do not know the scene and/or the object names can look like all the same as well), what will take me there.
I know, I can use the fly camera mode, but that is well... kinda hard to use, for me at least. Is there a better way to move around? Like in a game: WASD + mouse look? (I do not want to move my camera, my goal is to move my editing area to a specific position / angle)

David · Accepted Answer

Since 2.70 there is a walk mode (like a game). Press Shift F to enter walk mode. Then use either WASD or the arrow keys to walk and the mouse to look around.

To speed up walk mode.

during walk mode you can point the mouse cross hairs at any object and press space to teleport there. (I find it really neat)
holding shift will speed up any of the movements.
NumPad + or Mouse-Wheel up to increase the movement speed for that one time, when you exit walk mode the speed goes back to what it is set at (see next point). There is no feed back to changing the speed, just hold the button for a bit. Likewise NumPad - and Mouse-Wheel scrolling down will decrease the speed.
If you want to make any lasting speed changes you can go the the user preferences, on the input tab down on the left is a section for the walk mode entitled View Navigation. Change the Walk Speed, also the Speed Factor is how much holding shift or alt will change the speed.

If you want to zoom right in on any object or objects with NumPad . you can select the objects in the 3D view, you do not have to select them in the Outliner.

Sean Bannister · Answer

For anyone looking to replicate the navigation in other 3D software I've been able to come close. The solution below allows you to press the middle mouse button then you can navigate the scene using wasd and moving the mouse.
Go to Edit... Preferences... Keymap...
Search for "View Navigation (Walk/Fly)" (AKA: view3d.navigate) and set it to middle mouse button like this:

Delete these two interfering mappings by clicking the "X" on the right of them (or change them but you probably won't need them anymore with the new navigation style) :

(This ones hard to find I search for "middle mouse" and scroll...) Delete it:

Unlike other 3D software this activates when you click the middle mouse button not by holding it in (which I would prefer let me know if you figure out how, I've asked here). This means you need to disable it when you want to go back to doing something else by left clicking, right click makes you jump back to the last location you were at, which I'd prefer it didn't do.
I also tried to associate this with the right mouse button but didn't have any luck due to it interfering with the context menu and so many other things.

mmm · Answer

Set up cameras for each view you might want then select one in the outliner and switch to it in view menu.

DoubleVoid · Answer

Like David said, the walk mode since 2.70 is a good way to start.
Additionally I want to add this:
http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.6/Manual/3D_interaction/Navigating/3D_View/Navigation_Modes

You can adjust the speed with Mousewheel Up/Down

And you can also start the Fly Mode with Tab

Teleport to a point with Space

Is there a better way to move around and view a big scene?

4 Answers

To speed up walk mode.

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