Making videos from demos

[Saizou]

I'd like to try out making a few short clips for the fun of it so I'd like to know what's the process (setting up the camera, resolution, speed, fps, removing HUD and so, cameras on grenades, which part of demo you want to render etc).

Basically anything in between taking a demo and putting all those chunks in a video editing software.

Or you could just recommend some tutorials since I'll look them up anyway, just thought I could use some tips on basics and where to start learning those stuff.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Edit: I mangled up the title it should be "Making videos from demos"

[Papito]

You must ask to Blade, Thunderc*nt or Hobbit, they're the mastas.

[Jorz]

I'd like to try out making a few short clips for the fun of it so I'd like to know what's the process (setting up the camera, resolution, speed, fps, removing HUD and so, cameras on grenades, which part of demo you want to render etc).

Basically anything in between taking a demo and putting all those chunks in a video editing software.

Or you could just recommend some tutorials since I'll look them up anyway, just thought I could use some tips on basics and where to start learning those stuff.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Edit: I mangled up the title it should be "Making videos from demos"

 

 

i have no idea,but one question.when you watch recorded demos doesnt they show with different weapons player faces-outfits etc?

How to fix this?

[Saizou]

i have no idea,but one question.when you watch recorded demos doesnt they show with different weapons player faces-outfits etc?

How to fix this?

 

You probably have some skins mod in one of folders which load automatically if you meant on that, so find the .pk3 with that mod and delete it. Had the same case with Christmas mod on Jaymod.

[ohurcool]

Here's one tutorial, but it's kinda old:

 

http://www.crossfire.nu/?x=tutorial&mode=item&id=5

[Jorz]

You probably have some skins mod in one of folders which load automatically if you meant on that, so find the .pk3 with that mod and delete it. Had the same case with Christmas mod on Jaymod.

 

 

hmm i will search thanks.

And i found this to remove hud:cg_draw2d 0

have no idea if you can open console while watching,havent tried.and i can give you link with help if ohur's wont help.and you can record while watching the demo with hypercam,or there is another way that i found on google and its the link i told

[SickOne]

/draw 2d will remove the entire hud , also the crosshair , and you can do this while playing demos . What i can suggest is , when you want to take some footage , make a 2nd et installation and configure it to your needs , for a good movie cfg , here you can get fE the movie cfg from winghaven http://www.freewebs.com/rezon-cfg/configs.htm

 

edit : need to scroll down a bit

[hobbit]

Nice little tutorial, and a bit newer then the one posted by urcool. Made by a pretty reputable ET filmmaker

http://www.crossfire.nu/?x=tutorial&mode=item&id=29

[Saizou]

I think those tutorials should keep me busy for a while.

Demo recording time

 

Thanks for helping out.

[BossHK]

More more :DD

 

(MovieMaking in Games (Part1 - Recording). There is 4 parts in total, so make sure you watch them all.)

 

So this 4 part video serie is nice tutorial how to get good quality videos(HD, aka 1280x720). It will go through whole process making video.

 

Also you might know that rendering the final video is important part which really decides the final quality of video. Here is very nice(quality wise) settings what you can use:

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/3271/ubermeguiasetukset.png

 

So quick sum:

1. Record demo normally.

2. Use cl_avidemo [value] (100 should be fine) to capture screenshots.

3. Combine screenshots to video with Virtualdub.

4. Edit video with Sony Vegas or similiar editing software (extra thing is to do something with After Effects too, not required though).

5. Render video out from Vegas(or similiar editing software). After that render sounds too.

6. Use MeGUI to encode the video and still keep good quality. (See that imageshack picture)

7. Mux encoded video and sounds with Muxer in MeGUI.

8. It's done. Enjoy your great video!

 

Also another thing what you propably need to think when you are making jaymod clips/movie is that do you want that those rank promotions, amount of ammos etc are visible or not?

 

1. Visible:

2. Not visible, only crosshair and "You killed X" are visible:

 

P.S. That "Random jayrifleround" is so old, I have even recorded it with Fraps, so quality etc are pretty bad. But to see my recent little clip with that method #2, download it here(47mb): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RTCFGRX3

P.P.S. Another "solution" for method #1 is to use different HUD settings, for example like here:

 

If you decide that #2 is better, then just record with 1280x1024 resolution, and crop it in Sony Vegas to 1280x720 (when cropping, those extra things will drop out. But try to crop so that crosshair still stays about middle of screen :pp).

Edited September 21, 2010 by BossHK

[Saizou]

I was thinking about making mostly a 3rd person fun video since I can't do frags that would be demo worthy, but yes I'd do it without HUD (but still leaving all or important obituaries + you killed message) and maybe leaving the crosshair out when it comes to 1st person view (using the non cropping method). For know I gotta figure all the demo controls and get all the ingame graphics settings right, and I would go for HD. Now that you put it simple steps makes it much more clear how's it done.

Probably a noob question, but I assume you can't assign camera to be in a static place and that those scene shots are made with a help of a spectator?

Another noob question but you do you sync up the audio with video so nicely since they are recorded separately?

 

I'll pester my sister about sony vegas as she had some experience with it so that part should come ok.

 

Btw, some nice videos you made there.

[BossHK]

I was thinking about making mostly a 3rd person fun video since I can't do frags that would be demo worthy, but yes I'd do it without HUD (but still leaving all or important obituaries + you killed message) and maybe leaving the crosshair out when it comes to 1st person view (using the non cropping method). For know I gotta figure all the demo controls and get all the ingame graphics settings right, and I would go for HD. Now that you put it simple steps makes it much more clear how's it done.

Probably a noob question, but I assume you can't assign camera to be in a static place and that those scene shots are made with a help of a spectator?

Another noob question but you do you sync up the audio with video so nicely since they are recorded separately?

 

I'll pester my sister about sony vegas as she had some experience with it so that part should come ok.

 

Btw, some nice videos you made there.

 

Well, there is software called Camtrace 3D, its made for moviemaking purposes for Q3 engine. Unfortunately I have zero experience with it, so I can't help you there :x But here is little video about it:

Though I'm sure there is better tutorials available somewhere.

About syncing the audio: I get both (audio & video) from demo. Usually I just record video (screenshots) first, and then I watch demo again but now I record sound. Command for audio is /wav_record. It creates automatically "wav" folder inside particular mod folder. Then I just sync the audio and video clips in Sony Vegas. Maybe I need to cut/modify those clips, depending about editing, but if there is no much editing, then the syncing is pretty easy. It just requires a little bit patience to watch same clip again and again to make sure that audio and video are synced. But it really is required, because there is nothing worse than unsynced audio & video.

 

Edit: Here is very, very nice camera using, especially at beginning(0:35 - 1:20) of movie:

Edited September 22, 2010 by BossHK

[Saizou]

Now I found out that what I was thinking on is that freecam mode (mentioned in that Camtrace tutorial) in demos while Camtrace adds a whole another amazing dimension and depth to it. Definitely worth exploring.

I have a feeling audio syncing will be a pain as it can't be overlooked especially when you have to sync up various parts of the song too. I've even seen examples of tens of seconds late audio. That really ruined the experience, as it was a show I liked very much.

 

I think I'm all armed up now, time to get busy.

 

Thanks for all the help

[Young Fox]

Hi !
I reopen this subject, quite old! I managed to get me Camtrace, but if I understand correctly, we can only use it in ETPro ... Has anyone managed to make it work under Jaymod please? It could be pretty good considering how many people are playing right now